3 Things I Love About My Bank's Mobile App

It's amazing to think about how much the everyday act of managing your money has changed thanks to the rise of the internet. Gone are the days when you had to choose a bank based on its proximity to your home or your job. While you are still certainly free to become a member at your hometown bank or credit union, you're not required to, because a lot of banks have the tools necessary for you to access account data via your computer, tablet, and smartphone.

Banking apps in particular have become quite vital to the lives of many consumers. Earlier this year, Chase's Digital Banking Attitudes Survey found that two-thirds of respondents reported that they couldn't live without theirs. I'm a particular fan of my big national bank's app, and it's been helping me with my finances for years. Here are a few of its best features.

1. Mobile check deposit

The first time I saw a mobile check deposit in action, my mind was BLOWN. The friend who gushed over this bank feature (and gleefully showed me how she could take a photo of her check with her BlackBerry device and have the money hit her account the next day) was no longer required to physically take a paper check to her bank or an ATM to get it to her checking account. What a timesaver!

This technology still amazes me, but in my own life, paper checks have mostly gone the way of the dinosaur. I'm paid by direct deposit, so an overwhelming majority of the money I deal with doesn't touch me in the form of a check. That said, I do occasionally still get them; I recently received some dental insurance reimbursement checks and got to snap their photos to deposit them. And it's still such a timesaver, especially since neither bank I do business with has a local branch in my area.

2. Access to payment services

Once the money is in your account, you have to be able to access it so you can pay bills and make purchases. But in the last few years (and as more and more people use cash less and less often), it's also become increasingly important that you can easily send money to friends and family. My banking app has me covered on this front, as it's integrated with one of the best payment apps. I use this service to send money to people I know, as well as to transfer money to my savings account at my online-only bank every week.

3. Credit score check-ins

I've spent the last year getting more on top of my finances, and one of the habits I've cultivated along the way is checking my credit score regularly. A few of the credit card issuers I do business with have credit tools built into their apps and websites, but I far and away prefer the credit score tool in my banking app. Every month, I get a new and updated FICO® Score, and since that score is the one used by 90% of lenders to assess risk in potential borrowers, it's particularly important to know what yours is. Thanks to my banking app, I can easily find out.

If you're not using your banking app, or only pop in occasionally to check your balance, you're missing out. Spend a little time with it, and see all the features you could be utilizing to make managing your money that much easier.