When you think of all the things we do online, it can be quite astounding. We communicate online through email and Skype. We watch movies through Netflix and YouTube. We find the restaurants we eat at through Yelp or social media. We take pictures of things we like on Instagram.
The internet has changed the way we do things and has, in many ways, made things much easier. Just think of the way we acquire information. What once may have taken hours can now easily be done in a few seconds with a Google search.
As we amend our internet habits, one of the things that may be a thing of the past is the brick and mortar bank. Online banking offers many different benefits that provide convenience and organization to banking customers. In one Forrester Survey, 47% of those polled said that they use online banking and the number of online banking households should see a jump to 63 million by the end of 2014. Here are some perks you'll find when opening up an account:
You never need to balance your checkbook again: Remember the days when you had to write every transaction down in your ledger. This would help you know what's gone in, what's gone out, and what still is pending. Online banking negates the need to balance your checkbook as you will have a real-time itemized listing of all your transactions on an intuitive platform.
You'll save on postage and fees: One of the biggest perks of opening up an online account is BillPay. Rather than mailing in a check, you can link your checking account up with your credit card or utilities account and pay your bill through your online account. In addition to saving on the postage, you'll also have the added advantage of avoiding late fees as you will receive periodic email reminders.
You'll never have to stand in line again: Have you ever tried making a transaction at your bank on a Friday afternoon? You might as well let your family know where you're going, so they don't send out a search party. If you're like most people, you're very busy, and a trip to the bank is an unnecessary use of your time. Online banking allows you to bank when you can, rather than within office hours.
For all of these reasons, you should certainly consider online banking if you haven't done so yet. When looking at particular banks to do business with, make sure to find one that offers free banking, an easy to understand platform, and purchase awards. This will allow you to take full advantage of the many perks of online banking.