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Learning, Sharing, and Teaching => Reader Recommendations => Topic started by: wallet on February 16, 2018, 10:20:14 AM

Title: Canadian Bank Recommendation (2018 Edition!)
Post by: wallet on February 16, 2018, 10:20:14 AM

Having just switched my mortgage out of RBC because their offer was not competitive, we lost our multi product rebate and I hate paying for chequing accounts.

Can someone please recommend a good no-fee banking alternative that is easy to use and widely accepted?

I will need for my wife and I:
3 chequing accounts (yours, mine, ours) (with at least a good amount of transactions allowed for free)
3 high interest savings accounts
Access to a LOC for emergencies

A good network of ATMs is also a big bonus - I don't want to be saving on chequing fees only to be paying the equivalent for taking out cash 2x a month.

Thanks in advance!

Title: Re: Canadian Bank Recommendation (2018 Edition!)
Post by: snacky on February 16, 2018, 11:20:27 AM

I have never found any national bank with fees/ service/ rates as good as my credit union.

Title: Re: Canadian Bank Recommendation (2018 Edition!)
Post by: Prairie Stash on February 16, 2018, 01:53:17 PM

I almost jumped from RBC, then they matched the offer when I laid it out for them. I also bank with the following, I love my PC Mastercard for its cash back (groceries). I recommend getting both, especially multiple savings accounts if you hold cash and are willing to transfer it back ad forth to get bonus interest rates! the bous rate at Tangerine is 2.75%, regular rate is 1.1% A small hack, but satisfying.

Tangerine for savings - my referral key 16794736S1
Please use mine to set up your account, then use yours to set up your wife. That way you get the bonus for her.
Current interest rate of 1.1%, periodic bonuses for interest.
Chequing No fees for daily chequing transactions
Free Unlimited access to 3,500 Scotiabank ABMs nationwide and 50,000 ABMs worldwide 

Simplii Financial (formerly PC financial)
https://www.simplii.com/en/borrowing/personal-line-of-credit.html  Line of credit
Savings account 1.1% rate today
Chequeing is free
3400 CIBC ATM

Title: Re: Canadian Bank Recommendation (2018 Edition!)
Post by: dycker1978 on February 16, 2018, 02:11:59 PM

The conxus Credit union here has free accounts. I would look into your local credit union if you want brink and morter

Title: Re: Canadian Bank Recommendation (2018 Edition!)
Post by: skibum on May 20, 2018, 01:50:19 PM

Tangerine also has a free chequing account.

But I agree with the Credit Union recommendation. Not sure where you live, but they are pretty mainstream in BC. I've banked with Coast Capital for ~25 years, have a mortgage, a chequing account and a high-ish (1.1%) interest savings account and have never paid any kind of fees. I use Tangerine as well, although their 'high' interest savings has been coming down over the years.

But I would question why you need 6 accounts for 2 people? With CC, anything 'over' on my chequing account automatically comes out of my savings account. I can also pay from my savings from Interac.

I would think about 'virtual' accounts for spending money. Maybe 1 chequing and 2 linked savings accounts? 6 plus whatever investments you have just seems like a lot.