Author Topic: Associated Bank - $150 Cash Back after 3 Online Bill Pays!  (Read 4489 times)

ducky19

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Associated Bank - $150 Cash Back after 3 Online Bill Pays!
« on: February 22, 2017, 01:32:21 PM »
Associated Bank is offering $150 cash once you fund a new checking account with $100 and use it for 3 online Bill Pays - no direct deposit required! I deposited $200 using a Citi card (comes through as a purchase, not a cash advance) to help meet spend on a card, then set up three bill pays back to the same card. There is no requirement for leaving the account open, and you can reapply after 60 days. It doesn't get much simpler than that! Use the link below and I'll get a $50 referral bonus.

http://bit.ly/2lqjvDN

solon

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Re: Associated Bank - $150 Cash Back after 3 Online Bill Pays!
« Reply #1 on: February 22, 2017, 02:52:57 PM »
Why not deposit $1000 using your Citi card? You would get a lot more reward points that way.

ducky19

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Re: Associated Bank - $150 Cash Back after 3 Online Bill Pays!
« Reply #2 on: February 22, 2017, 02:56:05 PM »
There's a $200 limit on funding with credit card... :(  That would be great though, right?

ducky19

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Re: Associated Bank - $150 Cash Back after 3 Online Bill Pays!
« Reply #3 on: February 22, 2017, 02:58:12 PM »
Forgot to note, you have to live in Wisconsin, Illinois or Minnesota.

ducky19

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Re: Associated Bank - $150 Cash Back after 3 Online Bill Pays!
« Reply #4 on: February 22, 2017, 03:14:55 PM »
If there is a spot for a promo code, there is one on the page that is linked in the original post.

kpd905

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Re: Associated Bank - $150 Cash Back after 3 Online Bill Pays!
« Reply #5 on: February 22, 2017, 06:24:19 PM »
This is a great bonus, I opened it in December and received the $150 after a little over a week.

This is in the terms: Customers with an Associated checking account in the last 60 days, joint owners on an existing Associated checking account and Associated Bank colleagues are not eligible

This means that you can close the account as soon as you get the bonus, then open again 60 days later.  I am going to try to get this bonus 3-4 times this year for both my wife and I.

ducky19

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Re: Associated Bank - $150 Cash Back after 3 Online Bill Pays!
« Reply #6 on: March 09, 2017, 05:50:24 AM »
Just received my bonus today! It really was as simple as depositing from my credit card, setting up three bill pays back to that credit card, and waiting! Just over two weeks from account opening. Once your bonus posts, you can close the account and do it again in 60 days. Remember, this is only available if you live in Minnesota, Wisconsin, or Illinois. Referral link is above or in my signature line. Enjoy!
« Last Edit: March 09, 2017, 05:56:26 AM by ducky19 »

Huskie87

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Re: Associated Bank - $150 Cash Back after 3 Online Bill Pays!
« Reply #7 on: March 10, 2017, 03:37:00 PM »
Do you guys think that taking advantage of this sign-up promotion is different than taking advantage of the credit card companies?

I was about to take advantage of this offer, but then had second thoughts and canceled my application.  This just feels different than taking advantage of a credit card signup promotion.  Credit card companies aren't evil, they've made my life a heck of a lot easier and I've never paid a dime in interest while receiving thousands in rewards over the years.  But I still consider them to be in a somewhat shady business with questionable business practices.  That's why when I take advantage of a signup promotion, I figure it's just my way of playing the game that they've set up.

This type of action though feels different to me.  Associated Bank is just a local bank.  They're not going to con anyone out of money with a shady checking account practice.  To take advantage of their promo, especially to do it multiple times, feels like you're stealing from a bank that's only trying to attract new (real) customers.  I guess if you have a 'survival of the fittest' mentality, then go ahead and scheme away.  To me the free $150 isn't worth taking from an honest local business.

Vanguards and Lentils

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Re: Associated Bank - $150 Cash Back after 3 Online Bill Pays!
« Reply #8 on: March 10, 2017, 04:56:39 PM »
This type of action though feels different to me.  Associated Bank is just a local bank.  They're not going to con anyone out of money with a shady checking account practice.  To take advantage of their promo, especially to do it multiple times, feels like you're stealing from a bank that's only trying to attract new (real) customers.  I guess if you have a 'survival of the fittest' mentality, then go ahead and scheme away.  To me the free $150 isn't worth taking from an honest local business.

Firstly they are not a local bank. These regional banks that span multiple states maybe started that way, but they eat up enough of their competition through acquisitions until they become mammoths (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Associated_Banc-Corp). So chasing bonuses is a tiny drop in the bucket.

Credit cards and banks aren't your friends. They provide a service - in one case convenient purchases, at the expense of 1-2% transaction fees charged to merchants, which get passed onto us consumers in the form of higher prices. In the other case, banks help you store your money safely, at the expense of giving you no interest and surprising the inattentive with many, many fees. Both have presumably weighed the cost of offering these promotions, and decided the risk of a small minority gaming the system, to be worth it.

ducky19

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Re: Associated Bank - $150 Cash Back after 3 Online Bill Pays!
« Reply #9 on: March 12, 2017, 08:03:40 AM »
Agree with SM - $29 billion in holdings doesn't sound like a "local" bank to me. I have a local bank that I work with, mostly because they know my name when I walk in the door. I like that. They have 3 branches so it's sometimes inconvenient, but worth it for the personal experience. I would feel different about gaming a bonus with them, but not much - they are still in business to make money.