How many drawers did you have to look through to find a bank statement the last time you needed one? Chances are you did not lay your hands on it as readily as you would have liked.

If that is a familiar scenario in your home, help has arrived in the form of online banking. Even if you are among the most organized, online banking offers convenience you can’t beat.

Online Banking

Consider online banking with your credit union for instant organization and access to all of your account information. With online banking, information about deposits, payments, statements, and all transactions is immediately available with only a few key strokes 24 hours every day.

Bill Paying
Use online banking to pay your bills, transfer money between accounts and monitor your spending. When you pay your bills online you will need to take 15-30 minutes to set up your vendors (lists of payees, addresses, account numbers, etc.). After that, it takes mere seconds to set up a bill payment. You can opt for automatic payments on a date of your choosing or you can point and click each month.

Bills paid via online banking arrive at their destination in as few as two days. You don’t need stamps, envelopes or even a pen. Best of all, online banking compiles and allows you to access your payment history for every vendor on your payee list.

Saving Money by Banking Online
Not only will you save yourself the worry of searching for perpetually lost cancelled checks and bank statements you will also save a little money. Most credit unions offer online banking services and e-statements, etc. to their members at no cost with direct deposit or a qualifying account (usually as a benefit of a home equity loan or money market account).

Budgeting and Tracking Spending Advantages
Online banking is infinitely more convenient than waiting for your paper statement each month or even telephone banking. Your transactions are recorded in real time and you can see them as they occur. When you avail yourself of online banking services you are better able to track and monitor your spending. You may even find that it is easier to follow a budget and to avoid overdraft charges with online banking because you have a visual of your spending.

Is Security an Issue?
Worried about security? While anything done by computer can never be completely safe, a great deal of technological thought and energy is being brought to the task of maintaining Internet safety. Your banking information is encrypted making it difficult that third parties can peek in. There is ample evidence that consumers have become more comfortable with online financial transactions. For instance, check printing has seen a decline and online shopping has seen a substantial increase. Financial institutions support our increasing embrace of online banking because it streamlines transactions and costs a great deal less than paper based transactions. Credit Unions pass these savings on to their members.

Visit your local bank or credit union online to take a free online banking tour and demo. You will be surprised to learn how pleasant paying your bills and managing your finances becomes with the convenience and accessibility of online banking. The money you will save is an added bonus.

For teaching about banking please see:

Teaching Banking and Savings Accounts
Teach and learn about bank savings accounts, banking, and earning interest.