The former “Community Bank” of Tampa Bay, Florida, is now rebranding themselves as “C1 Bank” and have issued this promotional offer as a grand-opening bonus….and to get themselves a little media attention.

The deal may not be all it’s cracked up to be though.

When you break down the annual percentage yield Read more...]]> Ok, so we’ll get to the catch right away – you need to open the deposit with $1 million.

The former “Community Bank” of Tampa Bay, Florida, is now rebranding themselves as “C1 Bank” and have issued this promotional offer as a grand-opening bonus….and to get themselves a little media attention.

The deal may not be all it’s cracked up to be though.

When you break down the annual percentage yield for this 5 year deposit it actually sits slightly below the national average at just 1.20% APY. On a 5 year CD, this comes out to a total of $61,294.04 in earnings on a $1 million deposit over the 60 month period – just enough for your pick of a Mercedes-Benz SLK350, SLK350, E350, ML350, or E350 Convertible.

You can actually choose any model of Benz that you’d like but if it exceeds the $61k mark (for precisely $1 million deposits) you’ll be stuck paying the difference. Also, don’t expect to be able to take the cash rather than the car either. C1 Bank has already inked the deal with Crown Eurocars in St. Petersburg, so you’ll need to sell it yourself if you’d rather have the cash (undoubtedly undercutting your earnings even further!).

This offer is available to residents in the state of Florida only! Stop by one of C1 Bank’s 19 locations with your Florida state issued ID to learn more about this offer.

Our take:

Dont look at this as anything other than a 5 year jumbo CD yielding just 1.20% APY. The fact that you can’t get the cash, or even your choice of auto-maker for that matter, make this offer seem like a lot of smoke and mirrors with little actual value.

To put the offer in further perspective, the current national average on 5 year deposits sits at 1.50% APY while the highest yielding 5 year CDs from our database sit well above the 1.20% mark at 1.80% APY.

Currently anyone who lives in the state of Texas can enter to win $1,000 by either “Like”-ing Amarillo National Bank’s Facebook page or by sending them an email to SocialMedia@ANB.com with the subject line reading “Request to Enter Facebook $1000 Giveaway.” In the email you’ll need to include your Read more...]]> Texas residents may want to check out this clever Facebook promotion by Amarillo Bank that is underway until the 7th of May.

Currently anyone who lives in the state of Texas can enter to win $1,000 by either “Like”-ing Amarillo National Bank’s Facebook page or by sending them an email to SocialMedia@ANB.com with the subject line reading “Request to Enter Facebook $1000 Giveaway.” In the email you’ll need to include your name, email, phone number and address.

The odds of winning are dependent on how many entries there are, however, we haven’t seen the number of Facebook “likes” for Amarillo National Bank go up substantially since the contest began on the 9th of April, so the odds may not be that overwhelming.

What to Expect When Entering this Contest:

This is a fairly generous prize offered from Amarillo Bank. We rarely see banks or credit unions offer this sort of reward for contests, but its still an obvious attempt at drumming up new business.

If you enter to win by emailing them, you should expect a sales call, email, or letter from them attempting at converting you into a new customer. And if you “like” their Facebook page, they’ll simply have better access at exposing you to their brand through your Facebook feeds.

Who is Eligible:

Anyone who lives in Texas and is over the age of 18 is eligible for entry (AKA anyone who is within their scope of potential customers).

Winner Selection Process:

On the last day of the contest a winner will be selected at random from the group of eligible entrants. ANB will notify the winner within twenty-four (24) hours of the drawing via a post to the Facebook page. Those who have entered therefor must remember to check their Facebook page on the day of the drawing. If the selected winner is ineligible, does not respond to notification within 24 hours of such notification, an alternate winner will be selected. This process will continue until the prize is claimed by an eligible entrant.

Amarillo National Bank currently has 2,081 Facebook likes. Good Luck!

Currently, the promotion allows qualifying borrowers to lock in a home equity rate as low as 1.75% APR for the first six months followed by Iowa CCU’s standard home equity rate, featuring rates as low as 3.75% APR (see below for full list of options available after promotional period).

This Read more...]]> We were just forwarded a nice promotional home equity offer from Iowa Community Credit Union which is available for a limited time.

Currently, the promotion allows qualifying borrowers to lock in a home equity rate as low as 1.75% APR for the first six months followed by Iowa CCU’s standard home equity rate, featuring rates as low as 3.75% APR (see below for full list of options available after promotional period).

This deal is for Iowa residents who are eligible for membership at Iowa Community Credit Union only. If you’re not included, visit our home loan center for updated offers in your area.

Who Should Take This Offer?

This is and ideal promotion for those looking to remodel a house or are even considering flipping a property. Believe it or not, flipping homes is once again a hot business model with 2012 looking to be a big year for home flippers.

Of course flipping properties doesn’t come without a decent amount of risk, but those whom are already committed to it may find this deal very beneficial. Because home-flippers only hold a piece of property for a relatively short period of time, a 6 month 1.75% APR period can go a long way in terms of providing cheap capital.

Also, for those who have decided to move within the year but need to do a little remodeling beforehand, this offer may also be fitting for those budgetary needs.

1.75% APR 6-month Home Equity Deal from ICCU:

- $125 in closing costs.

- Proof of home ownership required.

Terms available after 6 month promotional period:

- 3.75% for a 5-year term

- 4.25% for a 10-year term

- 4.75% for a 15-year term

The vast majority of checking account promotions this year are requiring larger commitments from account holders before releasing bonuses, ensuring people Read more...]]> We were just notified of a pretty nice deal from PNC Bank for anyone considering opening a new checking account this year. From now until June 30, 2012, PNC is offering new “Virtual Wallet” checking account holders a $100 bonus after making $750 in deposits and completing 10 check card transactions.

The vast majority of checking account promotions this year are requiring larger commitments from account holders before releasing bonuses, ensuring people actually stay with the bank. Gone are the days when banks put up 50 to 100 dollars just for opening a new checking account and funding it with 100 bucks.

PNC Bank’s “Virtual Wallet” Checking Account:

The Virtual Wallet Account is actually the compilation of three accounts – the “Spend” account, “Reserve” account, and “Growth” account.

Spend Account: The Spend account is built for everyday purchases. It comes with a check card and ATM reimbursements up to $8 per statement cycle along with free ATM withdrawals from all PNC banks.

Reserve Account: This accounts works as your overdraft protection account. If you’ve withdrawn too much from your Spend Account, the Reserve Account steps in to serve as a safety net. If funds aren’t available in this account they will then be taken from your Growth Account.

Growth Account: This accounts functions as your savings account and comes with an interest rate. As for 2012, don’t expect much in the way of interest, although the rate is variable and should rise as key rates begin to rise.

All three accounts must be opened (together forming your “Virtual Wallet”) and funded with a total of $750 in order for you to receive the $100 bonus from PNC Bank. After funding the account(s) and making the required 10 transactions with your check card, the $100 bonus will be added to your account after 6 months.

PNC only provides banking services to residents in the following states:  AL, DC, DE, FL, GA, IL, IN, KY, MD, MI, MO, NC, NJ, OH, PA, SC, VA and WI.

PNC’s Virtual Wallet and contributing accounts come with zero monthly fees. Visit www.PNC.com for further information.

Other than the bonus structure, these two IRA’s offer similar services and have similar terms and conditions. Both accounts come with zero maintenance or annual fees. E-Trade customers will be allowed two months of free trading whereas your first 30 trades with Merrill Edge will be free. Read more...]]> Merrill Edge is now offering a similar IRA rollover bonus that E-Trade has been offering for some time now, however, the bonuses between the two vary depending on the size of one’s nest egg.

Other than the bonus structure, these two IRA’s offer similar services and have similar terms and conditions. Both accounts come with zero maintenance or annual fees. E-Trade customers will be allowed two months of free trading whereas your first 30 trades with Merrill Edge will be free. Outside of that promotional period, both accounts charge roughly $7.00 per trade.

E-Trade’s IRA Rollover Bonus: Up to $600 added to new customers’ retirement account. Breakdown below or  Go to Offer Here.

1) Receive $100 when transferring between $25k and $99k.

2) Receive $250 when transferring between $100k and $249k.

3) Receive $600 when transferring between $250k+.

Merrill Edge IRA Rollover Bonus: Up to $500 added to new customers’ retirement account. Breakdown below. Offer found at offers.merrilledge.com.

1) Receive $50 when transferring between $10k – $24,999.

2) Receive $100 when transferring between $25k – $99K.

3) Receive $250 when transferring between $100k and $199k.

4) Receive $500 when transferring above $200k.

Keep in mind that the larger the nest egg you transfer over the greater ‘value’ of a client you’ll be in the eyes of these institutions, so mentioning a competing IRA promotion may provide ample leverage for you to negotiate a higher bounty for your transferred account.

If you’ve just began to build an IRA account, then it appears Merrill Edge may be your better play as far as bonus offers go. They only require a $10k transfer to earn a bonus while E-Trade sets the bar a little higher at $25k. Again, like we mentioned before, it doesn’t hurt to mention the competing offer if/when you speak with one of their representatives, if you’d rather move to E-Trade but are moving less than $25k.

Get the Bonus Here!

This offer now tops E-Trade’s IRA Bonus which provides new IRA consumers bonuses up to $500 and a certain number of free trades.

Don’t know Read more...]]> We were just notified of a limited time promotional offer from the popular online discount brokerage “Optionhouse” that’s currently providing new customers (either rolling over an IRA or starting a new IRA) with between $200 and $600 depending on the amount funded.

Get the Bonus Here!

This offer now tops E-Trade’s IRA Bonus which provides new IRA consumers bonuses up to $500 and a certain number of free trades.

Don’t know who Optionhouse is?

Optionhouse is a discount brokerage that enables consumers to trade more effectively with a fast, streamlined online trading platform. They offer a full suite of online “smart tools,” free data and research as well as the lowest brokerage fees of any competing institution of just $3.95 per trade. If you frequently make trades from your smart phone they also have a number of tools and customized alerts in which you can set up to better inform you on companies or organizations you’re researching and investing in.

How to earn the $200 – $600 bonus for rolling over your IRA:

The bonus is straight forward with no strings attached, it’s simply based on the amount your IRA is worth. Here is the breakdown…

- Rollover or start a new IRA with $25,000 and get $200. Use the promotional code ROLL200

- Rollover or start a new IRA with $50,000 and get $300. Use the promotional code ROLL300

- Rollover or start a new IRA with $100,000 and get $400. Use the promotional code ROLL400

- Rollover or start a new IRA with $250,000 and get $600. Use the promotional code ROLL600

Get the Bonus Here!

Top 2 Credit Card Offers with Bonuses For the Holidays:

1) Chase Freedom® Read more...]]> Since the beginning of last summer bank deals have been fairly abundant when compared to the two most previous years. Both new credit card holders and new checking account consumers have been subject to a number of lucrative rewards in 2011. Credit cards were offering their best deals in the summer and checking accounts seem to just be peaking now.

Top 2 Credit Card Offers with Bonuses For the Holidays:

1) Chase Freedom® MasterCard – $200 Bonus Cash Back – This offer has been on the table for a little while now but is certainly one of the most lucrative. With a new Chase Freedom MasterCard customers can get $200 in cash back after just $500 in purchases. The card comes with no annual fee and has a recurring rewards structure that is fairly generous as well. For this holiday shopping season you’ll be able to get 5% Cash Back on up to $1,500 spent on dining, department stores, movie theaters and charitable organizations from today through 12/31/11. After the new year you’ll get another set of categories in which the 5% cash back will apply, and so on, with rewards rotating every quarter.

2) Discover® More® Card’s Limited Time $150 Holiday Bonus – The Discover More Card regularly tops our charts for the best cash back credit card on the market. And since they’ve decided to sweeten the pot with a $150 cash bonus this Holiday Season, we’re guessing these cards are flying off the shelves. Currently new card holders can nab 150 bucks after opening the card and spending $1,000 with it in 3 months. You’re also entitled to 0% APR on purchases and balance transfers for 6 months. Plus you can take advantage of their famous 20% cash back program when you shop online with “ShopDiscover” which includes a number of well known retailers. Outside of that you’ll earn a similar 5% cash back rotating rewards structure as the Chase Freedom Card (listed above) plus 1% cash back on everything else.

Top 2 Checking Account Bonuses For the Holidays:

Before we mention our favorite checking accounts with cash bonuses, we’d like to remind you that these offers are available nationwide. We’ve seen a number of geographically exclusive checking bonuses from regional banks and the like come through our inbox, so you may want to stop by your local bank or CU and see if they have any specials available as well.

1) ING Direct Checking Account with $50 Sign-up Bonus – This offer has been very popular over the holidays thus far. This likely came from a bump in consumers looking to switch from their big bank due to the imposition of new fees. Not only does this checking account come with a $50 sign-up bonus but it also boasts zero overdraft fees, zero monthly fees and no ATM surcharges. The account itself is a relieving alternative for consumers looking to switch from their old account(s) with pricey fees. The $50 sign up bonus just may be the tipping point.

2) Huntington Bank’s $100 Checking Account Bonus – Here’s a fantastic checking account that’s only available until the end of today! To get the $100 bonus you must first open the account then make at least 5 debit card purchases and set up one direct deposit. Slightly more commitment is involved with this checking bonus than the one offered by ING, but if you’re looking to make this your new primary checking account and you reside near a few Huntington Bank branches this may be perfect for you. You can also open the account and get the bonus online.

Since the drastic increase of these bonuses we’ve updated our checking account promotions page to include all of the top offers currently available throughout the country. When we disclose checking account deals here, we not only take into account actual monetary incentives (cash bonuses) for signing-up but also Read more...]]> We’ve been getting tipped off on new checking deals right and left this week as Black Friday and Cyber Monday Deals continue rolling in.

Since the drastic increase of these bonuses we’ve updated our checking account promotions page to include all of the top offers currently available throughout the country. When we disclose checking account deals here, we not only take into account actual monetary incentives (cash bonuses) for signing-up but also the fees associated with the accounts, minimum balance requirements, ATM fee reimbursement, and all other requirements generally smothered in the bank or credit union’s fine print.

Today, we’d like to quickly highlight the newest offer to roll in. It’s not particularly our favorite due to the vast amount of strings attached to the cash bonuses, but it does come with the potential to net new customers $200 if you can meet requirements.

The deal comes from MB Financial based out of Chicago and is only available to residents within it’s geographical borders. This includes citizens of Illinois, Indiana and Pennsylvania. Although just a regional bank, MB is publicly traded (Nasdaq: MBFI) and controls roughly $10 billion in assets.

Terms for Checking Account Bonus:

The $200 checking bonus is broken up into segments which, when completed, will net you a portion of the overall $200. Here is the breakdown of these individual segments:

- Earn $100 for setting up a recurring monthly direct deposit of at least $500.

- Earn $50 for setting up a recurring automatic money transfer of at least $50 to another MB Financial personal savings account or money market account or certificate of deposit.

- Earn a $25 account credit when you pay at least one bill of $25 or more to non-individuals via bill pay at ibankmb.com

- Earn the final $25 when you enroll in e-statements.

So while a $200 bonus sounds quite enticing and lucrative, generally speaking new customers are rarely able to cash in on these types of tiered bonuses as it essentially requires you to make the new bank your primary bank.

For a more simple bonus, check out ING Direct’s limited time checking bonus. It’s only 50 bucks but it comes with no strings attached and zero fees.

From November 25 to November 29 ONLY new customers can set up a Huntington Bank checking account and cash in on a $100 bonus as long as they can meet the 2 requirements.

Requirements:

1) Make at least five debit card purchases from the account in 60 days.

2) Set up at least one direct deposit.

How to Open?

1) Visit this URL – Huntington.com/100dollars

2 Read more...]]> Here’s a pretty nice Black Friday checking account offer from Huntington Bank.

From November 25 to November 29 ONLY new customers can set up a Huntington Bank checking account and cash in on a $100 bonus as long as they can meet the 2 requirements.

Requirements:

1) Make at least five debit card purchases from the account in 60 days.

2) Set up at least one direct deposit.

How to Open?

1) Visit this URL – Huntington.com/100dollars

2 or stop by a local branch.

Other Checking Account Promotions:

There are a few new checking account offers on the table as of November. Chase Bank has their infamous $125 offer available through January 7, 2012. This bonus comes with relatively few strings attached as you’ll just need to set up a direct deposit and make an initial deposit of $100. If you’re looking for a checking bonus that doesn’t require a direct deposit you may want to review ING’s checking bonus. It’s requirements for the bonus are minimal. Plus the account comes with zero overdraft fees, zero monthly fees and no ATM surcharges.