Avoid checking with the bigger banks
Studies analyzing checking account fees, rates and policies find the nation's largest financial institutions offer the worst deals. Savvy shoppers can find better accounts at smaller or online banks. More

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Bring back bank errors in your favor
Any sum of money that your bank accidentally credits to your account must be given back. Most banks will proceed with federal and criminal charges if you don't pay it back. More

Online checking accounts
Internet banks offer higher yields for interest checking accounts than traditional banks. They also offer lower minimums to open, substantially lower balance requirements for avoiding fees and lower monthly service fees. More

Insufficient funds
Banks commonly process the biggest checks first. If you have insufficient funds for a number of written checks, this gives priority to mortgage payments, car payments, IRS payments and insurance premiums. While having less impact on your credit report, you'll pay an insufficient fund penalty for each smaller check. More

Check deposits
You can circumvent the hold on your checking account deposits. Federal regulations require banks to make all the money from electronic deposits, such as wire transfers and direct deposits, available on the next business day. This policy includes new customers, too. More

Accounts for those without a bank
Electronic Transfer Accounts provide inexpensive accounts for people who receive retirement, benefit, wage or salary payments from the federal government. Payments are deposited electronically. The downside: no check-writing privileges. More

Check deposits
Banks hold your check deposits giving them time to clear. Debit cards and speedy electronic check-clearing increase your chances of bounced checks if you don't know how long your bank holds your deposit. Reading the fine print keeps your bank record clean. More

Think small for a big bank deal
Mega-merger banks can out-market, out-purchase and offer more teaser rates than small community banks. But small banks offer a huge advantage over mega-merger banks -- they have personal knowledge of their customers, which allows them to meet their personal needs. More

Consider cash management accounts
Cash management accounts combine a checking account with a money-market fund, a credit or debit card, and a brokerage account. You need to compare fees, features, money market account interest rate and the penalty for falling below the minimum balance amount. More

Check deposits
Banks must clear local checks two business days after your deposit, and nonlocal checks must be available five business days after your deposit. Unfortunately, new checking account customers can wait up to two weeks for checks to clear -- it's up to the bank. More

Online checking accounts
Internet banks offer higher yields for interest checking accounts than traditional banks. These online-only banks also offer lower minimums to open, substantially lower balance requirements for avoiding fees and lower monthly service fees. More

Online checking accounts
Your bank's online checking accounts mirror their traditional branch pricing model, meaning higher minimum balance requirements, service fees and/or per-item charges. You'll not find any price breaks. Internet-only banks offer the best checking account deals. More

Cash management accounts
Cash management accounts daily transfer any incoming cash -- from stock dividends, maturing certificates of deposit, bond interest payment, sales of securities -- into a money-market fund for immediate interest accrual. This convenience is limited to wealthy customers who maintain high minimum balances. More

Checking account surveys
Bankrate's survey of checking account services found that: insufficient fund fees are rising, more banks assess surcharges for automated teller machine use and more service charges are being assessed. More

Nonsufficient fund fees
Nonsufficient funds fees reap huge profits for banks, so they'll not disappear. But you can keep them at bay with overdraft protection. The lowest-cost choice is a checking account linked to a savings account, and the most expensive option is a line of credit. More

Bad checking terms
With so many banks and checking account options available today, don't sit on a bad deal when better ones are out there. You need to check for excessively high fees, onerous minimum balance requirements and double-dipped automated teller machine surcharges. More

Nonsufficient fund fees
The best, and cheapest, way to limit bounced check fees is to balance your checkbook. You can also reconcile your checkbook with the statement, make balance inquiries over the phone, round off transactions to the next dollar and know your bank's check processing order. More

Interest-earning checking accounts
Interest-earning checking accounts average a piddly 0.84 percent interest. Earned interest is lost by high minimum balance requirements to avoid fees, onerous monthly service charges and/or per-item charges. Your best choice is a truly 'free' checking account. More

Safe deposit boxes
Your home may be the worst place to store valuables in the event of a natural disaster. Most banks and credit unions offer safe-deposit boxes for keeping valuable papers, such as birth certificates and property deeds, and jewelry and rare collectibles. More

Changing banks
Give yourself at least one month to make the transition between banks. A rule of thumb is to open your new account before closing the old account. That way, the flow of checks, ATM withdrawals and other transactions will be seamless. More

Student checking
College students can find affordable checking accounts with perks like no minimum deposit or balance required to open or maintain an account, and no monthly service charges. Banks are tailoring checking accounts based on student feedback. More

Safe deposit box
Your important personal papers and information related to financial transactions need to be stored in a single location, such as a fireproof box or safe-deposit box. Important original documents should be protected in plastic, with certified copies made. More

ChexSystems
ChexSystems tracks checking and savings accounts that are closed "for cause," and keeps negative reports for five years. You can stay out of ChexSystems by not writing checks without money to cover them, and keeping track of your checkbook balance. More

Bank fees
Some banks charge a fee to close an account. Ask for a fee schedule upfront when opening an account and scan monthly statements for changing fee notices. If the megabank fees are onerous, consider a credit union or community bank for a better deal. More