yourtypicalbank

So, apparently my bank has noticed that I’ve just transferred a huge hunk of money over to my checking account. Not a week later, I get this.

Yeah, I think they know what’s happening. Looking up this “circle gold” business, among its main selling points are ‘preferred’ rates on loans, and various amenities concerning home equity credit lines (you know, those things that come along with mortgages sometimes). One thing this superduper account does NOT provide is escape from Citizens Bank’s minimum balance requirement. No matter what precious metal account you have, if you don’t have $20,000 or more in your bank account (which I soon won’t!), they charge a maintenance fee of $20.00/mo. That’s more than the cost of basic cable, and worse than simply keeping your money in a tube sock under your mattress. Meanwhile, ING Direct sounds too good to be true (4+% APY, compared to the one-point-forget-it I’m getting now, and no minimum balance requirement), but several friends swear by it.