The Sun's Financial Diary

Though I no longer actively use HSBC Direct any more (my account is still open, but with no money in it), I have been keeping an eye on its rate changes, especially after other popular banks, such as FNBO Direct, etc., lowered their rates to below 3.0% recently. I want to see how long HSBC [...]

2008 shaped to be a very bad year, if not the worst ever, for financial institutions, big or small alike. Big companies such as Citigroup, American International Group, and Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac needed billions of dollars from Uncle Sam to stay afloat, as losses from band loans, which triggered the current global financial [...]

Wow, that’s a big cut, isn’t it? I just received an email from FNBO Direct with their latest rate at 2.80% APY, down from 3.25%, even below HSBC Direct, but slightly better than ING Direct (2.70%). But with ING Direct, you can refer people to make a little more extra ($10 per referral, check out [...]

Venture Bank keeps impressing me with their products. Last month, I highlighted their Wise-Choice Savings Account (currently 3.60% APY) along with a couple of other banks. When I was creating my Savings Deals page last week, I noticed on their website that they have a checking account coming soon. Today I visited their site again [...]

It seems that every time the Fed cut interest rate, ING Direct was the first one among banks I have/had a relationship with to respond, usually within a day or two. This time is no exception. ING Direct informed me tonight the new, lowered tiered rates for their Electric Orange Checking Account while holding the [...]

Early last month, Kiplinger’s Personal Finance magazine published its annual best list. Among services and products recognized by the magazine, there are a few I am interested in having another look: Online Savings Account: FNBO Direct Checking Account: Schwab Bank High Yield Investor Checking Money-Market Account: Flagstar Bank Express Money Market I don’t know for [...]

As a rate chaser, I am always on the lookout for new bank offers. And if I find one that I feel can better serve my money, I usually end up getting an account myself. Since it seems that there are always bank offers better than I am using, the result of the rate chasing [...]

I put together a list of routing numbers of some popular online banks, those that I track regularly for their savings account interest rates. Along with the online bank ABA routing numbers, I also provided the sources where I found them. Most of the numbers are from banks directly, others are from places like FatWallet [...]