Banking while living in an RV?

[#1BonBonQueen]

Good Morning Y'all.
Just wondering what or how you deal with your financial questions, how do you get your pensions, how do you keep your bills paid, i.e. Insurance, vehicle registrations, etc?
I was wondering if you use a certain Bank?
I know how to "pay my bills" online, been doing that for years, but was wondering if you are always "on the road" what do you do when you need money, not a CC but, real live green backs?
We are not on the road all the time, yet, but we may want to go that route someday, so I was wondering about this, and how it works for you.
Thanks in advance for your help and information.

Sharon

 

[Almost There]

My US bank doesn't even have a S&B location so all my banking is done by internet. This winter while my mothers estate is being settled, the friend that handles my mail in the winter is kindly putting any checks that do come in, in the bank for me. He banks at the same institution so it's not a problem...but I'm sure the tellers are scratching their heads....

Keep in mind that you'll be paying bills to only a few companies instead of the multitude it takes to keep a S&B running.

My insurance is auto pay monthly, I pay my cell bill on line monthly and my charge cards. I keep a slip of paper in my check book reminding me which bills need paying on which date because out here living like this, it's real easy to forget which day of the week it is, let alone when bills are due!

My pension money goes in automatically like clockwork, early if pay day is on the weekend or holiday... .

As for cash, I get cash back from my debit card at the grocery stores - W/M is usually a $100 limit, some grocery stores are $50. so hold back something on the belt and put it through as a separate order so you can get $50 back on each order. Home Depot limit is $60. IIRC.

I use the credit card for all my gas purchases - it helps me keep track of my biggest expense some months like this month where I've put 3,000 miles on already....  

I only use cash where it's either a really small purchase or absolutely necessary.

 

[#1BonBonQueen]

My US bank doesn't even have a S&B location so all my banking is done by internet. This winter while my mothers estate is being settled, the friend that handles my mail in the winter is kindly putting any checks that do come in, in the bank for me. He banks at the same institution so it's not a problem...but I'm sure the tellers are scratching their heads....


I only use cash where it's either a really small purchase or absolutely necessary.

Thank you LA!!!
So with all you said, that means that I can actually keep using my bank, even if I am on the road, and not coming back for awhile.  Sounds good to me.
We usually use our CC for purchases we make online, have actually NEVER used it at a store.  I know, I am way behind times. LOL
We will have to learn to use it out on the road, but habits are hard to change.
I figure that I can use my CC to get cash back when I am making a purchase and not have that DC you speak about. 
Anyway, that is some good info, and I do realize that when you are out of a S&B house, your bills are not what they are in one.
I guess after 45 yrs of living the same life, I can change it up a bit, if we get to go out on the road, like I think we want to do.
Thanks again!!
Sharon

 

[Almost There]

Be careful with the cash back on your credit card...there are usually 2 interest rates charged - 1 for purchases with a grace period and one for cash back. The rate for cash back is much higher and starts the minute you get the cash.

It's called a 'cash Advance' for a reason...


A debit card is money you already have coming back out of your own bank account. Credit card money is money you don't have being essentially loaned to you until you pay it back.

I've never used anything BUT a debit card for cash for the past 30 years so I don't even know if all the stores would give you a cash advance or whether you'd have to go to an ATM and pay the fees.

 

[blars]

My credit union has free bill pay -- if they don't have electronic transfer set up with the payee they print a check and mail it. Most credit union ATMs are free, and some have shared branching where you can use tellers. Employers either prefer or insist on direct deposit for the most part. I see few paper checks anymore.

 

[gcal]

Good Morning Y'all.
Just wondering what or how you deal with your financial questions, how do you get your pensions, how do you keep your bills paid, i.e. Insurance, vehicle registrations, etc?
I was wondering if you use a certain Bank?
I know how to "pay my bills" online, been doing that for years, but was wondering if you are always "on the road" what do you do when you need money, not a CC but, real live green backs?
We are not on the road all the time, yet, but we may want to go that route someday, so I was wondering about this, and how it works for you.
Thanks in advance for your help and information.

Sharon

Pension and social security --- direct deposit
Insurance --- online with cc
Vehicle rreg--- mail
Cash --- cash back at grocery store with debit card or at bank branch with debit card
DirectTV and Verizon --- autopay out of checking
Retail trading acct deposit --- check
Retail trading acct and IRA acct activity --- online
Pay cc, transfer between ck'g and savings -- transfer online
Voting --- in person or mail
Camping club memberships --- ck by mail

We went to a large bank when we hit the road so we would have readier access to in-person help. We also make sure we don't run amok financially by having seperate savings for various expenses like insurance, emergencies, out of pocket medical and dental, that we make transfers into online as soon as our monthly money comes in.

 

[#1BonBonQueen]

WOW, now that I have all of this information, I am going to have to go and sign up for a Debit Card, and..... not use my CC for cash back, because I don't want any higher interest charges than I have now.
Some good show and tell information and why or why not to do it a certain way.
I already pay all my bills online, or have some of them direct withdrawal, so that part is taken care of.
I was really more worried about the Cash end of stuff. Hubby wants CASH in his pocket, not plastic. lol So... To keep him happy, I will just get me a DC.

I am really learning here!!!!! :heart:
I need to learn from the sounds of all the information I have received here.
Thanks Y'all!!!!!!!
Sharon

 

[Queen]

A rule of thumb I use to protect my money (debit card purchases) is never use it at the pump at a gas station, too easy to tamper with, and never use it when it has to leave my hand (like giving it to a waiter in a restaurant). In those circumstances I use a credit card, it has built in protections and is NOT a direct line to my money.

I've pretty much gotten to the point that the only time I use debit is when I need cash back, otherwise it goes on credit and I transfer the money to cover it later.

 

[rvwandering]

We're way behind the times too BonBonQueen! We pay for almost everything with cash. It's easier to see where our money is going plus we don't run as much of a risk of getting our credit information stolen. We also wanted to keep our small local bank which has been in business for over 150 years and isn't likely to merge with other banks necessitating the hassle of getting new accounts, checks and cards. The downside is we have to pay fees to other banks when we want to withdraw money but we take out the maximum amount each time so that keeps the fees down.

We use a credit card for large purchases, online purchases and to pay re-occurring bills. We use checks very rarely, maybe three a year.

Insurance, vehicle registrations, etc is all done online and our friends, who are kind enough to let us use their address as our mailing address, send us any papers that we have to keep with us.

Our pension and social security checks are directed deposited. I mail any other random checks to the bank with a deposit slip and "Deposit Only" written on the back of the check.

 

[Optimistic Paranoid]

None of the big US banks - Chase, Citibank, Bank of America, Wells Fargo - have physical branches in all 50 states.  Most have presences in somewhere between 30 and 40 states.  You can go online and use their branch finders to figure out where they are and are not. 

I found that the eastern banks tended NOT to have branches in some of the western states.  However, Wells Fargo, being a CA bank, does have branches in states like AK, WY, MT,  & AZ.  In other words, the states where I want to spend most of my time.  Fortunately, Wells Fargo also had a branch not too far away from my S&B home.

Rather than have all my eggs in one basket, I chose to have my Social Security direct deposited to the credit union I've belonged to for the last 30 years, and I opened a new account with Wells Fargo to have my pension direct deposited there.  The credit union is used mostly for online bill paying.

 

[frater secessus]

Physical branches are overrated.

I will get an account with Ally or Schwab; both are internet-only and refund ATM fees.

 

[GotSmart]

Many banks have an online option for depositing checks.  Take a picture and text it.

Paypal is another option that if done properly, can be free banking and transfers.

 

[PhilD1954]

my credit union as free 7-11 cash withdrawals, thousands of 7-11s all over the place.

 

[Travelmonkey]

I use Schwab for my checking account, too. Checks can be deposited with their mobile app. ATM withdrawals fees are reimbursed. I don't think there are any fees or a minimum account balance requirement, but I have retirement accounts with them so maybe...

 

[#1BonBonQueen]

WOW, all this good information, all in one thread!
Thanks to you all, for all the hints, tricks and all the information.
I will be sharing this information with the Hubby, so he can be apprised of all the suggestions, and tips.
Sounds like you all are so organized, and have your ducks in a row.
I can only hope to emulate you guys, when it comes time to go on the road, full times.

Thanks again.

Sharon

 

[Optimistic Paranoid]

Physical branches are overrated.   

Not if you're a neo-luddite, they're not!

 

[Every Road Leads Home]

A rule of thumb I use to protect my money (debit card purchases) is never use it at the pump at a gas station, too easy to tamper with, and never use it when it has to leave my hand (like giving it to a waiter in a restaurant).  In those circumstances I use a credit card, it has built in protections and is NOT a direct line to my money.

I've pretty much gotten to the point that the only time I use debit is when I need cash back, otherwise it goes on credit and I transfer the money to cover it later.

Debit cards have the same built in protections as credit cards so long as it's a debit card with a mastercard/visa logo etc.  I had 10k stolen from my account....no idea who, how or where they did it and the bank returned it before the business day was over.  In the 20 years i've been using it, multiple times a day it's the only issue i've ever had.

 

[Every Road Leads Home]

A rule of thumb I use to protect my money (debit card purchases) is never use it at the pump at a gas station, too easy to tamper with, and never use it when it has to leave my hand (like giving it to a waiter in a restaurant).  In those circumstances I use a credit card, it has built in protections and is NOT a direct line to my money.

I've pretty much gotten to the point that the only time I use debit is when I need cash back, otherwise it goes on credit and I transfer the money to cover it later.

Debit cards have the same built in protections as credit cards so long as it's a debit card with a mastercard/visa logo etc.  I had 10k stolen from my account....no idea who, how or where they did it and the bank returned it before the business day was over.  In the 20 years i've been using it, multiple times a day it's the only issue i've ever had.

 

[MrNoodly]

I use my debit card (stopped using credit cards) and get cash at any ATM.

 

[GotSmart]

Sounds like you all are so organized, and have your ducks in a row. 

Ducks are the last thing I need.  Cats, now that is another story.