i've hated banks since i was a kid because all kids to at banks is wait and whine. today wasn't much better. the first bank i went to was bay federal credit union, a local community bank. i wanted to like them because they are local but i already disliked them because i was unable to access their web page properly yesterday. i will soon rely heavily on online banking and a messed up web site just will not do. i went in and found out that their terms were shit. you have to pay to be a member and you can't open up a checking account without first opening a savings account with a crap rate. their very limited locations won't work with my future plans at all. this is definitely not the place for me.

the next bank i went to was bank of the west. i had to wait so long for a rep that i almost walked out. the people being helped had several annoying children. some crazy customer with a cane and a bicycle went in and out twice, bumping into me and stabbing my leg once. it was good that i was patient enough to wait because the rep said that starting monday the 3rd, they will have a promotional free checking account. several things are free but i don't remember the details. i only remember that the free parts are good for the life of the account. based on my washington mutual experience, i am concerned that later on they will upgrade my account for my convenience which will negate all the free parts. i will come up with a list of questions to grill the reps with before i decide but so far this bank looks like the best place for me to move my checking account to. they have tons of locations in california so it will be no problem for me to bank in person. their CD rates weren't great. (washington mutual is better.)

next i went to wells fargo, even though they are a shit bank, but i went just in case they were having a promotional deal. their checking accounts blow. the rep was a smiling dumbass. she had to ask another rep to find the answer to one of my questions, which was a very simple question. almost every transaction has a fee, "which is standard in the industry" said the rep. i say that's bullshit. then she wouldn't give me a list of the CD possibilities. she said it's all in the computer. that's fucking bullshit! they do that just to rip you off. everyone else has given me plenty of literature and a list of CD accounts/rates. i was so offended by this, i told her the rates are very poor compared to my current bank's rates and walked out.

given that it was a saturday, i didn't have time to go to any more banks. after work this week, i will only have time to go to one bank each day. i think i will call each bank and find out what's available on their web sites because i just don't have time for this crap and i don't want my money in limbo. i'm afraid that washington mutual will end up having the best CD rates in town.