What’s better than having to physically walk into your bank to make a deposit, cash a check, or take money out? Online banking, of course.

If you are looking for a quicker, easier, more convenient way to do your banking, online banking is a must. And, by taking precautions to protect your personal banking information, you can enjoy the benefits of personal banking online today.

For example, many banks offer free personal online banking, but do check with your own bank first as some may require you have at least one account with them.

Once you sign up for online banking you can do it from the comfort of your own home, by using your own personal computer and reap these perks:

  • See your account balances and transactions.
  • Download current and previous monthly statements.
  • Transfer funds between accounts.
  • Set up alerts and reminders.
  • Pay bills directly from your account, and set up and manage bill payments so your regular bills, such as utilities, go out regularly and on time.
  • Personal banking is available 24 hours a day and seven days a week. You can get all of the information you need to make a budget or complete your taxes.

Some additional benefits of having a personal Internet bank account include:

  • You can easily see where your money goes every month and make better plans.
  • It encourages long-term saving. You can set up automatic transfers between your accounts—for example, from checking to savings—to automate your savings every month.
  • It avoids late penalties. When you pay bills directly from your personal banking account, you don’t have to depend on the post office to get your check out on time.

Online Security Worries?

If you’re worried about performing banking online, you’re not alone. Just be sure your financial institution takes online security seriously and has your best banking interest at heart in case there is a problem.

In addition, as an online banking customer, there are simple steps you can follow to protect your information, accounts and money:

  • Use strong passwords for personal online banking accounts and all other online accounts. Strong passwords combine upper- and lower-case letters, numbers and special characters. They should not be based on names of family members, pets or any other personal information that someone could find out or guess easily.
  • Use a different password for every account.
  • Keep all of your banking credentials, passwords and personal identification numbers (PINs) confidential. Don’t even tell your spouse or other family members. They need their own access, passwords and PINs to access online banking, even if it’s for joint accounts.
  • Check your transactions and statements often for unauthorized transactions or amounts.
  • Notify your bank immediately if you spot anything suspicious.

In the end, personal banking online can certainly save time. Just think: You won’t have to go to your bank branch or stand in line at the ATM very often because you can accomplish most of your regular banking from home or even from the road!