How Online Banking Can Help You Budget Better

Online banking can make a personal budget much easier to manage. Enrolling will offer you numerous benefits to constantly ensure that your finances are on track, such as the following:

It will list all your accounts in one place. With online banking, you don’t have to worry about how much money per paycheck you need to avoid spending in order to save enough for that summer vacation. Make that expenditure or savings goal its own account and either manually or automatically transfer that amount. That way, you will be able to see your total amount of assets, but you won’t be tempted to, or accidentally, spend the money you needed for the plane ticket while shopping at the department store.

Scheduling and alerts allow you to avoid late payments or overdraft fees. These little charges can take a toll on your finances if you don’t stay ahead of them. Automatic bill paying and scheduling recurring payments will send a set amount of money to a certain payee on the exact date you request, so you can avoid late fees. You can also schedule alerts to tell you if your account balance is getting low, which is helpful to avoid both overdraft and returned check fees, as you can immediately transfer money from another account and conveniently get the information you need to adjust your budget.

You can see your finances in real time. Paying bills and other financial operations are almost immediate (or at least more so than writing a paper check, sending it through the mail and having to wait for it to clear). The widespread adoption of mobile banking (online banking, but not tied to a personal computer) has also facilitated these benefits. Consumers have a greater handle on their money since they only need a mobile connection to access their accounts.

Sign up for Online Banking - Whether you use it for personal or for business reasons, online banking offers many advantages that can be vital to keeping a successful budget. To sign up for Online Banking, call a Washington Trust banker today, or click here to learn more.