No Place for Sentimentality

[minski]

I've been banking with Citibank for over 10 years. I've memorized the account number to my first checking account with them, and I LIKE the account number. 

I recently opened up an Alliant checking account for the 0.65% interest (compared to 0% interest from Citibank checking) with no minimums and no fees. It makes more sense to move my banking over to Alliant (minus the fact that I do not have a deposit branch of Alliant as convenienently close as Citibank is). But I'm feeling sentimental and reluctant to close the Citibank account even if it means not making Alliant my primary account, or keeping $1500 in a low 0.01% Citibank Savings Plus account to waive fees for the checking account -_-; It'll mean memorizing a new number, a new routing number, and getting used to a new website. It'll mean not sharing the same bank with one of my sisters or easily depositing cash into my account (my intended alternative is to give my sister the cash and have her give me a check or something). 

I had some concerns about money when traveling but I do have a Fidelity Cash Management account also opened recently. If I understanding correctly, I can withdrawn money from ATMs abroad without any foreign transaction fees and my ATM fees get reimbursed.  

I'll still have my 10+ year old credit card and a couple of younger ones. But it won't be the same. 

Anyone else have gotten sentimental about their banks when planning on ending a relationship with them? 

[Anonymous]

I'm winding down with a bank I've had accounts with since childhood, and I ain't telling how long ago that was.   I'm going to leave enough in savings to keep away the monthly fees and retain my safe deposit box there.  Without that, I'd never be finding my car title and such.  It's not really sentiment for me, but more being resistant to change.  It's a pain to switch banks, and even then you don't know how it will work out until you've been with the new one for a year or so.

[CatOfSpades]

Never. I'm a card carrying bank hopper. I'm happy with my current bank, but I changed banks 4 times last year, and 10 times total in the last 5 years. It's not hard to memorize a new account number. By the time I get all of my direct debits and such changed over, I have the account number and routing number memorized. Unfortunately, I've done this so many times I have a really good system for it. I'm a cut all ties kind of person. My childhood bank was bought out. Then my parents moved and I was forced into another bank. Then THAT bank was bought out and everything changed, account numbers, everything. Downside of banking with regional banks. I've been through 3 bank buy outs. I have no loyalty whatsoever. I think it's really nice when people do, but I don't understand it. I even chopped up and cancelled my oldest credit card account last year. I might be crazy. ^_^

[Anonymous]

You're right, this is no place for sentiment. In the immortal (paraphrased) words of Janet, what have they done for you lately? If you can earn more on that $1500 with is sitting somewhere else, why wouldn't you park it somewhere else?? Cut the cord. 

[RonM21]

For me, I'm thinking it probably wouldn't bother me, being that I look at it as I do whatever suits my needs best. But I certainly could understand having a close connection that would make you.feel that way. Everyone is.different.

[Anonymous]

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@minski wrote:

I've been banking with Citibank for over 10 years. I've memorized the account number to my first checking account with them, and I LIKE the account number. 

I recently opened up an Alliant checking account for the 0.65% interest (compared to 0% interest from Citibank checking) with no minimums and no fees. It makes more sense to move my banking over to Alliant (minus the fact that I do not have a deposit branch of Alliant as convenienently close as Citibank is). But I'm feeling sentimental and reluctant to close the Citibank account even if it means not making Alliant my primary account, or keeping $1500 in a low 0.01% Citibank Savings Plus account to waive fees for the checking account -_-; It'll mean memorizing a new number, a new routing number, and getting used to a new website. It'll mean not sharing the same bank with one of my sisters or easily depositing cash into my account (my intended alternative is to give my sister the cash and have her give me a check or something). 

I had some concerns about money when traveling but I do have a Fidelity Cash Management account also opened recently. If I understanding correctly, I can withdrawn money from ATMs abroad without any foreign transaction fees and my ATM fees get reimbursed.  

I'll still have my 10+ year old credit card and a couple of younger ones. But it won't be the same. 

Anyone else have gotten sentimental about their banks when planning on ending a relationship with them? 

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This plan of leaving 1500 with them is not making sense to me. Mostly because a) being a top 4 bank they honestly dont care. b) you could be earning .65% on that money instead of 0.1% c) do you deposit cash regularly? Banks are coming down on that behavior so hard because of the Anti Money Laundering regulations that get tougher by the year. 

[Anonymous]

Meh. I don't have any strong attachments to any of the banks I deal with.

Loyalty just doesn't exist anymore. That goes for both the business and the consumer.