@Anonymous wrote:You guys are overthinking this... if you are doing this for the bonus only do not switch DD or even worry about messing with it, even if you don't shop at Amazon purchase 10 $0.50 cent gift cards and you will meet the qualification. You will spend $5 and not have to go through the hassle of switching DD or anything.
In my case agree with you 100% - only trying to give the other guy options since his mortgage is there...and conventional wisdom kinda leans to not pissing off your mortgage lender 
@someone379 wrote:I bank with USAA but my mortgage is with Wells Fargo --- I got this offer in the mail ... Does anyone know that if I setup the account in my USAA portal and transfer money from my USAA Checking to Wells Fargo Checking from that USAA portal if that would qualify as "direct deposit"? If so, I could just setup a scheduled transfer for my mortgage amount to the WF account and let WF take that mortgage payment from there ...
Yes it does. 
I've been doing this for the last few years to avoid the WF monthly account fee. I 'push' $500 from my USAA checking account to my WF checking account, and their computer 'sees' this as a direct deposit, waiving my monthly fee. I then use WF's billpay to pay a couple of bills I would have paid anyway, or occasionally I just wait a few days then do an ACH 'pull' from USAA to move the funds right back.
Easy-peasy.
@UncleB wrote:
@someone379 wrote:I bank with USAA but my mortgage is with Wells Fargo --- I got this offer in the mail ... Does anyone know that if I setup the account in my USAA portal and transfer money from my USAA Checking to Wells Fargo Checking from that USAA portal if that would qualify as "direct deposit"? If so, I could just setup a scheduled transfer for my mortgage amount to the WF account and let WF take that mortgage payment from there ...
Yes it does.
I've been doing this for the last few years to avoid the WF monthly account fee. I 'push' $500 from my USAA checking account to my WF checking account, and their computer 'sees' this as a direct deposit, waiving my monthly fee. I then use WF's billpay to pay a couple of bills I would have paid anyway, or occasionally I just wait a few days then do an ACH 'pull' from USAA to move the funds right back.
Easy-peasy.
Just be careful with this method not sure if it will count for the bonus, Chase reads my ACH push from NFCU as Direct Deposit to waive the monthly fee but there is confirmation that they do not count this for new account holders who want to get the bonus. Not sure if this is how Wells Fargo works as well, the language specifically states employer or outside agency so I would be very cautious... seems way to risky to me especially when it is so easy to swipe a DC 10 times... best of luck.
@Anonymous wrote:
@UncleB wrote:
@someone379 wrote:I bank with USAA but my mortgage is with Wells Fargo --- I got this offer in the mail ... Does anyone know that if I setup the account in my USAA portal and transfer money from my USAA Checking to Wells Fargo Checking from that USAA portal if that would qualify as "direct deposit"? If so, I could just setup a scheduled transfer for my mortgage amount to the WF account and let WF take that mortgage payment from there ...
Yes it does.
I've been doing this for the last few years to avoid the WF monthly account fee. I 'push' $500 from my USAA checking account to my WF checking account, and their computer 'sees' this as a direct deposit, waiving my monthly fee. I then use WF's billpay to pay a couple of bills I would have paid anyway, or occasionally I just wait a few days then do an ACH 'pull' from USAA to move the funds right back.
Easy-peasy.
Just be careful with this method not sure if it will count for the bonus, Chase reads my ACH push from NFCU as Direct Deposit to waive the monthly fee but there is confirmation that they do not count this for new account holders who want to get the bonus. Not sure if this is how Wells Fargo works as well, the language specifically states employer or outside agency so I would be very cautious... seems way to risky to me especially when it is so easy to swipe a DC 10 times... best of luck.
I was more suggesting this as a way to avoid the monthly fee going forward, not in regards to earning a bonus (or not). I personally have no experience with WF bonuses, but if it were me I would follow the language 'strictly' until the bonus was credited.
Actually, the solution I would choose is both... get the debit card purchases to earn the bonus and use ACH 'push' from USAA to avoid the monthly fee (assuming you want to keep the account, of course). If the bonus is credited after the ACH push that would be 'gravy', and if not it would be earned after the debit card purchases anyway. Win-win.
10 debit card transactions will also avoid the monthly fee. I was confused about that also, so I checked.
To continue avoiding the monthly fee, you have to make another 10 debit card transactions every month. Or do the direct deposit monthly.
@stellar wrote:10 debit card transactions will also avoid the monthly fee. I was confused about that also, so I checked.
To continue avoiding the monthly fee, you have to make another 10 debit card transactions every month. Or do the direct deposit monthly.
https://www.wellsfargo.com/jump/checking/everyday-special/
This is good to know.
My account type is no longer offered and my only option to avoid the monthly fee is ACH-push/"Direct Deposit" but it's nice that folks with new(er) accounts have more options. I could probably change my account type, but my monthly push from USAA has been working well and in any case I try to avoid using my debit card unless it's absolutely necessary. The important part is that I'm still able to get the fee waived. 
For people who don't have access to a free way to do an ACH 'push' the debit card method will be very helpful.
Thanks for sharing!