<p>How do the students use money on and off of campus?</p>
<p>Do your students use debit cards, credit cards, write checks, gift cards, or use cash?</p>
<p>How do I make this happen?</p>
<p>Not sure where you’re from. If from the south then you’ll have no problem finding a branch of your current bank.</p>
<p>If from elsewhere then the only “nationwide” bank with a branch in Tuscaloosa is Wachovia (Wells Fargo). They have a branch in the shopping center across the street from publix.</p>
<p>There is also the Alabama credit union. Chances are if you’re a member of another credit union you’ll be able to use their ATM’s without a fee.</p>
<p>You can also use your debit card at most stores (like publix) and get cash back without having to pay a fee.</p>
<p>lil bro opened an account with Wachovia last year since it’s the only bank with branches around here and in Tuscaloosa. Just makes things a lot easier.</p>
<p>Here is a link that should help you out.</p>
<p>[Action</a> Card - The University of Alabama](<a href=“http://actcard.ua.edu/]Action”>http://actcard.ua.edu/)</p>
<p>My son uses his debit card from a national bank (no branches in Tuscaloosa). He can get cash back from most places like Publix and Target. When he needs additional funds, I can just make a deposit at my local branch. He also uses checks on occasion. If your student works on campus, they can have their pay direct deposited to their bank account.</p>
<p>Of course, gift cards are great for Starbucks and certain restaurants, a nice treat to send for birthdays etc.</p>
<p>The Alabama Credit Union in the The Ferguson Student Center
is very popular with UA students.</p>
<p>[Alabama</a> Credit Union - UA Bama Bound](<a href=“http://www.alabamacu.com/?action=view&page_id=8D554CB8-215E-2EF8-126E9D526A4966FD]Alabama”>Feel good about your money. | Alabama Credit Union (ACU) | Alabama Credit Union (ACU))</p>
<p>“Having a student account at Alabama Credit Union saves the student money with a totally FREE checking account and a FREE no cost VISA ATM/Debit card. Our two credit union offices and our multiple ATMs on campus and around Tuscaloosa make it convenient for students to access their accounts. There’s a reason why we’re the #1 choice of students and parents - we help teach students to make healthy financial choices!”</p>
<p>I personally did not like the credit union as they required a parent signature until the student was 19 years old, so they could not have their own account.</p>
<p>My son’s bank has free checking and student accounts from age 17.</p>
<p>Bank of America also has student accounts from age 16, I believe, the accounts are also free.</p>
<p>D has an account with Charles Schwab that has a Visa/debit card. She also has an account with a local bank here in Mo. that has a debit card as well. She has a Capital One card to use if she needs to buy things on line or for clothes ect. She never had any problem getting cash from the cash machines around campus or using the debit/Visa cards at local places such as Publix and Target.
Her oldest D made her the best grad gift. It was a little hand made book with 10 sections…one for each month of the school year…August thru May. Each page had a pocket and in the pocket was a gift card to some place in Tuscaloosa. She could open the little pocket each month and have a $50 to spend guilt free…what a fun treat. She has commented more than once that this was such a great thing. So…it’s just a suggestion. I think the following businesses were included, Starbucks, TCBY, Barnes and Noble, Shirt Shop, Yogurt Lab, Mugshots, Chuck’s Fish, Target (there were 2 of these…one in November and one in March), Private Gallery.</p>
<p>My son has accounts with Wachovia (it is our local bank), as well as Alabama Credit Union. Because we belong to the credit union, we use the transfer option that allows us to send money from his accounts here to his Alabama account. It has worked out quite well. </p>
<p>He was 17 when he started college, and truthfully, he wanted our names on his accounts. Some of my former students did the same, and they said that they were glad when they had an unexpected emergency come up and needed some additional cash transferred immediately.</p>
<p>We also provide gift cards throughout the year – the ones to IHOP, Subway and Publix are always appreciated.</p>
<p>I have a general related question. Our bank offers a couple services that seem to be a benefit for managing access to money for an OOS student … linked debit cards, and access to credit card under student’s name (statements sent to both), etc. We are wondering what benefits exist beyond avoidance of ATM fees for having a local bank you can go t in town, if in all other respects via her Debit, Credit and Action Card seem to be taken care of? We are not opposed to it, just trying to understand if there’s really a situation where it is a clear benefit?</p>
<p>Other than depositing a check that is sent to them there really is none.</p>
<p>Well I guess if one loses his/her debit card then it might be nice having a local branch you can go into to withdraw money until your replacement card arrives. </p>
<p>If your kid already has a bank account I wouldn’t go through the trouble of opening another one.</p>
<p>The rule that one must be 19 to open an account is an Alabama State law that causes a lot of annoyances for 18 year olds from other states.</p>
<p>As NJBama said, there is really to reason to have a bank account in Alabama unless one is receiving a lot of checks. I use my credit card and/or gift cards 99% of the time since it’s a lot quicker and I enjoy the financial benefits that come with each (I always pay my bills in full.) An Action Card is good on campus for laundry and printing/photocopies, but it is a hassle to use Bama Cash off-campus since the system is not connected to each register (eg Bama Cash purchases at Pubix are technically paid for by a Regions Bank debit card and the student’s Bama Cash account is debited separately).</p>
<p>It all boils down to how much you trust your student. As a finance major who only buys food, tuition, and airline tickets, along with the occasional Crimson Tide t-shirt and has an excellent relationship with his parents; I have a lot of freedom in how I spend money. On the other hand, I have friends who are basically given an allowance and don’t have much knowledge of how banks and other financial institutions work. </p>
<p>As for using checks, I see many people with checkbooks, but rarely see them write checks. I cannot stand to use checks unless I have to and even then I’ll use online banking or get a cashier’s check. It was quite a surprise for me that the State of Alabama does not issue electronic tax refunds and took 3 months to issue me a refund check.</p>
<p>My kids have accts with alabama c u. It is part of 4000 branch network of credit unions. They mostly use their debit card. I’m on their accts so I can deposit money as needed.</p>
<p>Just so you know, you do not have to be on someone’s account to deposit money (as long as you have some pre-printed deposit tickets or the account number). Just go to the teller and hand in the cash with the deposit slip. However,you will not get a balance, just your deposit receipt back.</p>
<p>*Our bank offers a couple services that seem to be a benefit for managing access to money for an OOS student … linked debit cards, and access to credit card under student’s name (statements sent to both), etc. We are wondering what benefits exist beyond avoidance of ATM fees for having a local bank you can go t in town, if in all other respects via her Debit, Credit and Action Card seem to be taken care of? We are not opposed to it, just trying to understand if there’s really a situation where it is a clear benefit? *</p>
<p>Is this bank on some kind of shared network where your D could avoid ATM fees? </p>
<p>Of course, she can often get “cash back” at various grocery stores for no charge. </p>
<p>And, I think, you can always “check your balance” at an ATM for free.</p>
<p>Thank you everyone for your advice. I am going to call SunTrust (our bank in FL) to see about special student accounts. My D has a savings account right now with them. </p>
<p>I was unclear as to how you could use your Action Card off campus. It sounds doable but perhaps not the best option. Can you get money back with your Action Card? </p>
<p>I know it depends on the person, but I was wondering if students used credit cards or debit cards for purchases off campus. I see my D going to Publix, Target, a restaurant, and the mall.</p>
<p>Cuttlefish123: You cannot get cash back from your Action Card, my son said. He added that most of his friends use their debit cards when out at Target and other stores and restaurants. Given that you live in Florida, you may have Publix as your local grocery chain. You can purchase gift cards there and give them to your student. My parents live in South Carolina, and my mom has bought gift cards for me to send to my son.</p>
<p>Hmm something to think about. I am not too thrilled with our bank and I hesitate to sign up for yet another account, but it is convenient. S was charged $6 the last time he took $40 out of the atm- $2 for checking his balance, $2 from the atm bank & $2 from our bank as it wasn’t their atm. I think that is ridiculous. That isn’t going to work at Bama $4 everytime he withdraws. I will look into H’s bank Chase or Wachovia/Wells.</p>
<p>I have a credit union account and credit card but there are no branches near here, so it is a big pain. I have to mail them checks to deposit or pay cc. They are doing something where you can scan or take a photo of a check, but I haven’t gotten it to work from my mac yet. But, I’m sure the checks take days to clear. I want something for S where if I have to transfer $$ or deposit it is instantly usable. I thought the Bama CU would be good for a cc, but he can’t apply until he is 19 and has income, so…</p>
<p>D has two ways that she pays for stuff on campus: her Action card and her Bank of America debit card. She says she rarely needs cash, but will take out an extra $20 when she goes to Publix if she sees that something is coming up.</p>
<p>A lot of local businesses accept the Action card (including Publix & a lot of restaurants.) She just swipes it like a debit card, but as mentioned above, she can’t get cash back.</p>
<p>Since we have Bank of America as our bank too, it is easy for me to add cash to that account when needed. It is just as easy to add money to the Action card as well. </p>
<p>If you have a Publix near you, they have a cool thing: it’s a two part gift card where the student keeps one and the parent keeps the other. The parent can reload the card at their local Publix and it keeps grocery money flowing to the student.</p>
<p>I know Wachovia/Wells Fargo has a free student checking account. For lil bro it was an easy choice as they were the only bank that had branches both here and in Tuscaloosa. </p>
<p>It came in handy when he wanted to deposit a few checks that some people mailed him for his birthday and for a lil spending money from time to time.</p>
<p>momreads: Thank you for asking S about the Action Card. I will get D a Publix gift card and look into a debit card with SunTrust.</p>
<p>ldinct: $6 to withdraw money? Ouch!! I don’t ever withdraw from an ATM (don’t really know how anymore). So I didn’t realize the fees involved. I only use a credit card.</p>
<p>RobD: The Publix 2 card system sounds great. I had no idea. Thank you.</p>
<p>NJBama: Thank you for your advice.</p>