Sheridan banks (Cody, Ranchester, Burns: credit, loans, home)

[Wm Jas]

Moving soon to Sheridan. Can anyone recommend a bank?

What makes it good for you?

[WyoNewk]

First Interstate is a locally owned/employee owned and part of a good-sized chain in Wyoming and Montana. At least it was the last I knew.... a very well-run banking chain.

[Wm Jas]

I'm not looking for major banking support, just a simple checking & savings account.

Convenience is probably most important. Most convenient ATM's [without additional fees] in both Sheridan & when traveling around the state & adjacent states.

Second would be lowest fees to maintain a checking account with a small balance.

Third is the best interest rate for a passbook savings account.

[ElkHunter]

I would not go with First Interstate, personally. In my opinion, the owner of that bank has limited the growth of Sheridan for years. That is, unless he wanted it to grow on his land.

You've got a catch 22 in this area. You are going to need a large bank if you want ATM free when traveling. But the large banks are just that, large, non discript. The smaller banks are more friendly, much better service, but when traveling your going to get his with ATM fees.

First Federal is one I like. They have 2 branches in Sheridan. One on the South end of town and one Down Town. They also have a remote drive through ATM on the West side of town. I like the fact that they are open on Saturday. Checking is free and I'm not sure what the current rate on savings is.

Cowboy State bank is another one that I like. They only have 2 branches, one in Sheridan and one in Ranchester (as far as I know), but both have very friendly staff, checking is free.

There are a lot of good banks in town, you'll probably just have to shop around and check them out.

I normally cheat on ATM fees. I don't use ATM's. I use my debit card for everything. If I need some cash, I just get cash back while at Wally World.

[eiafjam]

Try Sunlight Federal Credit Union. Thier home is in Cody.

[SheridanPDC]

I'd stay away from First Interstate. Also stay away from Sheridan State Bank.

I use Sheridan Federal Credit Union and I am quite happy with them. Simple free checking & savings. You must have $5 in your savings account. They are always super friendly, very fast. They have a GREAT on line banking service, you can see your statement, pay your loans, pay bills, make transfers between linked accounts, ect. You couldn't ask for a nicer bunch of folks or a better banking service. Only thing I don't know is their ATM fee... I never use ATM. Just the debit/bankcard.


*Edit... I forgot Sheridan State Bank is no more... it's Wells Fargo now. Still wouldn't reccomend them. When it was Sheridan State Bank, I had some major problems with their direct deposit/transfer system, and then as Wells Fargo they informed me that they lost some paperwork that had my account numbers and social security numbers on it and that because of their mix-up I would be at high risk for identity theft.

[CptnRn]

Originally Posted by Wm Jas

I'm not looking for major banking support, just a simple checking & savings account.

Convenience is probably most important. Most convenient ATM's [without additional fees] in both Sheridan & when traveling around the state & adjacent states.

Second would be lowest fees to maintain a checking account with a small balance.

Third is the best interest rate for a passbook savings account.

Consider internet banking with Ally.com (used to be GMAC) Interest Checking: Free Online High Interest Checking Accounts | Ally Financial Full internet banking and 24 hour telephone access to manage your account.

The convenience of a checking account—the interest rate of a savings account.
$0 monthly fee
$0 to open and no minimum balance
Free Online banking and Bill Pay
Free Debit MasterCard®, checks and unlimited check writing
Save time and money—get cash back when you shop
No ATM fees at any ATM
Variable rate account where balances $15,000 or more get an even higher rate. Currently paying 0.50%APY <$15,000 and 1.05% >$15,000.
Free balance alerts
FDIC insured to the maximum allowed by law. Maximize your coverage

I have several Certificates of Deposit with Ally, they frequently pay the best or close to the highest interest rates on CD's in the country.

For savings their Money Market Checking account is also a great deal, pays 1.19% interest currently. Again they are very competitive on rates leading the market. Money Market Accounts & Rates: Money Market Funds - Money Markets | Ally Financial

Save when you can. Spend when you need.
Get the flexibility of a check card and still earn a higher rate than traditional savings.
Open with $0
No minimum balance
No monthly fees
Check card and first 50 checks are free
No ATM fees at any ATM
Daily compounded interest for maximum earnings
FDIC insured to the maximum allowed by law. Maximize your coverage
Six transactions per statement cycle with no fees.

[CptnRn]

Actually, I found an even better deal then Ally.com after reading this article which was in the local newspaper, by a financial advisor that I follow and have a lot of respect for, Scott Burns. Get Paid To Move Your Money - Registered Investment Advisor

Many smaller banks and savings and loan companies are coming out with a new financial product, "Reward Checking" or "High-Yield Checking" Accounts. These are safe FDIC insured accounts, which pay higher interest rates then most banks pay on CD's. They can do this partially because the merchants where you use your debit card, already pay them a fee for each transaction. They typically require that you use your Debit card 8-12 times each month to qualify for the higher interest rate, and pay a lower rate one if you do not. Most of them come with a free checking account, free online banking, and free ATM card, which refunds any fee's you are charged for using it at other banks anywhere.

Using the CheckingFinder website that Scott Burns recommended I found a bank in my area which pays 4.01% interest on a no fee's checking account. That is far better then I can get on Certificate of Deposite rates anywhere, so I opened an account with them 2 months ago.

Searching that website for the Sheridan zip code, I found several banks that will open accounts for the Sheridan zip code (probably all of Wyoming) that offer similar deals with 3.01% APY interest on the checking account. https://www.checkingfinder.com/search/82801?sort=rate#