How to find the best bank checking account

With all the checking accounts available, how can you figure out what will work best for you? Consider these tips from Bankrate.com:

Figure out what you need. If all you need from a bank checking account is simple checking, ATM or debit card access and bill pay, you can probably just get a free bank checking account. Basically, a free checking account won't charge you if you go below a minimum balance and won't charge a per item fee, such as a fee for each check you've written over a certain number of checks.

Shop around online. Go to the websites of several different banks to see what types of bank checking accounts they provide. Compare not only banks, but what they offer as far as free bank checking accounts vs. an interest bearing bank checking account. Also shop around for the bank checking account that offers the most options you need; for example, if you pay most of your bills online, look for that instead of a bank checking account that offers free paper checks.