Welcome to Why I WAH

When I was thinking of an appropriate name for my blog, I decided on Why I WAH for the simple reason that I'm not only trying to be successful at working from home, but I want to help others do the same. It is not always easy to work from home no matter what anyone says. You have to have the drive and dedication to getting the job finished. Many times you will not have a boss breathing down your neck to finish an assignment. So, you also have to think about why you want to WAH, as well, and hold that close to give you the perseverance to work at it.


Monday, January 13, 2014

Options for Accessing Your Credit Report for Free, Free Checking Accounts and Second Chance Checking



I am all about finding free services and sources to use.  Recently, I reviewed Skyes Home Powered by Alpine Access, and during that review I mentioned that they complete a credit check on applicants that have been offered a position and that they require a checking account for direct deposits.  This made me start to think that some people may not be aware of free options available to them or may worry that they are unable to get a checking account due to their previous banking history.  This post is a directory of free sources that I have found that may be of service to you.

Credit Report

  • Federal law requires every citizen to have free yearly access to their credit report.  This free yearly credit report can be accessed by clicking here.
  • Already used your free yearly credit report?  Credit Karma is a site that does not require you to enter any credit card information to get your credit information.


Free Checking

  • Huntington Bank – this is actually my new bank because my old bank wanted to initiate fees if a certain balance or direct deposit amount was not met monthly.  As a freelancer, it can be hard to know if you’re going to be able to meet those qualifications.  So, I love my new bank account.  They also have a 24 hour grace period if you overdraw your account (which I recently used during that little storm we had a few weeks ago, so I didn’t have to leave the house in horrible weather).
  • Capital One 360 Checking – I used to have the ING Orange checking account, but that has been acquired by Capital One and turned into this product.  It’s still free to use.  This is a great account for someone who does everything online.  You can deposit checks using your smart phone, and they do offer paper checks.
  • FirstBank - is another option I found for free checking.  It can either be a virtual bank similar to Capital One 360, but they also have branches in three states (looks like Denver, Arizona and California).   
  • Arvest – offers a free basic checking account.  This bank is located in Arkansas, Oklahoma and Missouri.
  • First Citizens Bank – offers a free bank account if you use electronic statements.  Located in Arizona, California, Colorado, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Kansas, Maryland, Missouri, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Washington & West Virginia.

This list of free accounts is not exhaustive.  Many banks in your local area may offer free checking.  Do a search online for free checking account, and visit a few of the pages.  Find a few that you like?  Visit the branch or contact the bank to find out more.  You may be more willing to take advantage of a free account that has monetary stipulations than I was.  Also, be on the lookout for banks that offer deals to sign up with them.  I received free money just for getting a direct deposit and using my debit card within the first 90 days of my account with Huntington.

Second Chance Checking


This is just a short list of banks that I found that offer second chance checking.  Huntington and U.S. Bank may also offer these types of accounts.  Your local banks may also have other options that you can look into to fit your needs.
Not sure what your ChexSystems report looks like?  Along with getting yearly free credit reports, you are also entitled to get your ChexSystems report.  This can be accessed by clicking here for instructions.   

Checking Account Alternatives that Offer Direct Deposit and No Fees

  • Bluebird – offered through American Express and Walmart
  • People’s Cash Solutions – offered through People’s Bank located in Paris, Texas (so may actually be more like a checking account than some of the other products)


Everyone handles their financials differently so the right account for me may not be the right one for you.  I encourage you to do your own research and find a product that will work the best for you.  Finding a free account will allow you to get your account up and running before you finally find that great job for you that offers direct deposit, and avoid those check cashing fees for paper checks.


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