HEADER_SPAM,TO_CC_NONE autolearn=no version=3.1.1
Date: Fri, 28 Apr 2006 14:35:38 -0500
From: Tad Borek 
Newsgroups: misc.invest.financial-plan
Subject: Re: some questions [and serious doubts] about online banking with
 Citibank
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albert wrote:
> I have a longtime [30+ years] relation with Citibank in NYC
> 
> They are now offering a "eSavings" account with a very competitive rate --
> 4.5%.  I'd like that.
> 
> It turns out that one can only open their eSavings account online, and 
> then,
> only if one has one's other accounts with them online, too.

Albert - without parsing that whole agreement, my two cents...

I wouldn't get hung up on the current version of an agreement because in 
one month or six months or one year you're going to get a piece of mail 
(email I guess?) that says "Important Changes to Your Account" and who 
knows what will change? If something is bad there now, it might change, 
or (more likely) something you don't like might get added in.

Specific to Citi...I've been a customer for years and I find them one of 
the more intrusive ones out there. It took me almost three years to get 
Citi to stop trying to cross-sell me other Citistuff, I used to get 
phone calls every month it seems. Of all the places I've had accounts 
they've been the most intrusive and annoying. If that's a concern to you 
I'd say, find another bank, because if their agreement says they can 
share your info with affiliates, you can be confident that they will!

Also - 4.5% isn't as hard to find as it once was, with these rate 
increases. Try www.bankrate.com or keep an eye on the brokerage 
money-market rates, they're around that range in some places. Though it 
is nice consolidating at one company...

-Tad