Comments on: $50 Costco Or American Express Gift Card Blog Contest and Share Your First Bank Account Story

By: financial spreadbetting

financial spreadbetting — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 06:11:13 +0000

Mine was an account at the cooperative bank. I loved looking at the book to see how much money was in there. I remember the excitement that I had waiting in the queue ready to deposit some money.

By: Laurel Plum

Laurel Plum — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 00:18:25 +0000

Very fun idea, even if I did miss the contest deadline. My grandparents and my parents both set up accounts for me when I was born. I usually just turned over any gift money or odd job money to my parents to put in “the bank”, but I never really had any other involvement. When I was sixteen and got a real job, I went to the bank and asked them to open a checking account to go with the savings. I do not know why they did it. My parents weren’t with me.

I would deposit my paychecks in and wrote a few small checks here and there. Way less than the money I had deposited. Huh, I do not even remember now if the checking was an interest bearing account or if there were any fees. Anyway, I felt so grown up.

Later, I decided to buy my first real piece of furniture to prepare for when I turned 18 and would be getting a place of my own. (Remember, I was a grown up!) I wrote a check based on the balance the bank gave me, since I hadn’t learned to balance my checkbook yet. I got the furniture just fine, but I got a notice from the IRS that my check for federal income tax had bounced. I learned really quick how to balance my checkbook and to act my age.

We have all laughed about that every April for 20 years. And ever since I have always opened up a separate “wish” account for things I want. If the money is not there, the wish is not fulfilled (unless I somehow get it as a gift).

We opened accounts for our son when he was born, but I think we will hold on to those as a secret fund until he is 18. We can let him help us open an account when he gets old enough to know what it means.

By: Alisa Young

Alisa Young — Sun, 19 Oct 2008 19:12:25 +0000

I remember my grandmother taking me to World Savings when I was 15 and getting my first account. I really had no money to speak of, but she put a little in to get me started. I was very excited and felt fairly “grown up”. Shortly after that I turned 16 and got my first job at Pizza Hut making pizzas. I wish someone had taught me about “how” to manage my money instead of just letting me figure it out on my own. I’ve made lot’s of mistakes along the way. Thanks!

By: fidget

fidget — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 23:07:47 +0000

my parents decided that a bank account could lead to trouble so when I turned 18 and ended up having to suddenly manage two accounts, I got myself into quite a mess! I wrote checks from the wrong account and once even dropped my money in the night deposit drop of a bank I didn’t even have an account at! (they were very kind to return it to me).

By: Corrie @ "Cents"able Momma

Corrie @ "Cents"able Momma — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 12:12:01 +0000

I must have visited the bank with my parents growing, up and I remember having interest from a savings account as a teen, but I don’t remember actually going into the bank.

My first real remembrance of a bank was when I was getting ready to go away to college. I needed to open a checking account. I had to determine which of our local banks also had branches in my college town. I was so proud of myself for doing the research and for the shiny new checks that had MY name on them.

By: castocreations

castocreations — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 21:04:34 +0000

What a great idea! I blogged about it (with a link back) and it was fun to remember back to that time. And to think about the lessons I learned about money as I grew up.

http://castocreationsjewelry.blogspot.com/2008/10/my-first-time.html

Thanks for prompting this!

By: Jessica

Jessica — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 17:21:11 +0000

The first bank experience that I can remember was around 6 or 7, although I think the account had been open since I was a baby. The kids accounts were called “Moola Moola” accounts, and I loved the bank because they always had stickers or other little gifts when you went in. I saved at the same bank until I moved away at 18…I thought this was a great idea for a post, I never realized that my childhood banking experiences held happy memories for me!

By: plin

plin — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 08:23:30 +0000

Hi Scott,
Wonderful idea for a contest.
My first account was opened by my parents when I was toward the end of my high school days. At the time I also received my first check book. I felt extremely empowered and I felt I was truly being an adult.

By: Sara B.

Sara B. — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 22:45:53 +0000

I got my first account when I was 12 and had my first desk job. Sure, they paid me under the table, but I loved licking envelopes and getting to take that check to the bank. It was so nice to be able to see that amount grow as I took on odd jobs!
bebemiqui82(at)yahoo(dot)com

By: Shannon

Shannon — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 22:23:37 +0000

Wow, I had not thought about this in one long time! I was around 10 or so when my Mom brought me to her bank to open up an account. I had started to babysit and needed to put my money into savings. I was given this passport book that was date stamped and a written entry of the amount of money I deposited.

When we left I thought I was so grown up. This was so cool. It also gave me a since of security that was lacking in my life at that time.