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Save Money With Direct Deposit

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  • Save Money With Direct Deposit

    Sometimes we don't realize how much simple activities really cost us. Take the example of direct depositing your paycheck. One would assume that the difference between depositing your paycheck yourself and having it directly deposited into your bank would be minimal - maybe a $1.00 at most. The fact is that the actual cost of depositing a paycheck rather than having it directly deposited is more than 5 times that number.

    According to a study conducted for NACHA (the electronic payments association) by Tinucci & Associates, the total direct and indirect costs of depositing a check yourself instead of using direct deposit is a whopping $5.88. That means that if you get paid every other week, it costs you more than $70 a year to deposit your own paycheck rather than having it directly deposited.

    In addition to saving you money over making the deposit yourself, direct deposit can also save you on banking fees. Many banks offer incentives for you to have your paychecks directly deposited often waiving minimum balances for free checking. Simply ask your bank what incentives they offer when applying for it.

    Direct deposit also gives you better control over your finances. You can decide exactly how you want to divide your money among your different accounts and what amount is to be placed into long term savings accounts. This makes paying yourself first, which many financial advisors recommend, much easier than trying to sort it all out every time you deposit your paycheck yourself.

    Having direct deposit can help to avoid accidental but costly mistakes. When you have your paychecks directly deposited you know that they will be in your bank no matter what emergencies arrive in your personal life or if you happen to be out of town. If you deposit your paycheck yourself, there are certain times when you may be delayed in making the deposit. This can mean that you don't have money in your accounts that you thought you'd have which can trigger expensive banking fees.

    Another benefit of direct deposit is that it's more confidential than depositing your paycheck yourself. When you deposit a check yourself, 3 to 9 people at the bank will handle it. With a direct deposit, that number is usually reduced to one person, and two people at the most. This gives direct deposit much more security and control to your money than when you deposit your paycheck yourself.

    Direct deposit can give you peace of mind. It will often make your money available to you sooner than if you deposit your paycheck yourself and there is no worry that it will be delayed in the mail or accidentally get lost. With direct deposit, there is no need to wait up to a week for your check to clear. It also gives you an indisputable record that your paycheck has been deposited. If a problem arises, it is between the company and the bank and no fault can be placed upon you.

    Since your paycheck is directly deposited, there is a huge decrease in the chance of financial crime occurring against you and your money. Nobody can take your check out of your mailbox or out of your wallet.

    Having direct deposit can also save you a large amount of money on your IRS tax refund. Having direct deposit in place allows the IRS to get you your refund to you much quicker than if you don't have direct deposit and can save you hundreds of dollars by avoiding tax refund anticipation loans.
    Last edited by james.hendrickson; 09-26-2021, 04:32 PM.

  • #2
    Re: Save Money With Direct Deposit

    I have used direct deposit for years. It is great and my checking is free!

    Comment


    • #3
      Re: Save Money With Direct Deposit

      Bless the employers who offer direct deposit to it's employees. However, for those employed by sole proprietors (like myself) we do not have that luxury.

      Luckily, the bank I deal with offers a Totaly Free checking.

      Bluezy

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      • #4
        Re: Save Money With Direct Deposit

        Direct deposit makes things so much easier overall. Plus sometimes our check goes in early which is nice.

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        • #5
          Re: Save Money With Direct Deposit

          I find direct deposit to be a very useful time-saver. I can depend on my money being deposited without fail on-time.

          My wife is going to schedule dd from her place of employment as well. This will save many trips to the bank.

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          • #6
            Re: Save Money With Direct Deposit

            Jeffrey - help me understand - how does it cost me more to deposit it myself??? We do DD but I don't understand that - when we made the deposits ourselves our bank didn't charge us a fee, is this travel time/costs????? I must be missing something.

            DD also keeps your nosey neighbor in the next cubicle from seeing your check accidently!

            Does anybody know how it costs if you just go down and make a regular deposit? I don't get this?????????????

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            • #7
              Re: Save Money With Direct Deposit

              We don't have DD. We are self employed, write out our own paycheck and go and cash it.

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              • #8
                Re: Save Money With Direct Deposit

                I love direct deposit. I rarely go to the bank!
                My other blog is Your Organized Friend.

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                • #9
                  Re: Save Money With Direct Deposit

                  Originally posted by LuxLiving
                  Does anybody know how it costs if you just go down and make a regular deposit? I don't get this?????????????
                  This is what I found from the same study...

                  Direct Deposit / Direct Payment General Information
                  June 2003
                  Copyright 2003 NACHA; All rights reserved
                  Page 4
                  Consumer Cost Savings of Direct Deposit
                  From the consumer’s viewpoint, there are costs savings when they use Direct Deposit for deposits to their account. When a consumer makes a deposit in person to his or her financial institution, he or she incurs the following costs:

                  Table 3: Consumer cost savings per Direct Deposit Cost
                  Sample calculation*

                  Time spent traveling to and from financial institution to make deposit
                  20 minutes @ $15 per hour = $5.00

                  Round-trip travel expense (using current IRS allowance of 36.5 cents per mile)
                  6 miles @ $0.365 = $2.19

                  Time spent waiting in line
                  5 minutes @ $15 per hour = $1.25

                  Total costs: $8.44

                  * These figures are for demonstration purposes only. Replace them with the
                  actual time spent, miles traveled, and consideration of the value of time.

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Direct deposit is useful. It saves me time in going to the bank every other week and I can see exactly when the money is deposited.

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