$75 Checking Account Bonus at Guaranty Bank

Guaranty Bank is offering up to $75 for opening its Free & Easy Checking by July 31, 2008. The following is required:

* The account opening balance must be equal to full face value of the Economic Stimulus payment.
* Must present paper stimulus check or valid bank statement showing the IRS direct deposit at account opening.
* Account must remain open and active [at least 1 deposit per month] through 12/31/08

The bonus will be automatically credited to the account in January 2009.

This promotion doesn't seem to be listed at the bank's website. A reader emailed me the scan of the promotion ad, and I've posted the offer overview and the small print.

The Free & Easy Checking has some nice features:

* free checks for life
* no minimum balance requirements
* one free overdraft per year

When I called the bank last year, the CSR said they only do a ChexSystem check with no hard credit inquiry.

The bank also offers the SavingsPayBack program which allows you to earn $100 each year. This just requires that you also open a regular savings account and set up monthly automatic transfers from the checking into the savings. The savings account earns very little interest, but the automatic transfers only have to be $10, and the savings account has a minimum balance of only $25.

Guaranty Bank has over 175 branches, many in grocery stores, in five states including Wisconsin, Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, and Georgia [see branch locator]. The bank is FDIC insured [FDIC Certificate # 30003].

Thanks to the reader who emailed me the scans of the promotion.