This offer has expired, you can view more offers by clicking here.
Offer at a glance
- Maximum bonus amount: $150
- Availability: OH, MI, IN
- Direct deposit required: No
- Additional requirements: 10 debit card transactions & 3 bill pays
- Hard/soft pull: Soft (at least on EQ & TU)
- Credit card funding: Up to $500, only Visa & Mastercard accepted.
- Monthly fees: $5.95, waivable
- Early account termination fee: $25, 180 days
- Expiration date:
December 31st, 2016June 30th, 2017
The Offer
- Open any new checking account (excluding access banking) with First Federal Bank and receive a sign up bonus of up to $150, bonus is broken down as follows:
- $75 for completion of ten debit cad transactions within 60 days ($15 minimum transaction amount)
- $75 for completion of three online bill pay transactions within 60 days (15 minimumte transaction amount)
The Fine Print
- Promotion code valid for one-time use only and is case sensitive.
- To receive a promotion code please visit your nearest branch.
- This offer is valid for new customers only.
- Minimum $50 initial deposit to open.
- Offer valid through 06/30/17 with the opening of any new checking account, excluding Access Banking. $75 for the completion of ten (10) debit card point-of-sale transactions ($15 minimum transaction amount) completed within 60 days of account opening and receive $75 for the completion of three (3) Online Bill Pay transactions ($15.00 minimum transaction amount) completed within 60 days of account opening.
- Incentives will be deposited into your new checking account within 30 days after the completion of corresponding requirement.
- Offer not available to existing First Federal Bank checking account customers, those with a First Federal Bank checking account closed within the past twelve (12) months, and employees of First Defiance Financial Corp. and their immediate family members living in the same household.
- May not be combined with any other offer, and only one offer valid per person per calendar year. Subject to change without notification.
- All bank account bonuses are treated as income/interest and as such you have to pay taxes on them
Avoiding Fees
The best account to open is the simple checking as it has no monthly fee as long as you’ve completed a bill pay in the last 90 days otherwise a $5.95 fee is charged. There is also a $3 paper statement fee, so make sure you opt out of those.
The early account termination fee is $3 if closed within 180 days according to this fee schedule.
Our Verdict
Pretty good bonus, shame that you have to go in branch to get a promo code. They offered a similar bonus before that didn’t require you to go in branch. Because of that I wouldn’t consider this one of the best checking bonuses. Hopefully somebody works out a way that a branch visit isn’t required.
Hat tip to reader Curmudgeon
Useful posts regarding bank bonuses:
- A Beginners Guide To Bank Account Bonuses
- PSA: Don’t Call The Bank
- Introduction To ChexSystems
- Banks & Credit Unions That Are ChexSystems Inquiry Sensitive
- How To Use Our Direct Deposit Page For Bank Bonuses Page
- Common Bank Bonus Misconceptions + Why You Should Give Them A Go
- How Many Bank Accounts Can I Safely Open Within A Year For Bank Bonus Purposes?
- Affiliate Links & Bank Bonuses – We Won’t Be Using Them
- Complete List Of Ways To Close Bank Accounts At Each Bank
10 debit transaction with $15min at POS… anyone got a easy way to do this?
If your grocery store allows store cards at the self checkout you could buy 10 $15 cards, seems the quickest way.
Not sure if it’s $15 minimum per transaction or $15 total.