Washington Mutual Online Savings Account
WaMu online banking recently began offering an attractive deal to consumers that include an impressively high yield savings account, bundled with a free online checking account. The combined service offering offers great value for a wide variety of banking customers.
The Best of Both Worlds
WaMu online pays excellent rates for its
online savings accounts
, with interest that rivals many of the pure-play online banks. Its online checking account is a good offering as well, with no hidden fees and free checks for life. Washington Mutual has a huge nation-wide network of local branches and ATMs, so there's a good chance they'll have locations that are convenient to you. If you feel like taking the plunge with online banking, but are still reluctant to give up the ability to meet your banker in person, then
Washington Mutual Online Banking

may be the ideal choice for you.
Downsides to Consider
The only major downside is that the two accounts are a package deal - you need to work with the WaMu online checking account to get their high yield on online savings accounts. Of course, there's much to be said for the convenience of having both accounts at the same bank. However, customers who want to take advantage of the high yields on checking accounts at internet banks, like
Ing Direct's
Electric Orange online checking

or
Bank of the Internet Online Checking

will have to look elsewhere for their savings accounts.
If you want the convenience and comfort of local branches and ATMs, along with high savings account yields, however, the
Washington Mutual online savings account is about the best deal going among the big, traditional banks.