ANCHOR LEAD IN:
OPENING A CHECKING OR SAVINGS ACCOUNT HAS NEVER BEEN A VERY GOOD INVESTMENT. IN FACT, WITH ALL THE CHARGES AND FEES ATTACHED, IT CAN END UP COSTING MONEY TO PUT MONEY IN THE BANK! WELL, THINGS ARE LOOKING UP. IN TODAY'S HEADS UP - BANK BONUSES THAT CAN REALLY ADD UP!

TRACK ONE Length: :09
JAY SHAW WORKS AS AN INTERNAL AUDITOR FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE. BUT WHEN HE DID A QUICK 'AUDIT' OF HIS OWN BANKING HE FOUND THERE WERE SOME HOT DEALS TO BE HAD.

SOT:
KEY @: :11 (VERY QUICK) Jay Shaw, Has multiple checking accounts
"I've opened these accounts because of sign-up bonuses, sometimes the bank account is offering something that I really want to have."

TRACK TWO Length: :09
THINGS LIKE: CASH FOR SIGNING UP... FREE CHECKS...NO A-T-M FEES FROM YOUR OWN BANK -- OR FOR USING OTHER A-T-Ms... REWARD PROGRAMS... GOOD INTEREST RATES.... AND NO MINIMUM BALANCES...
SHAW OPENED SEVERAL NEW ACCOUNTS.

NATS Length: :02
Got a Citibank...got Capital One.

SOT:
KEY @:38 Jay Shaw, Has seven checking accounts
"If you know exactly what everybody is offering, then if your bank isn't offering you exactly what you want, you can very easily find out someone who is, and move on."

TRACK FOUR Length: :05
WHY ARE BANKS SUDDENLY BECOMING SO GENEROUS? INSIDERS SAY THE INTERNET IS FUELING THE TREND

SOT:
KEY @: :55 (VERY QUICK) Lisa E. Phillips, Senior Analyst, eMarketer
"Online-only banks are offering much higher interest rates than your corner bank could offer."

TRACK FIVE Length: :06
PHILLIPS SAYS EVEN SMALL LOCAL BANKS HAVE REALIZED IT PAYS TO GET YOU TO DO ALL YOUR BANKING BUSINESS ONLINE.

SOT:
KEY @: 1:11 Lisa E. Phillips, Senior Analyst, eMarketer
"Perks and bonuses are a good way to get customers online. Once they're online they take up less of a bank's resources, they don't involve so much face to face time."

TRACK SIX Length:05
SHAW SAYS CONSUMERS CAN USE THE INTERNET TO COMPARISON SHOP, TOO. THAT'S HOW HE DOES IT --

SOT:
KEY @: 1:23 Jay Shaw, Has multiple checking accounts
"Within the last year I've made over 500 dollars from opening up these accounts."

ANCHOR TAG:
EXPERTS SUGGEST THAT YOU MAKE SURE TO TAKE A GOOD LOOK AT A BANK'S FEE SCHEDULE AND MAKE SURE YOU UNDERSTAND ALL THE DETAILS AND PENALTIES, SUCH AS EARLY WITHDRAWAL FEES BEFORE TAKING ADVANTAGE OF BANK BONUSES. THE FEE SCHEDULE HAS TO BE POSTED ONLINE BUT CAN BE HARD TO FIND. YOU CAN ALSO DO A LITTLE COMPARISON SHOPPING FOR BANKS AT http://bankdeals.blogspot.com/.

SOURCE INFORMATION:

Lisa E. Phillips
Senior Analyst
eMarketer.com

Bio: Lisa E. Philips is author of the new eMarketer report, Financial Services Online Marketing, which says the US financial services industy's online ad spending will increase by 33.3% this year and it will reach $3.52 billion in 2010.