The Process Behind Using Money From a Savings Account
Putting your money in a savings account is one of the safest things you can do with it. You will accumulate interest, and the funds will still be available to you in the event that you require them. However, to what extent is it available?
Is it possible to make a check using money from a savings account? What about using that money to buy things on the internet instead? Are you able to establish regular payments for your bills? The answer to these questions is typically not yes, which is a disappointing development.
There is no such thing as a debit card for a savings account, and most banks will not even let you write checks against your savings account for payments or purchases. Your money is supposed to be stashed away in a savings account where it is protected from being spent and is earmarked for some unspecified future purpose.
Key Takeaways
Savings accounts are not meant to be used for day-to-day financial transactions because their primary purpose is to serve as a safe location to save money.
You are able to use the funds in your savings account to make payments. However, in most cases, you will first need to withdraw the necessary funds and deposit them into another account.
You are unable to write checks from a savings account, but you are able to write checks from a particular form of savings account that is known as a money market account.
It Is Not Possible to Make Transactions Using Savings Accounts
Transactions are not compatible with the structure or purpose of savings accounts. Instead, they are designed to be used as long-term storage for monetary assets. The legislation previously limited the number of withdrawals from savings accounts to six per month.
The law in question is called "Regulation D," and it says that financial institutions must always keep a certain amount of cash along.
In April 2020, Regulation D was changed to reflect the changes the Federal Reserve made to its monetary policy. One of these changes was to get rid of the reserve requirement.
However, banks still have the ability to place restrictions on the number of money customers can withdraw or move in a given month, and many of them do so.
One of the most important aspects of fractional banking is the practice by which financial institutions lend out a portion of the funds held in savings accounts to other clients.
They do not place any restrictions on the number of deposits that can be made into a savings account on a monthly basis and instead give you interest for the privilege of spending your money.
How to Make Payments Using One's Savings Accounts
There are many different applications for the money that you have saved up. One of the simplest ways to do this is to move the amount of money you'll need for the month into your checking account and then make all of your purchases out of that account.
If your withdrawals are restricted in any way, this strategy will work very well for you. However, even if they are not, you can still complete it all at once and still remove sufficient funds each month with some careful preparation.
You can also request that the bank print a check from your savings account and have it made out to you. This is still another option. You should first check with your financial institution to see if this would count toward your monthly limit if you have one.
You also have the option of requesting that a cheque from your savings account be made payable to a third party. However, before you do anything else, you should check with your financial institution to determine if this will alter any limits you now have.
Other options besides traditional savings accounts
An interest checking account or a money market account are two options available to you if you are looking for an account that not only pays interest but also enables you to access the money you have saved without requiring you to move any of it. If this sounds like something you’re intrigued with, read on.
You have the option of opening an account for a prepaid card in the event that you are unable to create a checking account with a bank or credit union.
Interest checking accounts are exactly what they sound like: checking accounts that earn interest. They pay interest on your cash, but there is no restriction on the number of transactions you can make each month. In exchange for this convenience, the interest rates are typically far lower than what you could obtain with a savings account.
However, interest checking accounts at online banks may at least pay rates that are comparable with the market.
Money market accounts are similar to savings accounts, except they offer more features. You can draw checks from the account, and the interest rates are far higher than those offered by standard savings accounts. You may even be handed a debit card to use for making purchases.
Some financial institutions place the same restriction on the number of withdrawals that can be made from a money market account as they do from savings accounts.
Some institutions may even reduce the monthly limit for these types of accounts to three transactions. They aren't meant to be used often, but if you just want to take money out of your savings account every once in a while, you may find that they meet your needs.
Questions That Are Typically Asked (FAQs)
Can I use money from my savings account to make payments?
In most cases, you will not be able to use your savings account to carry out monetary transactions. Nevertheless, you will be able to transfer money from your savings account to your checking account in order to make payments.
Is it possible to move money from your savings account to your checking account?
The majority of financial institutions permit customers to move money from savings accounts to checking accounts.
How much money may I take out of a savings account at a time?
Since the money belongs to you, you are free to take it out of the bank all at once if the institution will let you. However, the amount of money you can take out of your savings account all at once may be limited by many banks on a daily or monthly basis.
Find out from your financial institution if they place restrictions on the amount of money you can take out of your savings account. Can Checks Be Written Using a Savings Account Instead of a Checking Account?