Bank Deals, Credit Cards

Open a Chase Freedom credit card and you could get up to $200 cash back. The deal allows you to earn $100 after spending $500 within the first three months. Spend an additional $1,000 within six months and you could earn another $100.

The Chase Freedom card has no annual fee and a zero percent introductory rate. If you are late with a payment, the bank will end the introductory interest rate. After that period your interest rate will be based on your credit. The credit card offers from Chase also allow you to earn 5 percent cash back on purchases up to $1,500. The purchases must be made on bonus categories that change each quarter. There also is a 1 percent cash back bonus on all other purchases.

Among the fees you may have to pay with the card is one for $5 or 3 percent of the amount of any balance transfers. The bank also charges a $10 or 3 percent fee for cash advances and 3 percent for foreign transactions. Late payments, going over your credit limit and returned payments each result in a penalty fee of $35.

ING Direct is offering some special deals to celebrate Independence Day. The deals can help you save money but are only good until tomorrow, July 2, at 11:59 p.m. ET.

Open an Electric Orange checking account and you could earn a cash bonus up to $126 dollars. You must make three purchases using an Electric Orange Card of Person2Person Payments within 45 days to receive a $50 bonus. The bonus will automaticaly be deposited on Aug. 21. You could earn another $76 for setting up and making two direct deposits of at least $250 each by Aug. 31. If you meet the qualifications, the $76 bonus will be deposited into your account on Sept. 8. The checking account has no monthly or overdraft fees.

Other offers at ING Direct include:

• Earn a $76 bonus for opening a Sharebuilder investment account
• Get up to $1,776 off closing costs when you apply for a mortgage
• Get a $76 bonus for opening a savings IRA with at least $1,000
• Get a $76 bonus for referring two friends who successfully open an account; each friends earns $25
• Get 17.76 percent off purchases at shopingdirect.com when using coupon code 1776

Accounts at ING Direct are insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp.

First Trade Union Bank has a High & Mighty Savings earning 1.05 percent annual percentage yield (APY). The savings rate can only go higher but never lower through September 30, 2011. Existing customers can open the high-yield savings account online. Details of the savings offer include:

• Minimum opening deposit of $250
• 1.05 percent APY is for balances of $2,500 and up
• 0.25 percent APY on balances between $10 and $2,500
• No monthly service fees
• Free online banking
• Get statements online
• ATM card available
• Set up direct deposit

Interest on the savings accounts accrues daily and is compounded and credited monthly. The savings rate is current as of June 29, 2011. Funds can be transferred between First Trade Union Bank and external accounts for no fee. The savings account also can be used with the banks overdraft protection program. The bank also reimburses some ATM fees for transactions at machines displaying the Cirrus, SUM Program or NYCE Payment Network logos.

First Trade Union Bank has been in business since 1987 and is based in Boston. Deposits at the bank are insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. (FDIC) up to $250,000 per depositor.

MetLife Bank has a 1-year certificate of deposit that earns 1.3 percent annual percentage yield (APY). The CD rate is for balances of $25,000 and up that are deposited in a single transaction. Certifcates of deposit can be opened online or by phone using offer code Snoopy16. Other terms of the certificate of deposit offer include:

• Choose a traditional CD or IRA CD
• IRA CDs cannot be opened online
• Funds deposited into CD must come from non-MetLife source
• Minimum deposit to open CD is $2,000
• Early withdrawal results in a penalty
• Insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC)
• Free Identity Theft Resolution Services for being a MetLife customer

The certificate of deposit has tiered interest rates that include 0.9 percent APY for balances of 2,000 to $14,999 and 1.1 percent APY for $15,000 to $24,999. MetLife Bank has other CD rates and terms from 3 months to 5 years. Among the CD rates are 1.35 percent APY for 18 months, 1.55 percent APY for 2 years, 1.9 percent APY for 3, 4, and 5 years. Those CD rates are for deposits of $25,000 to $49,999.

You can earn up to $120 each year with any checking account enrolled in Green$ense at Citizens Bank. The checking account pays 10 cents each time you make a payment without writing a check, such as with a debit card, online bill payment or by setting up automatic payments. Green$ense checking accounts receive a debit card made from recycled plastic and online statements.

According to the Citizens Bank Web site, after just one year of enrolling in Green$ense, for every dollar you earn through the program you will:

• Save emissions equal to more than 87 miles of driving
• Save almost 4 gallons of gas consumed by transporting statements and bills
• Prevent more than 3.5 gallons of waste water
• Lower the global warming impact equal to turning off your refrigerator for a week
• Save more than 7 square feet of forest

Citizens Bank offers several personal checking accounts that can be enrolled in Green$ense, including:

• Green Checking, which has no minimum balance requirement and a low fee
• Circle Gold Checking with Interest which has preferred rates on saving and borrowing, plus rewards and special perks
• The Personal Checking with Interest which has no monthly fee when you carry a minimum balance
• Circle Checking which allows combined balances in the checking, savings and loans to offset the monthly fee.

Other checking accounts are available at the bank, which is based in Providence, R.I.