Do you run a small business and want to boost your savings? Open an ING Direct business savings account and receive a $50 bonus. Details of the savings offer include:

• Savings rate of 1% annual percentage yield (APY)
• No fees
• No minimums
• No service charges
• FDIC insured up to $250,000

You must open a business savings account by March 15, 2020 and use the reference code BSA326 to receive the bonus. The cash bonus is deposited into the account when it is opened and can be withdrawn after 30 days.

The 1% savings rate is effective as of Feb. 24, 2010, but is a variable rate that can change at anytime. Interest on your savings accrues daily, is compounded monthly, and credited to your balance each month.

The savings account is available to many kinds of businesses, including sole proprietorships, partnerships, limited liability companies (LLCs), corporations, and not-for-profit organizations. You can set up the account for you and two other people to have access with separate logins and customer numbers.

You don’t have to change banks to open a business savings account at ING Direct. You are required to link a business checking account from another bank with your ING Direct savings.

ING Direct offers 24-hour banking online and has customer service representatives available to speak to you from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.  every day of the week.

Open a Citibank checking account by March 31, 2010 and receive a $100 bonus. You must be a new Citibank checking account customer and make a minimum deposit of $1,000.

Within the first month of opening a regular checking account you must begin making at least one direct deposit, two electronic bill payments, or five non-PIN debit card transactions each month for three consecutive months.

Eligible purchases must be made through the MasterCard Network and include those you sign for or small dollar purchases that do not require a signature. Purchases made made through other payment processing networks do not qualify.

Other details of the bank deal include:

• Free ATM access at over 26,000 Citibank ATMs in the U.S., including machines at 7-Eleven stores
• Free online bill pay
• Free mobile banking
• Free identity theft solutions

Existing Citi credit card customers received this offer, which requires a code of C2CA to open an account and qualify for the deal. You can apply online or by phone, but check to make sure you qualify for the $100 bonus. The bonus is deposited into your account within 120 days from the end of the statement period that you meet all the requirements.

This offer is only available to people 18 and older, and is limited to one per customer.

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Sweeping changes in credit card legislation take effect next week (Feb. 22). Here’s a quick rundown of some of the changes you can expect:

• Banks can’t raise interest rates on existing credit card balances unless a promotional rate ends, you’ve been late with a payment, or the card has a variable rate.
• Interest on new balances can only be increased after 12 months if the promotional rate ends or payments are 60 days late.
• You must have the right to “opt out” of major changes to your credit card terms. Opting out closes the account but you have five years to repay your debt at the current interest rate and terms.
• Banks can only sign up people under 21 for credit cards if they have an adult co-signer or can prove they have enough income to pay bills.
• You must receive your statement at least 21 days before payment is due.
• Credit card statements must clearly show the date and time your payment is due. The time must be no earlier than 5 p.m. on the due date.
• Statements must explain how long it would take to pay off your balance by making only the minimum payments.

Pay close attention to the fine print in credit card offers to become familiar with the terms and conditions. Also read your statements on existing accounts carefully to understand any changes; think twice before signing up for credit card offers, such as cash advances, related to existing accounts.

If you don’t want to tie up your savings for too long but want to earn some money, Country Bank for Savings has a six-month Relationship certificate of deposit (CD) with a 1.85% annual percentage yield (APY). Relationship CDs are also available for terms of 15 months (2.25% APY) and 24 months (2.5%  APY).

Relationship CDs are only available to customers who live in Massachusetts and have a checking account at the bank. Other details of the offer include:

• Minimum deposit of $500 to open CD
• Minimum balance of $1,000 in a Country Bank checking account
• Must set up monthly direct deposit into checking account
• Penalty for early withdrawal
• Interest is paid monthly and can be withdrawn at any time

Other CD rates and terms are available to people who don’t live in Massachusetts and accounts must be opened by mail. Call the bank for more information on opening an account if you don’t live in Massachusetts. Other CD rates as of Feb. 19, 2010, include:

• 6 months (1.6% APY)
• 12 months (1.75% APY)
• 15 months (2% APY)
• 2 years (2.25% APY)
• 3 years (2.25% APY)
• 4 years (2.5% APY)
• 5 years (2.5% APY)

The bank, which is based in Ware, MA also offers CD rates for terms as short as two months. CD rates are available for fixed-rate and variable CDs.

Many banking customers have noticed more fees being tacked onto their checking accounts. It seems like no matter where you look it’s tough to get away from rising fees at banks for everything from overdrafts to ATM use to just maintaining an account.

Some financial experts say that people with checking accounts could see even more fees because of changes in credit card legislation, according to USA Today. “This is Business 101. If you take losses in one area, you try to offset them in other areas of operations,” Adam Levitin, a law professor at Georgetown University, told USA Today.

Banks have searched for new revenue streams during the troubled economy, which in some cases has resulted in higher fees for things like overdrawing multiple times or using a debit card for foreign transactions. A 2008 study by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp (FDIC) found that overdraft fees accounted for 74% of service fees on bank accounts.

Fees can really eat into the amount of money you have stashed in a bank account. If you feel that your bank is nickel and diming you, it’s probably time to shop around and compare bank deals. Get the fee schedule for accounts you are considering and ask if they have recently increased any fees or plan to do so.