
Ally Bank Buckets are a type of savings account that allows you to create separate buckets for specific financial goals.
Each bucket has its own unique features, such as the ability to set goals and track progress.
You can set up multiple buckets, each with its own name, goal, and target amount.
For example, you might set up a bucket for a down payment on a house, another for a vacation, and a third for a big purchase.
You can also set up automatic transfers from your main account to your buckets.
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What Is Ally Bank Buckets?
Ally Bank Buckets are a digital way to organize your savings into different categories without needing multiple bank accounts or complicated spreadsheets.
You can think of buckets as digital envelopes that allow you to divvy up your savings into categories like an upcoming vacation or a child's education.
The Ally mobile app includes the bank's buckets feature, which you can access if you have an Ally Savings Account or Ally Spending Account.
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With buckets, you can see exactly how much you've saved for a specific goal, which can help motivate you to save more.
The total balance of your account still earns interest, so you're not losing out on compound interest.
The Ally mobile app has received high ratings in the Apple store, with 4.7 out of 5 stars based on 72,900 ratings.
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Benefits and Features
Ally Bank offers a range of benefits and features that make it an attractive option for customers. Ally's online banking experience is user-friendly, with a mobile app that includes standard banking features like mobile check deposits and debit and credit card usage controls.
Ally's mobile app has received high ratings, with 4.7 out of 5 stars in the Apple store based on 72,900 ratings. The app's user-friendly interface makes it easy to manage your bank account on-the-go.
One of the standout features of Ally Bank is its buckets feature, which allows you to save money for individual savings goals. With the Ally Savings Account, you can save money for specific goals, such as an upcoming vacation or occasion.
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Ally's buckets feature is available on the Ally mobile app, making it easy to manage your savings goals from anywhere. The app's buckets feature is a game-changer for anyone looking to save money and achieve their financial goals.
Here are some of the key benefits of Ally Bank's buckets feature:
- No account minimums or commissions for trading for brokerage accounts
- No origination, application, underwriting, or processing fees for mortgages
- No application or documentation fees for vehicle refinancing
- No monthly fees and $0 minimum opening deposits for bank accounts
Ally's buckets feature is just one of the many benefits of banking with Ally. With its high savings, CD, and money market rates, Ally is a great choice for anyone looking to save and invest in one place.
How to Set Up
To set up buckets in your Ally account, simply log on and click into your Ally Bank Savings Account. From there, you can manage your buckets.
You can create up to 30 savings buckets within one account, each dedicated to a specific goal. Each bucket can have its own target amount and goal date.
To add a bucket, you can set bucket goals to choose the target amount you want to save. You can also decide how to distribute money into that bucket.
You can select to turn on savings boosters to help you reach your goal. This can be a big help in reaching your savings goals.
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Budgeting and Spending
You can create up to 30 spending buckets to manage your expenses, and they're free and flexible as part of Ally Bank's Spending Account.
Spending buckets are like digital envelopes, allowing you to set aside funds for particular expenses, such as rent, groceries, or entertainment. They help you organize and optimize your spending, making it easier to see and manage exactly how much money you're putting toward different expenses.
To get started, pick an area of spending that's important to you and designate a bucket for it. Decide how much you want to spend and when you need the money, and then automate your spending buckets to make it easy to track your expenses.
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What Are Spending?
Spending buckets are a digital equivalent of using the envelope budgeting method.
They allow you to set aside funds in your checking account for particular expenses, such as rent, groceries, or entertainment.
You can create up to 30 buckets, but it's not necessary to account for every dollar you spend.
Designating a bucket for a specific area of spending, like groceries or mortgage/rent, is a good starting point.
Spending buckets work best with debit card transactions and direct withdrawals from your checking account.
You decide how much money to put in each bucket and when you need it based on the bill's due date.
Automating your spending buckets helps organize your expenses, but you'll still need to set up your bill payments with vendors as usual.
If you overspend in a bucket, the transaction will still go through, and money will be distributed from your unbucketed balance to the bucket you overspent in.
If you don't have enough money in the overspent bucket, money will be taken from other buckets, starting with the one you'll spend from last.
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Three Ways to Manage Spending
Spending buckets are a simple and sustainable way to manage your money. With buckets, you can easily track how much you're spending on different expenses and get the information you need to make the right moves for your financial future.
You can create up to 30 buckets, so choose the number of buckets that work for you. Add or remove buckets as your plans change, and move individual transactions from one bucket to another.
Using spending buckets can help you save money by automating your spending and savings. For example, you can set up recurring transfers to move money from your checking account to your savings account. This can be done manually or automated, and you can choose the frequency and amount of the transfers.
Here are three ways to use spending buckets to manage your spending:
- Create separate buckets for different expenses, such as groceries, rent, and entertainment.
- Use recurring transfers to automate your spending and savings.
- Utilize the "Surprise Savings" booster to find extra cash that could be working harder for you and automatically transfer it to your savings account.
By using spending buckets and these three strategies, you can take control of your spending and make progress towards your financial goals.
Boosters and Automation
Automating your savings is a game-changer, and Ally Bank's boosters make it incredibly easy to do. Very few people are good at manually moving money from their checking accounts to their savings accounts on a consistent basis.
One option is to set up and schedule recurring transfers, which you can do weekly, biweekly, or monthly. Pop-ups will let you know how much money you could save within one year based on the size of your transfer.
You can also select the checking account you're transferring money from, even if it's at a different bank. Ally will let you know the date when the first transfer will be delivered.
If you've already organized your savings into buckets, you can have the money you're transferring sent into different buckets. This means you can tailor your savings to specific goals or expenses.
Ally's "surprise savings" feature is another great tool. It looks at how much money is in your checking account, determines the amount you typically spend, and sweeps any leftover money that could be saved into your online savings account at Ally.
This feature also has built-in rules to keep you from accidentally overdrawing your account. Ally promises to never move more than $100 at a time or make more than three automatic transfers per week.
Ally plans to release additional data to make it easier to analyze and track your progress toward boosting your savings. Beginning on Feb. 20, for example, Ally plans to have charts available to show the growth of accounts.
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Account and Review
The Ally Bank Savings Account is a great option for those who want to save for specific financial goals without worrying about standard bank fees. It earns 3.80% Annual Percentage Yield and has a $0 minimum account opening requirement.
You can create separate savings buckets to help you save for different goals, and surprise savings transfers will transfer extra money from your checking account to your savings three times a week. Interest is compounded daily and paid monthly.
Here are some key features of the Ally Savings Account:
- No minimum opening deposit
- No monthly service fee
- No way to deposit cash
- No physical branch locations
The Ally Spending Account is a solid low-fee option with a competitive APY, no initial deposit, and no minimum account balance. It also offers spending buckets to manage expenses and easy-to-use mobile app features.
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Raise Your Rate CD
The Ally Raise Your Rate CD is a great option for those looking for a competitive APY. It offers a competitive APY, which is a key benefit for anyone looking to grow their savings.
One of the standout features of this CD is its ability to increase APY before the term ends. This means you can take advantage of higher rates if Ally increases them during your term.
Early withdrawal penalties are also relatively low, which is a relief for those who may need to access their funds before the term ends. You'll pay 60 days' interest for a 2-year term or 120 days' interest for a 4-year term.
Here are the key details about the Ally Raise Your Rate CD:
It's worth noting that Ally has no minimum deposit requirement, making it easy to get started.
Personal Banking Review
Ally Bank is an online-only bank that offers a range of personal banking options, including savings, money market, and spending accounts.
The Ally Money Market Account has no opening deposit or minimum account balance, and no monthly service fee. It also offers access to a debit card, paper checks, and out-of-network ATM reimbursements of up to $10 per month.
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One of the benefits of a money market account is that it typically makes it easier to access your money than a savings account does, and the Ally Money Market Account makes it especially easy by sending you both a debit card and paper checks.
Ally Bank savings account interest rates are also better than traditional savings accounts at brick-and-mortar banks.
The Ally Spending Account has a competitive APY and no initial deposit, minimum account balance, or monthly service charge. It also offers spending buckets to manage expenses, early direct deposit, and online bill pay.
If you're looking for a savings account that doesn't require a minimum opening deposit, the Ally Savings Account is a great option. It also offers savings buckets to help you save for different goals, and surprise savings transfers to help you save extra money from your checking account.
Here are some key features of Ally Bank's personal banking accounts:
- No minimum opening deposits
- No monthly service fees
- Competitive APYs
- Online and mobile banking options
- FDIC insurance
- No overdraft fees
Note that Ally Bank is an online-only bank, so you'll need to be comfortable managing your account primarily through online and mobile banking.
Frequently Asked Questions
How to use buckets in Ally?
To use buckets in Ally, you can manually move funds or set up automatic contributions to allocate your income into up to 30 designated categories. This flexible system allows you to take control of your finances and prioritize your savings goals.
Sources
- https://www.businessinsider.com/personal-finance/banking/ally-bank-review
- https://www.ally.com/stories/save/what-are-ally-banks-savings-buckets-and-boosters/
- https://www.ally.com/stories/spend/how-to-keep-your-finances-on-track-with-spending-buckets/
- https://www.ally.com/stories/save/how-automated-savings-tools-technology-works/
- https://www.bankrate.com/banking/savings/ally-bank-launches-new-savings-tools/
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