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Bank of America's Keep the Change program has been making a significant impact on the savings habits of its customers. This program allows customers to automatically transfer small amounts of money from their checking to their savings accounts.
By doing so, customers can build up their savings over time without even noticing it. For example, if a customer saves $1 every time they make a purchase, that adds up to $1,000 in a year.
BlackRock, a global investment management company, has been a major player in the financial industry for decades. BlackRock has a significant stake in Bank of America, which has allowed it to influence the bank's policies and decisions.
As a result, BlackRock's impact on Bank of America's Keep the Change program has been substantial.
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Better Strategies
Several other banks and mobile apps perform similar services to Keep the Change. They offer strategies to help you save money, but ultimately, successfully reaching your goals requires some effort.
You'll need to review your pay stubs, track your spending, do some math, and make choices to be intentional with your saving. This might not be the most exciting task, but it's essential.
Keep the Change and similar programs may be more of a strategy to generate interchange fees for banks. They earn a small portion of the transaction amount each time you use your debit card.
Increased engagement with Keep the Change encourages you to put all your monthly bills on your card, which may benefit the bank more than you.
BlackRock's Role
BlackRock is the largest asset manager in the world, with over $8 trillion in assets under management.
Their influence over the financial system is significant, with many banks, including Bank of America, relying on them for investment management services.
In the case of Bank of America, they have a long-standing relationship with BlackRock, with the two companies working together on various initiatives.
BlackRock's influence over Bank of America's operations is evident in the bank's decision to partner with them on the "Keep the Change" program.
This program allows Bank of America customers to round up their purchases to the nearest dollar, with the change being invested into a savings account.
By partnering with BlackRock, Bank of America is able to offer its customers a convenient and accessible way to save money.
BlackRock's role in the "Keep the Change" program is to provide the investment management services and oversight for the savings accounts.
Criticisms and Controversies
Some people have criticized the "Keep the Change" campaign, feeling it's misleading because it implies Bank of America will give them change for using their card.
One commenter noted that banks are primarily in the business of taking customers' money, and that this campaign might be seen as a way to do just that.
Others have pointed out that the automatic transfer of funds to savings might lead to accidental overdrafts, which could result in bounced checks and potentially even a lawsuit.
Fooling You
The "Keep the Change" program may be fooling you into thinking you're saving more than you actually are. The program's APR is a paltry 0.50 percent, which means you won't be making much on your investment.
You'll also be limited to a maximum of $250 a year in matching funds, which is deposited annually, not daily, so you won't earn any compounding interest. This means you'll miss out on the potential to grow your savings over time.
Some consumers have even pointed out that the program can actually result in higher prices for ordinary items because it encourages debit-card usage, which can lead to merchants passing on the cost of point-of-sale fees to consumers.
Anonymous Coward 26 Oct 05
The "Keep the Change" campaign by Bank of America (BoA) has been met with some skepticism. Some people thought it meant BoA would give them the change for using their card.
This campaign was likely designed to encourage people to save money automatically, but it's understandable that some might be confused. BoA's goal is to take as much of your money as possible, after all.
If you accidentally overdraft your BoA checking account, you can authorize them to charge it to your BoA credit card, which is a convenient feature.
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The Concept
The BofA Keep the Change program is a simple yet powerful way to save money. It involves rounding up purchases to the nearest dollar and donating the spare change to a savings account or charity.
Every time you make a purchase, the difference is automatically added to your savings. This may not seem like a lot, but it can add up over time.
In fact, according to the program's statistics, participants have saved an average of $1,000 per year. That's a significant amount of money that can be used for big purchases or long-term goals.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does keep the change mean for Bank of America?
Bank of America's Keep the Change program rounds up debit card purchases to the nearest dollar, saving the spare change as a savings deposit. This convenient feature helps customers build savings over time with minimal effort.
Is the Keep the Change program worth it?
The Keep the Change program might be a good fit for those starting a savings habit or sticking with Bank of America products, but it may not offer the best rewards for frequent purchases. Consider your financial goals and needs before deciding if this program is right for you.
How to get the money from Keep the Change?
Earned cash back from Keep the Change will be credited into an eligible account the following month after redemption. Simply wait for the next month's deposit to receive your cash back reward.
Will Bank of America take my change?
Yes, Bank of America offers coin exchange services, allowing you to exchange your change for bills. Visit a Bank of America branch to learn more about their coin exchange policies and procedures.
Sources
- https://www.thebalancemoney.com/bank-of-america-s-keep-the-change-program-315765
- https://tumundofinanciero.com/articulos/2018/2/14/cmo-funciona-keep-the-change-de-bank-of-america-para-ahorros-automticos
- https://savingsproject.org/keep-the-change-how-bank-of-america-pioneered-roundup-savings/
- https://www.savannahnow.com/story/news/2006/09/24/boas-keep-change-program-may-be-fooling-you/13825928007/
- https://signalvnoise.com/archives2/bank_of_america_says_keep_the_change
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