Starting up banking

[aster]

My 2 cents. I am an HSBC customer in the UK, so I thought it would be best to stick with them.

So far, the bank account and savings work ok.

The ATM situation is poor, though.

I am in fact thinking of opening another account with a local bank just for that, giros and other stuff.

It seems that banking here is somewhat 10 years behind the UK when it comes to technology and so on.

UK banks strike me as particularly backwards in most areas (unless you just have simple needs and only need to deal in GBP), not sure I'd place Singapore 10 years behind or even a day behind.

HSBC in the UK is particularly bad, the branch I went to was like a circus comprised solely of clowns. And product-wise it was lacking as well. Take foreign currency accounts for instance, accessible via phone banking but not... internet banking. Really? It's 2013 for crying out loud...

[JR8]

UK banks strike me as particularly backwards in most areas (unless you just have simple needs and only need to deal in GBP), not sure I'd place Singapore 10 years behind or even a day behind.

Unlike German banks of course, who line the high street and whose ATMS are everywhere [not].

'Kin ell after a few years in Germany (where I kept all and only my UK accounts), I'm glad to have never have needed to open a German one.

[azrin610]

If you travel to malaysia.. Maybank is great.. got Islamic accounts too..
Go to Malaysia..and free atm withdrawals within Maybank machines..usually at Petronas stations..and the rates are at times better than the money changers.

Go ask for man united debit card...as additional....

[aster]

If you travel to malaysia.. Maybank is great.. got Islamic accounts too..

Seriously, we are not the type of people who are interested in religious accounts... of any type.

[zzm9980]

If you travel to malaysia.. Maybank is great.. got Islamic accounts too..

Seriously, we are not the type of people who are interested in religious accounts... of any type.

I don't know, the Vatican Bank sounds like a good place if you want privacy (other thread).

[acad]

Has anyone tried CIMB? I am attracted to its higher interest rate and free cheque book but there are only 2 branches in SG