ING Direct is one of the most straight-forward, user-friendly ways to bank. My wife and I have had ING Direct savings accounts for five or six years now and we simply haven't had a single problem. I'd highly recommend them, and often do, for someone looking to set up a savings account.

First of all, the interest rate is fantastic. It usually hovers around 4%, but has been as high as 4.5% since I've had my account. You'd be very hard pressed to find a savings account that comes even close in terms of interest. Some bonds and CDs don't even have interest rates that good.

Since ING is an online bank only, they've spent a lot of time making their site great. It's extremely easy to use and everything is laid out in a logical manner. Plus the security features are excellent. Instead of entering a password with your keyboard that gets stored in your computer, which makes some people uneasy, you click with your mouse on a numbered display, much like you'd enter a password at an ATM. It's obvious ING has put a great deal of thought into usability and security.

The best feature of the ING savings account is the automatic savings settings. Once your ING account is tied to your checking account, you can set up ING to withdraw a set amount of money each week, month, or whenever. If you set it up to withdraw only $20 a week, after a year you'll have over a thousand dollars. And you won't even notice it's gone. Automatic savings is hands down the best way to actually save money, and setting up ING's is so simple.

If you want to withdraw money from your ING saving account, it's very easy. Just click a few buttons and you're all set. You will have to wait a few days for the money to appear in your checking account, so if you know you'll need to dip into your savings, plan ahead and transfer the money early.

One of my favorite feature, albeit a simple one, is the running total of interest paid for the year. It's clearly displayed at the top of the page, and above your current total is your total interest paid for the year prior. This gives me a nice reminder of how much I saved and how much interest I earned the year before, and gives me a goal to try to beat for the current year.

I don't have a single complaint about ING's online savings account. The interest rate is high and the site is so easy to use. If you're considering a savings account, take a look at ING Direct. You won't be disappointed.

Learn more about this author, Sean Curtis.
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