So. In June I will be 18. I'll most likely open a checking account. For those of you who have checking already, what bank do ya'll like?

Also, are debit cards good?
Oh, and please make a recommendation.

Get a credit card. Charge something small.

Pay it off at the end of the month.

Repeat.

Get good credit.

Listen to Aquinas.
Personally I would say get a bank that is pretty big and national. Like Bank of America, Wells Fargo etc, in case you are traveling or move somewhere else your family can just transfer money to your account and such. Wells Fargo is one of my favorites, free banking. Make sure to ask about any fees that they may charge since some do charge for online banking and other stuff. Make sure you aren't going to pay for something that you will not use. Also some banks will pay for the fees that other banks charge to use their ATMs, so you might look into that as well. Yes a debit card is good, don't have to carry around cash, but it's not going to improve your credit.
My sister works for a credit union, I was in the finance business for a while so I know more about this stuff than I would like to admit, any other questions just ask.

What about Chase bank? My sister and her husband use it and they seem to like it.

I am with Chase and really enjoy it. My only complaint is its too crowded when I try to go cash a check , but they are a very reliable bank

I use a small local bank. The only large banks in the area are too far away to be worth my time. I also have a credit/debit card. It does the same as a debit card, pulling from my checking account and there's no monthly bill. However, this does not help your credit score any so technically it's not really a credit card. Also be sure to link your paypal to your checking account. This is extremely useful!

Chase is a good bank, my other sister uses it. Just make sure you as as many questions as you can think of so they won't charge you any hidden fees without you knowing. If you do end up getting a credit card try to get one through the bank you choose, it just makes things easier. Also if you get one with a low APR or no APR for the first 12 months, check to see what the APR will be after those 12mos, because most credit cards will let your APR skyrocket and you'll never pay it off. What I recommend you do is just get a card with a low, fixed APR.
And yes, linking paypal to your checking acct is a must lol.

Thanks. lol. I think I'm gonna try to hold off on the credit cards for a while though, and stick within a budget using cash, checks and/or a debit card.

Here's another option, if you're looking to build your credit. Certain banks will offer a specific loan to help out young people with credit. What they do is they'll give you a loan, say about $200, put it in your checking account, but you can't touch the money since they will use this same money that they loaned you to pay for the loan itself. They will pull it out automatically in payments from your account. What this does is, it shows creditors and credit bureaus that you are responsible enough to pay on time and such. It's really a great way to help you out if you don't want to get involved with a credit card. You really don't have to pay for much, if anything at all, it's automatic so you don't have to worry about it. Not sure what this loan is called, but if you are interested you may want to ask the bank you choose.

Wells Fargo! For sure, it's the best bank, as far as I'm concerned.

someone had stolen my debit card and I found out from Wells fargo, when they called me after a string of charges from various adult websites had been charged. They had viewed my buying history and had never seen me purchase from a site like that before, and were worried. So, they returned the 240 dollars stolen within a week, along with a new card etc. They were extremely helpful, kind, and very protective. I wouldn't trade Wells Fargo.

TD bank is the one i use and i like them.

I don't intend to ever get a credit card, stick with debit, its your own money and all within your control.

I'm 19 and just got a debit card. I like it a lot because you can use it for almost anything and dont have to worry about having cash on you. You can also use it for atm to get cash. Be careful to have a cushion..like say 10$ to stay away from overdraft fees which are like 30$ plus the overcharge.

Dont get a credit card..its just bad business. You can get one of your parents bills or your cell phone bill for example put in your name and build credit that way.