ING Direct: Make a cool $25 and get a free checking account to boot!

If you already have an ING Direct Savings account, just log in to your account, and look for the promotion under your accounts page to give the Electric Orange checking account a try.

If you apply and get approved for the account, and make 3 signature-based transactions (use your debit card as a credit card) within 45 days of opening your account, ING Direct will give you a $25 bonus, 50 days after you open your account.

This is a win-win situation no matter what! The account is free, and it even earns around 1.74% interest.

As always with ING Direct, no minimums and no fees. The only time you pay fees is if you ask for priority services (eg overnight card replacement, stop payment, etc).

The "Electric Orange" online checking account includes a free bill payment component. You can also have ING write a check on your behalf through the bill payment system.

This is an online-only account, which is what allows ING to offer all these bonus items.

One more reason why you should do this: With the banking crisis due to foreclosures it's always a good idea to have at least a second bank account in case something goes wrong with the first one.

Since ING offers both "Electric Orange" checking and savings for free, you have nothing to lose. There are no fees, no minimums, no inactivity penalties!