Curses! Foiled Again!

So we wrap up the banking routine this morning, and then head off to Chase to see about opening a savings account for Miranda.  We have a couple criteria:

• No fees.  Ever.
• Debit Card/ATM access

Sounds easy, right?  Of course not.  Well, under age 13 it has to be a custodial account.  No ATM card.  You actually have to go to the bank to get to the money.  The kid can't do it.  The parent has to.  Sigh.  Disappointed kid, annoyed Dad.  The whole point is to let the kid learn how to do this stuff. 

Time for plan B.  Off to the Internet.  Hmmmmm, just open an account on line in my name?  Separate from our other accounts by using another institution?  How to get to the money?  Free ATM's all over the place (and an app for virtually every smart phone known to man to help you find one).  And I can just transfer money into it from my regular account?  Nice.  Overdraft fees?  Astoundingly low.  Monthly fees?  None.  Minimum account balance?  None!  What am I missing?

There is one thing.  I wanted Miranda to have the experience of actually dealing with the bank.  You know, the brick and mortar type.  She kind of did.  I mean, we went to the bank, were told that we could not do what we wanted, and proceeded to look at other alternatives.  Sounds kind of like the real world.  Of course at one point in the past I did actually see quite a bit of value in having a local branch with a good manager (some guy in South Carolina was writing bad checks.  His bank had fat-fingered the entry of his SS# so that it matched mine.  How did I find out?  ATM card declined for the $2 item I was picking up that was the last ingredient for dinner that night.  No cash.  Did not have any credit cards on me.  Walk of shame out of store.  Ick.).  Local manager was able to have my account reinstated once he figured out that I was not simultaneously in So. Carolina and San Diego.  Common sense prevailed.

Bottom line?  I am inclined to reward the local bank for their behavior by using an online bank.  Not the ideal (account and debit card in Miranda's name), but maybe a reasonable compromise.  Gives us the opportunity to get her started using her own debit card with parental oversight. 

Anyone else have any thoughts on this?  Horror stories with local banks or Internet banks?

Please share!