There is an old Chinese curse that says, "May you live in interesting times." Well, when it comes to banking, we most certainly do. Your dad probably knew his banker by his first name and saw him once a week. But these days, once you've opened an account, chances are you won't talk to a person at your bank for months.

Have the changes that have taken place in the last few years been good for consumers? Or have they just been another way for huge corporations to gouge us because we don't know any better?

Some of the changes in banking have brought about more conveniences for consumers and more efficiencies for the banks. Therein lies the paradox. It's cheaper for the banks when we use an ATM instead of going to a teller, but they're charging us as much as $3 each visit for the convenience.

This week the Family Fool takes a look at your average, everyday bank account. Do you have the best one for your needs? And is your bank looking out for you as much as they should? If not, we even have some tips on how to find a new one.

-- Take the Fool Banking Quiz to quickly assess what's most important to you in a checking account.

-- We offer some guidelines for keeping your banking costs under control in Get More From Your Bank.

-- Should you use your computer to handle your bill paying? Visit our Online Banking Center for the ins and outs of this new technology.

-- Check out our 10 Foolish Money Savers for ideas on finding the cheapest account, making sure your safe deposit box is really safe, and understanding why some debit cards are a bad deal.

-- In Play Dough you'll find tips on helping your kids understand banks and how they can have they own account for next to nothing.

-- And because the Fool believes that some of our best investing ideas come from our everyday lives, each week in Stock-in-Trade we look at a company that actually makes money doing whatever it is we're talking about. This week read about North Carolina's NationsBank and join in on the message board discussion.

Is your financial institution looking out for your best interest? Don't bank on it. But with a little Foolish help, you can make sure they do.

--Trudy Hoyden (TMF Hoyden)

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