When you work in an industry like personal finance, it can be embarrassing to admit that you went against the best practices that you preach. But I’ll keep it real and confess that I stuck with a mediocre bank for years without seeking out something better. I was a customer at what I’ll refer to as Big Bank. (Yes, you’ve heard of its real name.)

My relationship with Big Bank began, as many mistakes do, in college. Big Bank had a branch on campus and I knew it had a large ATM network, but that was the extent of my research before I opened a checking and savings account.

I stuck with Big Bank for the next decade. I even added a couple of credit cards and an auto loan from Big Bank. It felt like a choice that would streamline my finances, with a variety of accounts available to me behind th

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