Simply log into your account and look at the bottom of the screen. You should see a white button with an orange megaphone with the text “Earn up to $500, Refer A Friend.” Click that and you will be able to email some of your friends to join ING Direct. When they open an account and fund it with $250, they get $25 and you get $10. You can do this fifty times, so fifty of your friends can themselves earn $25 while you earn a cool ten bucks for very little work!

Not a bad deal huh? The bonus is taxed as bank interest income and will appear on your 1099-INT.

Be sure to review the terms & conditions for specific offer instructions and check for fees.

Found this gem on Fatwallet Finance forums.

Where can you find the best bank CD rates? I maintain an updated list of all competitively rated CDs for maturity yields of less than 24 months (2 years). I typically don’t put my savings into a CD for more than two years because interest rates are usually on the unpredictable side, at least when you go out that far.

One thing to consider is that with a CD your principal is FDIC insured and protected from loss, but they are not without risk. If you’re earning 2% on a CD and inflation is 3%, you’re actually losing 1% each year. Of course, in a 0% checking account, you’re losing 3%. CDs are simply the better of several evils.

Sign up at this promotion page and use promotion code WIWGASINT for a personal checking account, SBECASH for a business checking account.

As always, check the fine print for any gotchas.

Just go to the offer page and open an account using offer code OFFER50. Expires April 15th, 2009.

Terms & Conditions:

You will receive a $50 interest credit if you open a Capital One Direct Banking savings account, money market account or certificate of deposit by 04/15/2009, provide the offer code at the time of account opening, and have atleast $10,000 on deposit on 05/8/2009. This account must be your first account with Capital One Direct Banking. Interest credits will be deposited to your account 4-6 weeks after 05/29/2009. APY in effect as of 3/18/2009. 2.01% APY applies to account balances of $100,000 or more, $50,000–$99,999.99, $25,000–$49,999.99 and $10,000–$24,999.99. 1.01% APY applies to balances of $5,000–$9,999.99, $100–$4,999.99 and $0.01–$99.99. Minimum initial deposit amount is $1. Terms and conditions of this offer may change at any time. Rates are variable and may change at any time. Withdrawks by online transfer are limited to six per calendar month. This offer may not be combined with any other offers. Offer expires 04/15/2009.

Terms & Conditions:

Free checking $200 bonus offer is subject to change without notice, limited to one account per customer. Free checking $200 bonus requires activating full, direct deposit ($500 minimum) of recurring payroll, government benefits or pension disbursements. $200 bonus will be credited to the account (approximately 30 days) after first full, qualifying direct deposit posts to your account. The initial qualifying direct deposit must be made within 60 days of account opening. We also require that qualifying, full direct deposits be made continually for no less than six months from the date of the initial qualifying direct deposit. Should these deposits be terminated or the account closed prior to six months, any paid bonus will be charged from your account or shall be otherwise due to us. The bonus is considered interest and will be reported to the IRS with form 1099-int.

• Step 1: Choose and open your checking account, plus order your FREE MasterMoney™ debit card.
• Step 2: Sign up for Direct Deposit.
• Step 3: Start using your new account and get $123.

Terms & Conditions:

* Provident Bank will award $123 to personal checking customers that open a new Totally Free, Regular, Interest or Platinum checking account between February 2 and March 31, 2009 that have direct deposit and an active Provident MasterMoney™ debit card by April 30, 2009. Customers that enroll in Provident Bank’s Power Points debit card rewards program by April 30, 2009 will receive 500 bonus points by May 31, 2009. Limit one per household. Employees and their families of Provident Bank and its subsidiaries are not eligible for this offer. Minimum opening deposit of $25 is required for all personal checking accounts. Checking account Annual Percentage Yields as of January 21, 2009: Interest: .10%; Platinum .25%. Yields may vary after account is opened and may vary by branch location. Fees can reduce earnings. The cash award will be deposited into qualifying personal checking accounts in good standing on or about May 31, 2009. The maximum award for this promotion is $123. Customers will be responsible for applicable taxes. Offer valid for limited time and cannot be combined with other promotional offers.

Terms & Conditions:

Offer requires the opening of a new PNC Bank Free Business Checking, Business Basic Checking, Business Enterprise Checking, Analysis Business Checking, Non-Profit Checking, Retail Businesses Checking, Medical Professionals Checking or Real Estate Services Checking account by January 31, 2009 and enrollment in online banking by February 27, 2009. $75 cash bonus will be credited to your new PNC Bank Business Checking account by May 31, 2009. Offer not available for PNC Business Checking accounts opened using an individual’s Social Security number. Fees may apply to the account. Please refer to the Business Checking Accounts and Related Charges for current prices on account features and other services. Offer may be extended, modified, or discontinued at any time without notice and may vary by market.

The two accounts that are eligible are the Interest Checking and the Premier Checking, though the Premier has some pretty steep requirements to avoid a fee. Interest Checking has a $5 monthly fee that is waived if you set up a direct deposit.

Terms & Conditions:

Open a new Sovereign Premier Checking, Business Owner Premier Checking, Interest Checking or Partnership Checking account by February 27, 2009 with a standard minimum opening deposit of $10 and request a Sovereign Visa® CheckCard (“CheckCard”). If you make 6 CheckCard purchases within 60 days after you open your account, you will receive a credit of $100 to your new checking account within 15 days after the expiration of this 60-day period. One $100 credit per customer. Your account must be open in order for you to receive your bonus. Annual percentage yield (APY) of 0.05% for Sovereign Premier Checking or Business Owner Premier Checking when balance is less than $5,000 and 0.20% APY when balance is $5,000 and above. APY of 0.05% for Sovereign Interest Checking. APY of 0.05% for Sovereign Partnership Checking when balance is less than $2,000 and 0.10% APY when balance is $2,000 and above. APYs valid for new accounts only, are effective as of 1/17/09 and are subject to change thereafter and after account opening. Fees may reduce earnings. The amount of the bonus credited to your account will be reported to the IRS as interest for the year in which the bonus is paid. Current personal checking customers or anyone who has had a personal checking account with Sovereign Bank or any of its divisions in the last 6 months are not eligible for this offer. Current employees of Sovereign Bank or any of its divisions are also not eligible for this offer. Cannot be combined with other personal checking offers.

$100 deposit available for new checking account customers only (no existing Flagstar checking account). For a limited time, open a new personal checking account with an automatic, recurring direct deposit of income of at least $250 per month, excluding interest deposits, and we’ll deposit $100 into your account within 30 days after the first recurring direct deposit takes place. Minimum opening deposit is $50. Direct deposit must be established within first 60 days of account opening. All accounts must remain open and active for a minimum of six months. If checking account is closed within the first six months, Flagstar reserves the right to reclaim the $100 deposit. See your Flagstar representative for more details. Flagstar will issue a 1099 for the $100. Offer not good in conjunction with any other coupons or checking account offers. Some restrictions apply. Limit one $100 deposit per customer per account. Offer subject to change or cancellation at any time without notice.