Friday, March 29, 2024

Bank transactions during the holidays? Here are 5 time-saving tips

December is one of the busiest months for many of us. With the holiday season upon us, there are also fewer banking days. This means limited time for us to buy gifts, do bank errands, and attend parties.

Photo courtesy of BPI (@bpi on Facebook)

This year, the following days are affected:

December 24 (Tuesday) – additional special non-working day
December 25 (Wednesday) – Christmas Day
December 30 (Monday) – Rizal Day
December 31 (Tuesday) – last day of the year

Fortunately, there’s a way for you to save time when you do your banking chores. Choose from these five time-saving options.

1. Go early. If you need to do transactions that require you to be physically present at the bank (opening accounts, updating your passbook, and so on), it’s best to go to the branch as early as possible. Some people are there as early as 30 minutes before the bank opens. This way, you can make sure that you’re among the first clients of the day. It also helps if you’ve already filled out any forms necessary for your transactions, such as the Customer Information Sheet (CIS). Don’t forget to bring your valid IDs as well. If you have any questions, call the BPI hotline or your preferred BPI branch. 

Of course, in cases where several BPI customers are already ahead of you, bring a book or something that will keep you occupied while you wait for your turn.

2. Do it online. Signing up for a BPI Online account and downloading the BPI Mobile app are banking gifts that keep on giving. You can keep track of your accounts, pay bills, load prepaid phone numbers, do remittance inquiries, and even transfer money to other non-BPI banks through the BPI Online or BPI Mobile platforms. It’s easy enough to register for a BPI Online account or download the  BPI Mobile app through the App Store and Google Play for free. 

This way you won’t even have to leave home to get your banking chores done. This will save you a lot of time and effort. You can pay your bills and manage your finances on the go, anytime and anywhere.

Photo courtesy of BPI

3. Secure your schedule. If you only have a specific window of time to go to the bank to do your transactions, then set your branch appointments in advance through BPI Online. Just log into your online account and access branch appointments online.

Select the day and time of your appointment at the branch of your choice, up to two calendar days in advance. 

4. Make it quick. You don’t always have to line up to transact with a teller in a branch. There are self-service channels which you can take advantage of. 

For cash deposits, you can always use the BPI Cash Accept Machine (CAM). The BPI CAM can also handle both carded (cash deposit, balance inquiry, enrollment activation, and PIN change) and cardless transactions (cash deposit). For cash withdrawals, you can use BPI ATMs. Both the CAMs and ATMs are located nationwide.

To find a machine near you or locate one in a certain location you are planning to go to, just do a search on Google Maps. Use the search term “BPI CAM + [location].” You can also use this to search for BPI ATMs with “BPI ATM + [location].” 

For instance, if you are in Quezon City, use this search term: “BPI CAM Quezon City” (Or “BPI ATM Quezon City”). Google Maps will then show you all the pinned BPI CAM/ATM locations in the area. 

5. Don’t join the crowd. You can do your banking chores past the usual banking hours. You can head to a BPI 24/7 Banking Zone at selected BPI branches. You’re lucky if there’s one in your neighborhood because they are open all day and night, including weekends and holidays. These zones have an ATM and a BPI Online Banking kiosk. You can also transact via the BPI mobile app and BPI Online and do your bank errands anytime, anywhere.

We can’t avoid the holiday rush. However, if we plan ahead and take advantage of the mobile, online, and self-service platforms, we won’t have to put up with crowds, deal with traffic, or stand in line for very long. After all, we’re meant to enjoy, not suffer, during the most wonderful time of the year.

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