Good afternoon everyone and I hope your week is going well. One of my favorite resources for finding new bank account bonuses is Doctor of Credit’s Best Bank Account Bonuses page, which he updates frequently with the best offers available. That master list links to individual posts that break down everything you need to know about each bank account: bonus requirements, how to avoid monthly fees, when it’s safe to close an account, how frequently you can churn the account, and more. It’s an invaluable starting point for anyone interested in bank account bonuses.
For the past 11 years, I’ve been systematically opening new checking accounts, savings accounts, cash management accounts, and brokerage accounts to earn these new account bonuses. Each year, I tally up the results and share them here on the blog. Over that time, I’ve earned more than $30,000 in bank account bonuses!
Of course, these bonuses aren’t completely free money. You’ll receive a 1099-INT or 1099-MISC each year and will owe taxes on the bonuses. That said, there are ways to stack the value. In some cases, you can fund an opening deposit with a credit card and earn miles, points, or cash back. If the timing works out, you might even meet a credit card minimum spending requirement or hit a spending threshold to unlock additional rewards.
Here’s a look at my results from the past 11 years, with links to each yearly recap:
- 2015: $1,175 (no post)
- 2016: $2,850 (summary)
- 2017: $3,700 (summary)
- 2018: $2,725 (summary)
- 2019: $1,000 (summary)
- 2020: $800 (summary)
- 2021: $3,600 (summary)
- 2022: $4,485 (summary)
- 2023: $3,685 (summary)
- 2024: $2,755 (summary)
- 2025: $3,475 (+ $2,304 from interest)
Drum roll please… here are the 9 bank accounts Laura and I opened in 2025 that paid out $3,475 in bonuses:
| Bank Account Name |
Opened |
Closed |
Bonus |
Notes |
| Capital One 360 Checking |
10/30/24 |
02/18/25 |
$250 |
Bonus posted 1/14/25 |
| US Bank Smartly Checking |
10/30/24 |
Open |
$400 |
Bonus posted 1/13/25 |
| Chase Total Checking (Laura) |
11/11/24 |
03/28/25 |
$400 |
Bonus posted 2/18/25 |
| Chase Savings (Laura) |
11/11/24 |
03/28/25 |
$200 |
Bonus posted 2/18/25 |
| Chase Business Complete Checking |
03/10/25 |
06/25/25 |
$300 |
|
| Wells Fargo Way2Save Savings |
03/31/25 |
08/05/25 |
$525 |
|
| Chase Total Checking |
04/28/25 |
09/03/25 |
$300 |
|
| Chase Savings |
04/28/25 |
09/03/25 |
$600 |
|
| Bank of America Advantage Checking |
08/24/25 |
Open |
$500 |
|
|
|
|
$3,475 |
|
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