Personal Finance Daily: Free checking isn't entirely extinct

Personal Finance Daily MARCH 30, 2012 Friday's Personal Finance Stories By MarketWatch Don't miss these top stories: Free checking: You can get it if you want it Alternatives to reverse mortgages Mega Millions: In it, not to win it Free checking isn't entirely extinct, Jennifer Waters reports — but it's pretty rare. If you keep a substantial minimum balance in your account, you may be able to find it at the bigger financial institutions, but your best bet for fee-free service is with small banks, online banks and credit unions. In our latest Realty Q&A column, Lew Sichelman writes about alternatives to reverse mortgages, eligibility requirements and resources. Also, there's that huge lottery hanging out there. You've heard about it, right? Chuck Jaffe writes that buying one ticket is fine; buying two makes it a stupid investment. — Anne Stanley , managing editor, Personal Finance Alternatives to reverse mortgages There are several alternatives to reverse mortgages, or home-equity conversion mortgages, as they also are known. But as with reverse loans, there are age restrictions, Lew Sichelman writes. Read more: Alternatives to reverse mortgages. Free checking: You can get it if you want it Big banks are charging fees on checking accounts, but smaller banks, online banks and credit unions still want your business. Read more: Free checking: You can get it if you want it. INVESTING China, oil, pressure global stock-fund investors Stock investors venturing outside of the United States waded into calmer waters in the first quarter, with every international mutual-fund category posting double-digit gains in the period. Read more: China, oil, pressure global stock-fund investors. Mega Millions: In it, not to win it Purchasing extra chances at the multistate lottery's enormous payoff doesn't put you "in the game," says Chuck Jaffe, who in fact taps this multiple-ticket strategy as his Stupid Investment of the Week. Read more: Mega Millions: In it, not to win it. Betting on quarterly momentum Does a great quarter increase or decrease the odds for an higher stock market in the next quarter? Mark Hulbert sets out to discover the answer. Read more: Betting on quarterly momentum. Bond-fund investors ride out market's bumps If the first quarter is any indicator, bond-market behavior may finally reflect the "new normal" that Pimco's Bill Gross and others first started talking about a few years back. Read more: Bond fund investors ride out market's bumps. ECONOMY & POLITICS Sentiment highest in more than a year Consumer sentiment is the highest in more than a year, led by views on current conditions, according to a gauge released Friday. Read more: Sentiment highest in more than a year. U.S. consumer spending jumps in February While spending at the fastest pace in seven months, consumers' incomes rise at much slower clip in February. Read more: U.S. consumer spending jumps in February. Get the latest news on our mobile site: http://www.marketwatch.com/m MarketWatch has sent you this newsletter because you signed up to receive it. To ensure you receive this newsletter in the future, please add marketwatchmail.com to your list of approved senders. Sent to: kumaresan.selva.blogger@gmail.com Unsubscribe | Subscribe Copyright 2012 MarketWatch, Inc. All rights reserved. MarketWatch, the MarketWatch logo, and BigCharts are registered trademarks of MarketWatch, Inc. By using this site, you agree to the Terms of Service and Privacy Policy (updated 6/26/07). MarketWatch - Attn: Customer Service, 201 California St., San Francisco, CA 94111