When you can’t get a bank account, life gets more difficult and expensive. You’re stuck carrying around cash all of the time and constantly paying check cashing fees. What if there was a better way? Fortunately there is, and it will come in the form of a second chance checking account. This post is going to help you figure out which account is going to be the best for your situation.

There are quite a few banks that offer second chances. The most well known is Compass Bank, who has a special checking account that is designed for people who have struggled in the past. However, odds are that you don’t live anywhere near a Compass branch, so you’ll have to check out some other options! Instead, grab your phone book and call up all of the smaller banks in your area to see if they are able to help. Many of these banks have much more lenient requirements for new accounts, and may be able to set you up.

If a regular bank isn’t for you, start looking at alternative banks. Companies like Vision Premiere and Rush Card are the most popular, and offer many of the same features that the big banks do. You’re going to get a card, direct deposit, and even overdraft protection from both of these companies.

The biggest thing that separates different second chance banks is their fee structure. Unlike bank fees that you have to be an accountant to decipher, the fees with these accounts are very straight forward. Figure out which is going to be the cheapest for you, and no matter what, it’s cheaper than check cashing!

As soon as you have a few options, narrow them down to the ones that have the features that you want and are lowest cost. You should end up with one or two, and it’s almost time to apply. Remember that if you apply to more that one, you’re going to get approved at more than one, so make a decision that you’re okay sticking with before filling out any paperwork!