99 Days of Summer Comes to an End

We were thrilled to once again be the $5,000 cash sponsor for the KXLG radio 99 Days of Summer event. KXLG window stickers were distributed to people all over NE South Dakota, people placed them in their vehicle window hoping to get "ticketed" by a radio station employee, if the did, their name then went into a drawing. If thier name was drawn live on-air, they had 99 seconds to call in and get qualified for the big cash drawing.

The evening of September 15, marked the ending to another successful summer event. Reliabank hosted 99 qualifiers and their friends and family for the big drawdown held at 6:15pm. Our parking lot was buzzing with excitement and great food from the Popcorn Shoppe and County Fair Food. Watertown Confectionary supplied chocolate candy bars to all the qualifiers wishing them good luck in the drawing. Marilyn Nipe of Watertown was the last name chosen from the barrel of qualifiers, and was the $5,000 winner!

Reliabank and KXLG also held a food drive "Feed the Need" for the Watertown Food Pantry. Qualifiers were asked to bring in non-perishable food items and for every 5 items they donated, they received a ticket into a separate $500 drawing. We collected over 700 items that evening!!

Thank you to all who particpated we'll see you next year for the big drawing!

Helping Small Businesses Streamline Finances

Reliabank is excited to now offer VISA business credit cards to it's Visa line of products.
By applying for and using your community bank card, you can always count on personal service and hometown convenience along with worldwide acceptance.

With a 0%APR (annual percentage rate)  introductory rate for six months, no cost balance transfer and no annual fee, this card means business!

Choose from either the Platinum Edition - recieve our most competitive APR and use the card for all you business purchases or the Platinum Rewards - that offers ScoreCard Bonus points for every qualifying dollar you spend.

Let Visa Business help you easily and effectively streamline your finances—so you can focus on running your business.

You mean business
And so does your Reliabank Visa Business credit card.
With purchasing convenience, cost savings, available credit, and detailed reporting, you’ll have what you need to nurture your small business and help it thrive. Let Reliabank help!

Click Here to Apply

Is Mobile Banking Safe?

We recently announced the addition of eMobile banking to our product line-up at Reliabank. Many customers have taken to it as easily as online banking from a computer, while some still hold out on the fear of being hacked and that their financial information would be available for anyone to see. We would like to put these fears to rest.

First, what exactly is eMobile Banking?
eMobile banking is simply banking from your cell phone or smart phone. It makes shopping easier by allowing you to check your balance before you commit to a high priced item or overspending on some new must-have item. You can check your balance using your phone, and maybe make a quick transfer between accounts if necessary. But if you access your bank account information on your mobile phone, are you jeopardizing the security of your checking and savings accounts?

No, says Phil Blank, the managing director of security, risk and fraud at Javelin Strategy and Research -- not as long as you exercise some basic online street smarts.

Here is what you need to do to be sure the transactions you make using a smartphone are safe:

Do . . .

•Stick to your bank's mobile banking featuring; at Reliabank we've taken the necessary steps to minimize any risk to your accounts, whether you access them on your mobile phone or from your computer. eMobile Banking offers the same high level of security as our Online Banking platform, allowing you to bank anywhere using your mobile phone, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. It's completely safe and secure.



•Treat your smartphone as if it's a PC. What a smart phone really is is a PC that happens to make phone calls. If you look at your phone that way, you're minimizing your risks. For instance, install antivirus software on your phone as you would on your PC.

•Monitor the whereabouts of your phone. One big difference between your smartphone and your desktop computer is that the latter is much less likely to fall out of your pocket or purse. Check every so often to make sure your smartphone is on you when you're out and about.

Don't . . .

•Use public Wi-Fi access to conduct your banking business. You can't be sure it's secure. Opt for wireless networks that require a network security key or have some other form of security.
•Leave the keys in plain sight. Never send a text message on your phone containing sensitive information such as your Social Security number, checking or savings account number, or your account passwords. We don't give the customer the option to store anything sensitive on their phone. That's for your own protection.

•Be fooled by emails or text messages asking for personal information. Often, these "phishing" messages claim to be from your bank and ask for personal information or ask you to click on provided links to update account information. We would never ask you to provide your ID or password in an email, on your computer or over your cell phone.
Using your phone to bank on the go can be a great convenience. As long as you're smart about it, there's no reason you shouldn't use eMobile banking.

To find out more about Reliabank's eMobile banking, visit our online demo for more info.

Parts of this article: MoneyRates.com.

WHITE CHRISTMAS Performance at SF Pavilion

Sunday, November 6
Just in time for the holidays, a classic holiday tale takes the stage at Washington Pavilion in Sioux Falls.


After leaving the Army after W.W.II, Bob Wallace and Phil Davis team up to become a top song-and-dance act. Davis plays matchmaker and introduces Wallace to a pair of beautiful sisters (Betty and Judy) who also have a song-and-dance act. When Betty and Judy travel to a Vermont lodge to perform a Christmas show, Wallace and Davis follow, only to find their former commander, General Waverly, is the lodge owner. A series of romantic mix-ups ensue as the performers try to help the General. Its the perfect show to warm you up this winter just in time to start the Holiday Spirit!

White Christmas is a merry play for the whole family!
We have 40 reserved seats in front section of Orcherstra seating!


Cost: $90/GC member; $105 non-member.
Includes transportation and ticket to show. Pick up in Watertown and Estelline (more stops if needed). We'll stop for pie/coffee on the way home after show (on your own).


Contact Joyce at 605-886-7700 or Lisa at 605-873-2261 to reserve your seats today!

Treasury to End Over-the-Counter Sales of Savings Bonds

July 13, 2011
WASHINGTON –

The Bureau of the Public Debt announced that as of January 1, 2012, paper savings bonds will no longer be sold at financial institutions. This action, which supports the U.S. Department of the Treasury's goal to increase the number of electronic transactions with citizens and businesses, will save American taxpayers approximately $70 million over the first five years.
But savings bonds, introduced in 1935, are not going away. Electronic savings bonds in Series EE and I will remain available through purchase in TreasuryDirect®, a secure, web-based system operated by Public Debt – where investors have been purchasing savings bonds, available 24/7, since 2002.

"Savings bonds are very much a part of this country's history and culture, and will remain a part of America's future – but in electronic form," said Public Debt Commissioner Van Zeck. "It's time for us to take a 1935 model and make it a 21st century investment tool."

Ending over-the-counter (OTC) sales of paper savings bonds at financial institutions is a continuation of Treasury's all-electronic initiative announced in April 2010. As part of the initiative, Treasury stopped the sale of paper bonds through traditional payroll plans, effective December 31, 2010. It is estimated that ending the sales of paper payroll and new issues of OTC bonds will save a total of $120 million over the next five years in areas such as printing, mailing, storing bond stock and fees paid to financial institutions for processing bond applications.

"Through TreasuryDirect, investors have an easy and convenient way to purchase and manage their bonds free of charge," Commissioner Zeck said. "Investors will no longer have to worry about misplacing, losing or storing paper savings bonds."

Opening a TreasuryDirect account is free, and, once it's established, investors can:

•Buy, manage, and redeem Series EE and I electronic savings bonds.

•Convert Series EE and I paper savings bonds to electronic through the SmartExchange® feature.

•Purchase electronic savings bonds as a gift.

•Enroll in a payroll savings plan for purchasing electronic bonds.

•Invest in other Treasury securities such as bills, notes, bonds, and TIPS (Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities).

Those currently holding paper savings bonds can continue to redeem them at financial institutions. Bonds, which have not matured, but were lost, stolen or destroyed, can be reissued in paper or electronic form.

A MESSAGE FROM RELIABANK
Beginning January 1, 2012 Savings Bonds will be all electronic. You will need to go online and create an account for yourself. If you are having difficulty or have questions, we are here to assist customers in setting up an online account to order Savings Bonds. You will need your Social Security number and Driver’s License numbers to set up an account.  The Treasury will then send an email to you with your new account number and a message indicating in order to proceed you will receive an access card in the mail within 2 weeks.  Customers will not be able to access the account until they receive the access card. All savings bonds purchased will be kept electronically. Current paper EE Bonds and I Bonds can be converted to electronic once a person is able to access their online account. Reliabank will still be able to redeem paper bonds for a time.  The electronic bonds are redeemed online and direct deposited to the account that is entered when the online account is created at Treasury Direct.  

Traveling this Summer? Planning Ahead Can Help You Keep Your Money Safe

Washington, D.C. (May 23, 2011)-With the kick off of summer less than a week away and many Americans planning to hit the road or the skies for their much-anticipated summer vacation, the Independent Community Bankers of America (ICBA) and the nation's more than 7,000 community banks want consumers to have the information they need before they leave home so they can keep their money safe.

"Nothing can ruin a vacation faster than losing your wallet or running out of funds, so plan ahead and talk to your community banker about how you can protect your money while traveling both domestically and abroad," said Sal Marranca, ICBA chairman and president and CEO of Cattaraugus County Bank, Little Valley, N.Y. "Since community banks are relationship bankers who work one-on-one with their customers, they can help customers be better prepared for travel emergencies. And in the event that something unfortunate does happen, they are ready and willing to help."

Financial professionals agree that the safest and most convenient way to travel with your money is to take a small amount of cash with you. It's also a good idea to carry a debit, credit or ATM card. These cards are convenient while traveling because they are easy to carry, easy to use and often offer the lowest fees and the best exchange rates. Our Reliabank ATM/Debit Card is part of the MoneyPass network where you can find thousands of surcharge-free ATM's nationwide!

However, travelers still need to plan ahead to be prepared. To help, ICBA offers these tips to consumers about what they need to take care of before they take off:

Let your community bank know when and where you will be traveling so that you will avoid any potential for fraud alerts when out-of-the-ordinary transactions are posted.

Call or stop by your community bank to find out what ATM or debit card fees you may be subject to in this country and abroad.

If you're traveling overseas, keep in mind that ATMs in many countries only accept four-digit personal identification numbers (PINs) and some countries have keyboards with numbers only, while others do not acknowledge zeros. Ask your community bank if you should create a new PIN for your account before you take your trip.

Carry a back-up card that you keep in a separate place. Families or couples may get even greater back-up coverage if each person takes a different card.

Make copies of all the cards you'll be carrying. Be sure to copy the front and back of the card. Take a copy with you and give a copy to someone you trust back home. Be sure to also include the security code for the card and the customer-service phone number.

Bring a list of emergency phone numbers, but remember, 800 numbers can only be used in the United States and Canada. Be sure to get a number for your bank that you can call if you're out of the country.

Many credit cards provide travel accident insurance and traveler's assistance. Ask your community bank what special services are available through your card.

Check your balance before you leave. Know the limits on how much you can withdraw. Save all your receipts.

"Whether your destination is overseas or closer to home, it really is better to be safe than sorry. And your community bank can help you make sure that you're safe," Marranca said.

For more information about what to do if you your card is lost or stolen or if you need additional help, visit http://usa.visa.com/personal/using_visa/travel_with_visa.html or http://www.mastercard.us/support/lost-card.html.

Summer Promo Coming Soon

Reliabank is joining forces with KXLG to offer one lucky person a $5,000 cash prize at the end of the 99 Days of Summer promotion! We are excited to be a part of this event, and had so much fun last year doing this, we couldn't imagine not being a part of it again in 2011.

Watch for the window stickers to be available all over Watertown and surrounding communities. Simply put the window decal in your car and the KXLG prize patrol will be out and about "ticketing" people throughout summer to qualify you as a contestant in the $5,000 cash drawing in September!

BONUS: Every Friday one person will get qualified and WIN a $500 gift certificate from a participating business. Qualify by listening to KXLG and when you hear your name you will have 99.1 seconds to call to become a qualifier.




RULES:

Must be 18 years old

One qualifier per household



Game Dates:

May 30th thru September 5th



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