Checks and balances: balance your checkbook and manage your finances with these personal finance managers - evaluations of five programs - includes related articles on Internet banking, summaries of products and key terms - Software Review - Evaluation

Home Office Computing, March, 1997 by Mike Hogan

No matter which online bank you choose, the real money is in the bounced-check fees and other banking gotchas that you won't have to pay once you have the data and tools to be a better money manager. For the first time in history, you have a real chance to beat the bank.

BankNow on AOL

Rating: ***

Service Provider: American Online Personal Finance Forum. 703-448-8700, 800-827-6364, www.aol.com

Price: Free software. Prices set by banks, generally $5 for banking and $9 for banking and bill paying.

Bank of America HomeBanking

Rating: ****

Service Provider: Bank of America NT&SA, 415-622-3456, 800-363-2632, www/bankamerica.com or AOL (keyword:BofA)

Price: $6.50 per month for online banking and unlimited bill paying, $5.50 per month checking account fee.

Security First Network Bank

Rating: ***

Service provider. Security First Network

Bank, 800-736-2321, www,sfnb.com

Price: Free banking and 20 bill payments per month; a $100 minimum deposit is required to open a checking account.

Mike Hogan has been using personal finance programs and paying bills electronically for close to a decade.