Canada's Scotiabank has launched a new savings programme that automatically rounds-up customer spending on debit cards to the nearest dollar or five dollars and routes the extra money into a savings account.Customers who sign up to the new "Bank the Rest" savings programme have the option of rounding up all purchases made using debit cards - including point of sale, online and cross border transactions - to the nearest dollar or five dollars, with the difference automatically deposited into a high savings account.
Customers can also calculate and track savings using a tool on the bank's Web site.
"The Bank the Rest savings programme is one way for people to automatically put their money into a high interest savings account as they go about their daily lives and without making big sacrifices. It's surprising how small change can add up to make a big difference," says Deana Stewart, financial advisor, Heritage Village Scotiabank, Edmonton.
In the UK Lloyds TSB introduced a similar service in 2006 where customers' debit transactions are rounded up to the nearest pound, with the difference routed to a savings account.
Bank of America also operates a a similar 'electronic change jar' scheme dubbed Keep the Change.
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