$50 Checking Account Bonus without DD at TCF Bank read and submit comments for this post

TCF Bank is offering a $50 Grocery Gift Card for opening a new TCF Free Checking Account. The official details are listed at the promotion page. On the plus side there doesn't seem to be any direct deposit requirement. If you open the account at a branch, they'll hand you the gift card on the spot. The main downside appears to be that you're are required to pay for the checks. In the online application it forces you to select the checks option, and that'll cost at least $16.50. I'm not sure if there's a way around this if you apply at a branch. A reader in a previous TCF post commented that the Senior account includes free checks.

Some of the other important small print includes:

• $25 minimum to open a TCF Totally Free Checking Account
• available to individuals and small businesses without a TCF Checking account in the past 90 days
• customer is responsible for all applicable taxes

The Totally Free Checking has no monthly service charges, no minimum balance requirements and online bill pay is free.

TCF Bank often has new-checking bonuses. The last one was in June when they were offering a $50 gas card.

You can apply online, but the application states that if you're not already a TCF Bank customer, you must live in one of the following states: Arizona, Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin.

The bank is FDIC insured (FDIC Certificate # 28330).