If you're a keen surfer of the internet, you can benefit from the wave of internet banking services that are coming on-line.
Almost all the major banks have their fingers in the internet pie and those that don't are fast catching up.
Boland Bank, for instance, is in the final stages of planning its internet site. Other banks, like Standard and Absa, are upgrading the services they currently offer.
Although you cannot draw cash or make deposits and you need computer equipment such as a modem and an account with an internet service provider, internet banking offers you the convenience of doing your banking from your favourite armchair often at cheaper rates than regular banking.
Among the most advanced in the field of internet banking in South Africa are Nedbank, First National Bank, Standard Bank and Mercantile Lisbon Bank who offer an extensive range of banking services from balance enquiries, draft statements, inter account transfers and account payments to the ordering of cheque books, messages to your branch and enquiries about foreign exchange rates.
Apart from the cost of purchasing computer equipment and a modem and connecting to a service provider, most banks will charge you a monthly user fee for accessing your account via the internet.
The charges may be free, but will mostly range from between R10 with First National Bank to about R22 charged by Nedbank.
Transaction costs, too, will differ from a standard R1,40 irrespective of the value of the transaction to various costs relating to the balance of the account and the value of the transaction.
Banks are set to become more and more competitive in this field.