Author: Margarette Burnette, NerdWallet

Some are getting $100, $200,even more than $300 from their banks. Their secret? Free money promotions for opening savings and checking accounts.

Many Wells Fargo customers couldn’t access their accounts Thursday – whether to get cash, pay bills or swipe a debit card for gas.

Growing your bank balance and let your money work for you. If you want to build a cash cushion without breaking a sweat, try these three methods.