How to Add Money to a Bank Account

As surprising as it sounds, you can add money to a bank account even if you don’t have money, depending on the financial products and types of banking accounts you have. You can add money using cash, by transferring funds from one account to another and by using a credit card balance transfer.

Understanding the various options you have to add money to a bank account will help you avoid missing payments that can damage your credit or result in account closings.

​Read More​: What Does Less Cash Mean in a Deposit Check?

The most traditional way to add money to a bank account is to make a cash deposit at your bank or credit union. You’ll need to fill out a deposit slip or ask a teller to fill one out for you. If you don’t have a deposit slip that was given to you when you opened your account, you can use a counter deposit slip.

You’ll need to fill in the amount of cash you want to deposit, fill out the amount of cash you want back (if you’re depositing money using a check and want some cash back), fill in your account number and sign the slip (if you’re getting cash back).

​Read More​: How to Deposit Cash in an ATM

You can also deposit money into your account using an ATM. You’ll need your debit card and personal identification number, along with your cash or check(s). Insert your card, enter your PIN and follow the directions to make your deposit. You can get a paper receipt, have an electronic receipt mailed to the email address associated with your account or choose no receipt.

You can add money using cash, by transferring funds from one account to another and by using a credit card balance transfer.

If you have multiple bank accounts, such as checking and savings accounts, you can transfer funds from one account to the other. You can do this at an ATM, using your online bank account or using the bank’s mobile app, depending on your bank’s options. If you’re not sure how to do this, you can go into a bank location and ask for a banking representative to help you do this.

Not only can you transfer money using your own accounts, but you can also have a friend or family member transfer and deposit money into your account from hers. You’ll need to share your bank account number with this person, and the transaction can take place in a matter of minutes. If you’re not sure how to do this electronically, you can visit your bank and get help. Your friend will have to talk to the banker on the phone or in-person to provide her bank account information.

You can also deposit money into your bank account using financial apps such as PayPal, Venmo, Zelle or Cash App. If these apps are set up using your bank account for transactions, you won’t be able to do this. If your accounts are set up to make payments from a credit card or another bank account, the transaction should work.

​Read More​: Can You Transfer Cash From a Credit Card to a Checking Account?

Some credit card companies allow you to do a balance transfer to a bank savings or checking account. The transaction works the same way it does when you do a balance transfer from one credit card to another. This is one of the slowest methods of adding funds to your bank account and could take ​five to 10 days​.

Make sure you have your bank routing and account numbers ready to make the balance transfer quick and easy. You can do this type of transaction using your online account, using your credit card app or by talking to a credit card agent on the phone.