5 Things to do While Waiting in Line at the Bank

No one enjoys waiting in line. Even at the best of times, waiting in line is just marking time until it’s your turn to do whatever you were waiting in line for. For some reason, that can seem especially true when you’re at a bank or credit union, anxiously awaiting the moment it’s your turn to get your banking done.

Unfortunately, waiting in line is here to stay. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t do anything else while waiting. Here are five things you can do while waiting in line that will make the time pass quickly and help you be more productive!

Review Your Finances

Since your mind is already focused on your finances when you’re in line at a bank, why not whip out your smartphone and take a look at your account on your financial institution’s mobile app? You can check how much money is in your account, look over the progress you’ve made toward your financial goals, transfer money between your accounts and even set up a bill payment using your institution’s electronic bill pay service. 

Prepare Your Transactions

If there’s one good thing about waiting in line at a bank or credit union, it’s that you get a little extra time to get everything in order before you talk with a member advisor. You can make sure any checks are signed and that you have all the money you need to deposit, but you can also review everything you’d like to discuss with the member advisor, like getting another savings account or opening a certificate of deposit.

Plan Out Your Day

While you’re waiting in line, take a little time to think about what you’d like to do with the rest of your day. If you’re at the bank or credit union during your lunch break, you can think about what projects you need to work on in the afternoon, what you’d like to have for dinner that night or plan out the other stops you need to make before going back to work. If you happen to be at the First Alliance Credit Union Commons on Commerce Drive, you can also think about what sandwich you’d like to get at Great Harvest Bread Company or whether you’d prefer to get some coffee at Moka.

Come Up With Small Talk Ideas 

Some people can feel awkward when it’s their turn to talk with the member advisor. They’re not sure what to talk about other than what transactions they need done, and they worry about uncomfortable silences.

If you’re one of these people, use the time you’re waiting in line to come up with some good small talk topics. Some perennial favorites are the weather, how your sports team of choice performed, and how both of your days have been. If you’re feeling brave, you might even try to bring up an interesting current event.

Listen to Something Fun

Music can make time go by quickly. So can an audiobook or a podcast, like the First Alliance Good Money Moves podcast. Pick one of them and press play. If you do decide to listen to music, make sure not to sing “Breaking the Law” by Judas Priest or “Fulsom Prison Blues” by Johnny Cash out loud, as they tend to make bank employees nervous.

Do Your Banking Efficiently at First Alliance Credit Union

There are a lot of things you can do while waiting in line. They may not make the line move faster, but they can make the time more pleasant and even make the rest of your day more productive.

If you’re looking for an efficient banking experience where you won’t have to stand in line forever, become a member of First Alliance Credit Union. Our Advisor Supported Kiosks let you do your banking quickly and efficiently, and our top-notch Kiosk Advisors give you personalized, friendly service if you need any assistance. You can also talk with our Member Experience Advisors in our branches if you need help with anything from opening up another account to applying for a mortgage.