ak - I've found it handy to have a free checking account at my local credit union that is connected to my (also free) Paypal account. That way, I can transfer money into and out of my Paypal account for free by using the 2-3 day ACH transfer method (essentially, electronic checks). I still feel uncomfortable having my Paypal account connected to any of my "real" (important in my day-to-day life) financial accounts, but Paypal can be very handy for small transactions, and does provide some buyer/seller protection for goods even outside of eBay. It's also handy if you need to send some money to a family member or friend who doesn't live locally.