AmSouth to pay Wednesday morning tolls

AmSouth Bank, in cooperation with Alabama's Department of Transportation, will pay tolls for commuters on the Emerald Mountain Parkway from 7-8 a.m. Wednesday.

The free tolls are part of AmSouth's Do More Than Expected Week across Alabama, named for one of the bank's six Basic Values. AmSouth launched this week to demonstrate the bank's community commitment.

"AmSouth wants to put a smile on the faces of Montgomery's commuters by paying their tolls...," said Arthur DuCote, Montgomery bank president. "We thank the people of Montgomery for their business and recognize that they have lots of choices of where to bank."

This week, AmSouth employees can be spotted throughout the week doing more than expected in their Do More Than Expected Patrols practicing random acts of kindness such as buying coffee, rolling back gas prices, providing free passes at movie theaters, free hot dogs at football games, savings bonds for newborn babies and providing assistance to Meals on Wheels.

What are people saying about mortgages today:

Rates on 30-year mortgages edged down last week to a seven-month low. Mortgage-giant Freddie Mac reported Thursday that 30-year, fixed-rate mortgages fell to 6.3 percent, down slightly from 6.31 percent two weeks ago. It put rates at the lowest level since they were at 6.24 percent the first week of March.

Bank of Hawaii, Central Pacific Bank, Territorial Savings Bank and Wells Fargo Home Mortgages all cut their 30-year mortgage rates to 5.75 percent this week.

Most people think of a mortgage as a means to an end. After all, you buy a house, not a home loan. But a mortgage is much more than the path to homeownership. It is a financial instrument that must be managed, just like any other financial investment.