I would eventually have reached this decision based purely on a customer service standpoint. Bank of America nickel-and-dimes me with fees I don't completely understand, they have lousy hours, they are slow to clear deposits, and they pollute my landscape with excessive branches and advertising. My credit union has very limited fees, which are easy to avoid, and all aspects of their service are excellent. I also earn interest on my fee-free checking account, which I think most banks these days are unable to offer.
But of course, to me the problem goes far beyond customer service. Even if those characteristics of BoA and my credit union were reversed, I would still be going to retrieve my money today. I can't allow the profits from my savings to be exported out of my community and into the hands of shareholders and executives. I can't support an industry that helps destroy our economy and then gets bailed out by taxpayers. I can't be complicit in the bubble/bailout economy.
Yesterday, Bank of America managed to get one last insult in. In the years that I've been dealing with them, I've somehow failed to understand that there are no branches in Tampa that you can walk into after 4:00, despite being disappointed by this fact over and over. My tiny credit union is open until 5:00, so why can't Bank of America keep just one of its 17 branches open until 5:00? Oh, maybe it's because they have 17 branches.
Today, I'm going to be there when they open. "Knock knock, bitches! It's nine a.m.! Time to say goodbye to my money!!"
Opt Out of: corporate banking; the bubble/bailout economy.
1 comment:
I love my bank (suntrust), but I have considered doing this too, to keep my money out of a big corporation.
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