Excuse me, but can I have a word with the 70% of Americans who continuing keeping their money in big banks, like Bank of America, CitiBank, Wells Fargo and such? Come closer. A little closer. I want to be able to give you a well-earned dope-slap while I ask;
WHAT' THE HELL is THE MATTER WITH YOU?
ARE YOU STUPID!?
Jesus H. Christ, what's it going to take before you people stop doing business with the enemy? You're like abused spouses who are slapped around and slapped around again and again by your big bank and keep crawling back for more. If this behavior didn't hurt the rest of us I'd be delighted to just let you get the ccrapola beat out of you until your big bank bleeds you white. That would be Darwinism at it's most effective.
But, thanks to the fact that 90% of
America's household savings are deposited in these big banks means that your
self-destructive banking habits are fueling the very financial services
juggernauts that have repeatedly devastating the lives, homes,
families and savings of average working Americans. And not just once, but time and time and time again.
Are you listening goddamnit!
And why do you do it?
"Ah, well... because...... well, you know... ah, there's a Wells Fargo Branch on Main Street... and... well, it would be such a hassle moving my account to our hometown community bank. You know, new checks and credit cards and such. I don't like my bank at all, but it's just easier to leave it with Wells."
Is that how you make all
your financial decisions? I hope not. I assume when you're
about to make a big ticket purchase, like furniture or a new car, you
shop around for the best price and quality and service? But when it
comes to where you bank all you care about is that the big bank is a
quarter mile closer to your home or office or that you parents banked
there or that they give you a (usurious interest) credit card? That's
it? That's the reason you bank with Tumor Bank of America?
Sucker. No wonder nearly 70% of Americans nearing retirement age have less than $55,000 in savings to retire on.
My god people. Putting your hard-earned money with a big bank is like Mr. & Mrs. Chicken entrusting their chicks to Col. Sanders Prep School.
As it becomes increasingly clear that
Congress is not about to pass anything that even resembles
comprehensive financial reform, big banks, freshly rejuvenated by
$700 billion pints of taxpayer plasma, are positioning themselves for
the next round of looting and pillaging. And why not. They made
hundreds of billions of dollars off the last round and all they had to
endure was a tongue lashing from members of Congress -- after which
they savved their wounds with hundreds of million of dollars in
"performance bonuses."
So, you ask, what's the alternative? And what will it cost you to switch?
Well, you drive and walk by that solution every day... your local community bank or your local credit union. And it's not going to "cost" you anything. In fact you're likely to come out ahead. Not only do small banks provide exactly the same services as the big banks, but they do so at a lower cost, pay higher returns to depositors and --- are you sitting down?-- they are still making loans to local homebuyers and local small businesses -- even as the big guys you just saved claim they just can't do either right now.
Proof? You want proof? (Can you handle
the proof?) If so the Internet is lousy with proof that small banks
beat large banks on virtually every single measure. Just do a
Google search under "Big banks vs. Small Banks," and you'll have a
month's worth of reading on your hands.
AM BESTS business analysts compared the two and take a look for yourself:
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