Yes, Virginia, there are still small banks. They exist as certainly as credit unions, local economies, and the Huffington Post exist.
This is my response to a friend’s inquiry, via a social network site, asking where she should bank. I recommended that she bank locally, if possible, but to avoid at all costs, the big banks. Well with mergers and acquisitions, it seems that finding a local bank near her small Pennsylvania borough may also be a bit of a challenge. She replied that she wasn’t certain that small banks exist anymore.
According to a recent Zogby poll, however, 9% of U.S. adults have moved their monies from big banks in protest of tax dollars going to big banks. Yes, these same banks that are still making billions but still refusing to lend to small business.
The The Move Your Money protest campaign was created by the Huffington Post, and is actually growing in scope. They are even providing tools to help you locate local financial institutions for you. I tried placing my friend’s zip code and a list of bank candidates appeared with bank names with the word “people”. and “County”, and “Valley”. O.K. so maybe that doesn’t mean they’re not big, but it’s a start.
The site recommends a number of options for locating local banks. They include checking out the sites listed below:
- Independent Community Bankers of America
- National Credit Union Administration
- CreditCardConnection.org
- FindABetterBank.com
Let the banks know that your hard-earned money is not going to be included in those million-dollar bonuses schemes. Well, at least not the $500.00 dollars left in your account this month.
For now you know that, like Santa Claus, local banks “abound and give to your life its highest beauty and joy”.
