Must Read Are you ready?

[Brent S]

So if you buy an electric vehicle do they hit you on higher registration fees to make up for the lost fuel taxes?

 

[KateMTx]

Well it’s a good sign that where you live held together during those two weeks. I think Texas likely has more self reliant people than any other state.

This was back in MS. But come to think of it there was a lot of help from FEMA too. I know there were a lot of good people there in our community, self-reliant (I'm pretty sure I first learned about the idea of prepping from overhearing conversations between my dad and one of his friends when I was a little kid), a lot of them farmers, hunters, etc. But there were enough bad apples too that I don't know how much longer it would have held together if we hadn't had help. I'm glad we didn't have to find out.

Even today many banks have fees and service charges. It’s nuts to pay someone to hold your money! Even paying interest isn’t very smart. It’s all brilliant for the banks but I like to keep the money I work hard for. If you can’t pay cash then you can’t afford it.....

I refuse to pay for bank accounts. If they have any kind of charges simply for keeping or using your account, I don't use that bank. Once I had a bank account and they started charging for it. I was the best bank to use where I went to college but after I moved here there were no branches close by. I had to drive over and hour to go to the nearest branch to close that account. By that time they had charged me so much (I had been ignoring the account thinking it was just my spare money after I opened a different account with another bank) that I went in, got my $14 in less than 5 minutes, and drove the 1 1/2 hours back to my house. So far I've fortunately been happy with my new bank.

 

[Brent S]

This was back in MS. But come to think of it there was a lot of help from FEMA too. I know there were a lot of good people there in our community, self-reliant (I'm pretty sure I first learned about the idea of prepping from overhearing conversations between my dad and one of his friends when I was a little kid), a lot of them farmers, hunters, etc. But there were enough bad apples too that I don't know how much longer it would have held together if we hadn't had help. I'm glad we didn't have to find out.

I refuse to pay for bank accounts. If they have any kind of charges simply for keeping or using your account, I don't use that bank. Once I had a bank account and they started charging for it. I was the best bank to use where I went to college but after I moved here there were no branches close by. I had to drive over and hour to go to the nearest branch to close that account. By that time they had charged me so much (I had been ignoring the account thinking it was just my spare money after I opened a different account with another bank) that I went in, got my $14 in less than 5 minutes, and drove the 1 1/2 hours back to my house. So far I've fortunately been happy with my new bank.

I closed my accounts with regions when they started charging 5.00 a month. A little while later I got a letter saying they were returning the charge to customers. I’m certain they lost too many accounts. I can understand, maybe, if you don’t keep much money in the account (although those are the ones whom can least afford it) but when you have a good amount of money and they try to charge, no way. There are plenty of banks that don’t charge.
I am still amazed that so many people commonly use credit cards and don’t pay them off each month. It seems to be the norm now and people just accept it. When you think of ‘would I ever sign for a 28% interest loan’ it looks different though. Finances are easy, don’t borrow money and don’t spend it until you actually have it. Also keeping an emergency fund for, well, emergencies is important as we all have emergencies. they are just a part of life... way more than half of Americans can’t seem to get this.