I have had some issues with my bank lately.  I don’t really want to hash out details but Holy Crap can they be problems to work with.  I know everyone has a story where the bank made them bend over right there in the lobby to receive their *(insert your own term here, this is a PG (mostly) rated blog so…)*.

I was thinking today about the past, back when computers didn’t rule the world and people had to carry their little bank books with them to prove how much money they had.  Back when a handshake was good enough to secure a loan and people tried to do the right thing by each other.

I suppose that is an idealistic “It’s a Wonderful Life” scenario that can never again be realized.  Computers and micro details about your life and money history are very important today.  My wife and I recently bought a car and of course our credit is not very good with a kidney transplant’s medical bills.  We knew that however, so it wasn’t a surprise.

The dealership sends the credit application to several lenders and then we get rejection letters for two weeks.  My favorite rejection letter said they could not give us the loan because of “insufficient debt experience”.  I’ll tell you, that was actually a very proud moment for me because it says that we have been living without credit cards and financing for long enough that it is adversely affecting our credit.

Credit is so important now that employers are checking it to give people jobs.  I think it is a bunch of crap that how you pay your bills is involved in so many decisions about you.  If it wasn’t for direct deposit I would probably have a shoebox under my bed with all of my savings in it.

I am tired of banks and creditors, unfortunately, there is no way to get rid of them until the world really goes to hell and then people are screwed who don’t have some cash in a shoebox.  FDIC can’t guarantee anything if there is no government left.  I say let chaos ensue and go back to the barter system.

Have a great weekend

-Justin