We've got changes coming concerning your relationship with your bank. But no matter what happens in Washington, the most important changes are the ones you make in your own life.
There had been in the past a very popular publication with bankers called
Fee Income Report. This publication was like a venue for them to swap tips on new fees and other ways to stick it to the customer.
That mentality in banking is going to go away. One change you'll see will be how you're assessed when you overdraw your account. It won't be the gouge it once was.
Let's face it, it's much harder now to keep track of balances with the ATM, checks, auto-drafts, debit cards and more. Banking has gone from being linear to us losing control! But you have to get it back under control.
Remember, they can only take advantage of you if you let them by overdrawing your account. Forget about the changes in D.C. We need changes from you!
You need a system, whether it's using something like
Mint.com for free budgeting software so you know you won't overdraw, or instead just using an old-fashioned bank ledger.
If you know you can't keep accurate records, cut up that debit card even though it means sacrificing convenience! Whatever causes the gotchas, attack it and get back to simplicity in your finances.
