I went to my bank recently and asked if I could get a check cashed for cash ($1000). Sure, what in? Suzy B.'s, I said. OK... (all tellers asked) we only have 10. OK, how do I do that at all if not right now? The long answer was (1) go to the area bank for cash (a different bank which turned out to be next door and didn't have many Suzy B's either), (2) phone in Monday when the vault mgr is at the bank (gone sat.), (3) we may not be able to help you at all.

While I was talking with the branch mgr, I asked what happened if I wanted to get $9K cashed or from deposit... not that I was one of those Y2K wierdos or something. She said: we don't have to service such requests. Those making such requests must give us several days advance notice. Why? "We must protect our customers." She mentioned the alternative of issuing a cashier's check (with an entirely straight face, as if that was equivalent to cash).

Another factor in the answers I got was that the bank was worried about liability. What happens if a customer was robbed of a heavy wad of cash in the parking lot? I said, isn't that the customer's problem? she said yes, but the bank higher-ups wanted to prevent that from occuring anyway, "for moral reasons". I said, do you want me to bring in a gun to protect myself from robbers when I make a withdrawal? She said no with a smile.

I did not bother to ask where in the fine print this answer was justified, since I have no plans of keeping anywhere near such money in the bank as Y2K approaches.

The branch mgr volunteered that the banks were "all ready" for Y2k, but she thought that the stock market and the people heavily invested in stocks were in for a roller coaster ride, in contrast with banks.

I have not had the $9k withdrawal problem with one of my credit unions (a government associated CU). With the other (private corp) CU, it only issues me cashier's checks.

With these bank and CU policies in place, and unaware bank mgrs, it is not difficult for me to imagine a general run on banks beginning in early December, possibly leading to panic in the days before Christmas. Hopefully not, but I am not taking that chance if I can help it.

-ab

-- Anny Body (annybody@no.where.dis.org), September 07, 1999

Answers

Cash -- withdraw early and withdraw often. Learn how to plant a midnite garden. (Not that you want a lot of cash planted, but convert as much as possible real stuff, like metals [gold, lead, steel], instead.)

Conserve cash. When you get cash, keep it. Charge stuff, then pay later by check. Get "cash back" at the grocery store. ...

-- A (A@AisA.com), September 07, 1999.

"I went to my bank recently and asked if I could get a check cashed for cash ($1000). Sure, what in? Suzy B.'s, I said. OK... (all tellers asked) we only have 10. OK, how do I do that at all if not right now? The long answer was (1) go to the area bank for cash (a different bank which turned out to be next door and didn't have many Suzy B's either), (2) phone in Monday when the vault mgr is at the bank (gone sat.), (3) we may not be able to help you at all. "

What do you expect when you ask for a failed form of currency?

-- b (b@b.b), September 07, 1999.

"for moral reasons"

Just wondering, what are their moral reasons for borrowing money from you at 2% and then issuing credit cards and charging 18-30%?

-- Spanky (notspam@spamme.not), September 07, 1999.

I didn't hear you report on the most important banking question...

Were the tellers wearing their "Y2K Ready" buttons?

-- Linda (lwmb@psln.com), September 07, 1999.

10 For YEARS it has been considered common courtesy to notify the bank a day or two ahead of time if you wanted to cash a large check. For years we have all known that the bank didn't have that much cash in the vault, and we all understood that the money we had put in was loaned out almost immediately. I have a hard time seeing the problem now.

Sure, you can go to your checking and savings account and drain them, just don't get real ticked at the bank when they call your home equity line of credit to pay out Sam's and Phill's savings accounts, because that's whose money you have been spending.

Chuck

-- Chuck, a night driver (rienzoo@en.com), September 07, 1999.

Spanky commented:

""for moral reasons"

Just wondering, what are their moral reasons for borrowing money from you at 2% and then issuing credit cards and charging 18-30%? "

Well Spanky, let's take this a step further. For years now the banks have had their reserve requirements LOWERED so that thys could create MORE fiat money. They jumped on the bandwagon big time. Let the credit bubble roll!! Now, when folks want to take their money out of the bank they talk about "for moral reasons". This is the height of hipocracy.

We have a banking system that has intentionally and willfully degraded itself over many years. We have a Federal government that has acted as a willing accomplice. The chickens are about to come home to roost and the bankers are talking "morality".

Truly DISGUSTING !!

Ray

-- Ray (ray@totacc.com), September 07, 1999.

The branch mgr volunteered that the banks were "all ready" for Y2k, but she thought that the stock market and the people heavily invested in stocks were in for a roller coaster ride, in contrast with banks.

Banks don't have money invested in the market? Or loans to companies that have money invested in the market?

-- Lane Core Jr. (elcore@sgi.net), September 07, 1999.

You actually wanted Susan B. Anthony dollars? Why? Who uses them? I have 2 in a jar, & they're the only 2 I've seen in years. Everyone hated them. Everyone stuck them in jars. Why on earth would you want them?

-- they look too (much@like.quarters), September 07, 1999.

Linda,

Hahaha. Our bank has a "Y2K Ready" poster in the window. I asked a teller if it meant ready for a bank run. No comment.

-- (sickofthis@crap.com), September 07, 1999.

Why SuzyBs?

Because they are the largest denomination made in the US since JFK which do not bear the imprimatur "Federal Reserve".

-ab

PS I have lots and lots of just about everything else, too. (OK, now someone needs to come on and call me an extremist, sheesh... :-)

-- Anny Body (annybody@no.where.dis.org), September 08, 1999.

I also wuold like a fistful of SBA's. They are unique.(sorta like this bb-kinda novel,but not really worth fucking with. You people will go back to having nolife at all next year.) Whatever.

-- (elmarco@sunvalley.net), September 09, 1999.