So I just finished reading a report from CNN.com about the chronically low interests rates offered at banks.  New plan – just buy a damn piggy bank and you won’t have to make anymore trips to the ATM.

I say this somewhat tongue-in-cheek because I am in no way shape or form a financial expert.  But it is something to pay attention to. 

Example of tin bank from KitschCity.com

For example – my bank makes it really easy to use a debit card for all my transactions – even the smallest ones.  It entices me with a points-system so that after I’ve spent $5,000, I’ll earn a $50 gift card to a bookstore (sounds like the buy-back policy at Michigan Book & Supply).  But if using a peice of plastic means I’m less likely to pay attention to what I’m spending, it’s not really worth it.

Also, I worry sometimes about identity theft.  Possibly because of those annoying FreeCreditReport.com commercials (and it’s not really free if you visit the site) but also because I hand my card off to a lot of people in the course of a week and there aren’t very many regulations about how businesses are supposed to protect and dispose of your personal information.  Scary huh?

If you do decide to buy a piggy-bank, you’ve got several options.  You can go classic pig or something more new millennium.  Better yet, leave the pig-shape behind and check out Kitschcity.com for the tin bank  that most suits your future plans.

Saving up for a rainy day,

-B.C.Bodnar