Move your Money & Take it Slow!

These are some very interesting times that we live in. The Occupy Wall Street protests are a clear indicator that more and more people today are waking up to the corruption that has taken over our financial and political systems. I think that it’s safe to say that most of us desire a more fairly balanced and sustainable way of life here in the good ol’ U S of A. As a result, we’re no longer willing to blindly feed into the corruption and un-sustainability of our current system. I’m one of those people, and I bet you are too. So, what can we do aside from (or in addition to), taking to the streets and hoping our voices will be heard?

Here are two VERY practical, sensible, and impactful actions that each of us can take RIGHT NOW.

Credit unions are non-profit financial institutions that offer all of the same services that big banks do. Credit unions aren't run by billionaire CEOs; they’re run by their members. Why would you move your money from, say, CitiBank to your local credit union? Simply put, your money would move from profiteering hands to non-profiteering hands, which eliminates the element of greed. Not to mention, you will likely save money in fees! (You should definitely move your credit cards away from big banks too, if possible.)

“But, but…I have direct deposit, and auto-debits set up with my current bank account,” I hear you say. Yep, so did I and same with everyone else. Sure, it’s a mild pain in the ass, but it’s really not THAT hard, and well worth your time and energy (if I do say so myself).

Still not convinced? Ponder this for a moment: In the past 20 years, 37 of the nation’s largest financial institutions have been consolidated into FOUR by way of mergers and acquisitions. The four behemoths that remain are Citigroup, JP Morgan Chase, Bank of America, and Wells Fargo. Why does that matter? Because of their size and dominating market share, these institutions simply wield too much power. They play by their own rules. They are “TOO BIG TO FAIL”…remember?

Here’s where you need to go in order to get the ball rolling: This handy little site further explains the credit union advantage and has a search tool so you can find one near you.

Slow Money addresses two critical problems that we face today: the need for more socially responsible means for investing our money, AND food security/safety/nutrition and soil viability. According to the principles, “We must learn to invest as if food, farms and fertility mattered. We must connect investors to the places where they live, creating vital relationships and new sources of capital for small food enterprises.” It’s a brilliantly simple philosophy that could dramatically change our lives for the better if it catches on (that’s where you and I come in).

Here are some excellent resources on Slow Money:

• Highly entertaining article written by my lovely friend Lopa Brunjes for Elephant Journal
• The book

In the timeless words of Dr. Seuss,

“Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It's not.”