Alternative Banking - Other options

**irneb** · 24-Feb-14, 10:11 AM

Originally Posted by Marq

I needed to change the postal address on my gobanking account last year. They did everything under the sun to avoid doing that so that I would be forced to change the account.

I had the exact same problem - fortunately one of my family members is staying at my previous address, so I could get my statements forwarded to me. Otherwise I'd probably also have gone to the opposition, though I've done that before (ABSA/Standard & FNB) - and they're all the same (as if there's a competition on about who can be a worse bank - at the moment I think ABSA's leading in that race, neck-n-neck with Standard).

After 8 years of trying to force them (NedBank) to change my address they finally gave in last November - they had to since it was because of a car loan I made through them: i.e. as adrianh mentions, sometimes their rules screw themselves!

**Marq** · 24-Feb-14, 11:04 AM

I fully agree - while we are forced to live under Goliath, one has to fight clever, use them and beat them at their own game.

I have always been in two camps - the money one, powering my way through on and up, and the esoteric one looking for a clean alternative, fighting the good fight.
The first camp is fairly set out for us and we have to bob and weave through it. The main hassle there is that it takes money to make money. Obtaining the kind of money required to take on goliath often requires one to step outside the guidelines as drawn up by big brother. Not a safe call for most so they stay sheeple.
The second is the unknown, the conspiracy theorists domain and the area that the majority say is BS and cannot work. The anti establishment is unfortunately also anti community because sheeple are what they are.

I believe that as long as we are aware of all the potential paths then we can create a road for ourselves utilising both.

When we talk alternative banking, I automatically think of an exchange system away from reserve bank, government and large corporations. The problem being that they all talk to each other and at the end of the day achieve very little as an alternative.
If youre a private enterprise obviously going for the money but they are playing in a pool that is limited and extracting from the controlling brothers, who will only seek to get it back. Unless you have traction, say like capitec did, and take them by surprise and delve into areas they are scared of, Its going to be a rocky ride.

I will always root for the 'Davids' of the world, and hope this new system takes off but I wonder if the hill is a bit too steep.

**adrianh** · 24-Feb-14, 11:46 AM

As Malcolm Gladwell puts it "All it takes is a tipping point" The small business just needs to push the buttons of the correct influencers and those influencers create the shit-storm that is needed to effect change.