Beyond the Banks: 3 More Ways to Move Your Money Away from Corporations

[Donnachaidh]

http://www.alternet.org/story/153008/beyond_the_banks:_3_more_ways_to_move_your_money_away_from_corporations_/

On Saturday, hundreds of thousands of Americans across the country organized to move their money from predatory big banks to smaller local banks and credit unions. After 650,000 Americans joined credit unions during the month of October alone—more than in all of 2010 combined—even more people organized to make November 5 the beginning of a collective blow to the corporate financial institutions that crashed our economy.

Is there a move-your-money equivalent for corporate power? Can we organize to actively—and sustainably—move our money from the corporations that control our political systems to sustain their greed, and invest in more just and sustainable economies?

Yes.

A few Americans have chosen to live full-time at occupations—enjoying the free food, medical care and childcare in the “ideal” society created by the Occupy movement—but most of us are still living and working in a capitalist society, where we need to buy things. What we buy, and more importantly, where we buy it, could be a collective, quiet revolution that begins to fight corporate control and infiltrates our broken economic system with the beginnings of a new, conscientious economy oriented around economic justice.

1. Buy Local

More at the link --

[qb]

(spastic mouse finger caused a dupe)

[qb]

1. Buy locally with cash.

I've become more comfortable with my transition from nearly all debit card transactions to nearly all cash transactions. I've found it's even easier to stick to a budget. I figure out what I'll need for the week & take out that much cash. Now instead of having to go online to check up on my budget, I only have to look in my wallet.

I also take great satisfaction in denying the banks their debit card fees while allowing local businesses keep that money instead.