I’m taking a money class right now through Rich Chicks.  It’s the 4th time I’ve gone through it.  I call it a money class but it isn’t really a money class…it’s called Monetary Identity and it’s really about a prosperity mindset and exploring the relationship between your values and your resources.  Are you making decisions that are aligned with your values kind of thinking.

The first week, Mickey, our instructor, tells us to start thinking about the people, companies, etc. we exchange money with and whether we love those relationship.  She tells us if we don’t, it’s time to make a change.

Wow.  Immediately, I began to think about my bank…well banks to be exact.  I have a business account about 25 minutes from my home in the town I used to live in.  They are a small community, family-owned bank and I really love them.  I’ve banked there for over 20 years but it just isn’t convenient anymore now that I’ve moved.  I left my business account there because they offer free checking for small businesses and I rarely need the account and was having trouble finding something else that was free that I was comfortable with…truth is I kind of froze.  I didn’t look all that hard because it was stressful for me, I didn’t want to lose that relationship and the one bank I looked at for my personal needs (and that had to be close by) and felt comfortable with didn’t offer free business checking.  This bank is actually a credit union and my mom has banked there for over 20 years.

So I’ve had two accounts at two different banks for the last three years.  It’s been a pain and I complain about it all the time.  The credit union has it’s issues…won’t cash third party checks, any time I go in to do anything it takes forever and now that my entire family has moved, there is no longer a branch by my daughter or by me, which made it easy to do banking before. Ugggg.  So for a year it’s been a pain in the you-know-what to do any personal banking as well.

Mickey’s statement hit me hard.  Why was I dealing with this?  Why had I let it go on for three years.  That’s a lot of wasted energy on something so silly.  I made a commitment to make a change right away.

It was easy, once I put my mind to it.  I found a nice, family-owned, community bank just down the road from me that offers free checking for both personal and business accounts.  They also have a relationship with a large bank so I can use any ATM at one of those large banks (located all over the US) at no charge.  So I feel like I have the best of both worlds.  Local and down-to-earth with the convenience of a large bank!   And free checking plus I got two free gifts for opening accounts there…a Pyrex 9×13 casserole pan with a carrying thing AND a Nike gym bag.  I think I’ll open a savings account there when they rotate to the next free gift which is rumored to be a piece of luggage…that will go well with my wanderlust spirit.

It’s amazing how we can tolerate something for so long that doesn’t need to be tolerated and I’m a firm believer in having relationships that flow and that includes the businesses I work with for anything.  I want to feel good about exchanging money because I do believe that impacts the flow.  Don’t get me wrong, the last year and a half has been exceptionally kind to me in so many amazing ways AND now I can’t wait to see what movement this creates!!

What are you tolerating in your money relationships (or anywhere else in your life, for that matter)?  Are you ready to make a change?