On Friday, July 11, 2008 one of the largest banks in the county IndyMac, sadly closed its door. Customers were turned away and forced to wait until Monday to make their transactions. This is the second largest failure of a financial institution. On July 14, 2008, the bank will be taken over by the FDIC. Customers who have $100,000 or less in the bank will be able to get their money bank. Customers who have more may only get a portion of their money bank. This action brings more light to the economic crisis our country is experiencing. Take heed to this and start changing your spending habits and develop a plan to protect yourself. Here are 6 ways to protect your money.
1. Research. Look at the bank or mortgage company's financial history for the past five years. If the company revenue has been steadily declining you might want to consider switching companies.
2. Negotiate. Call your bank or mortgage company to find out what would happen if the business went under and what are your options. Develop a plan to protect yourself.
3. Diversify. Make sure your bank is FDIC insured. If not, move your money to a bank that is. If you have more than $100,000 in your bank, split the account into multiple accounts. Open additional accounts at others banks to keep the balance below $100,000.
4. Plan. Consider buying a safe for your home or apartment and keeping some money in your safe in the event your bank closes and you need to access money quickly.
5. Protect. Pay bills on time or before time. Don't wait until the last minute to pay a bill because with this economy you never know what may happen and you increase the chance that you may be charged a late fee.
6. Deposit. Perform bank transactions early in the morning. This ensures your deposit will be applied the same day. Don't wait until the last minute to make transactions, this increases the chance that your transaction may not be applied to your account the same day and may cause a check to bounce.
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