My husband has used the same bank for over 20 years. When we married, his bank became our bank. For most of our married life, there was no online bill pay or any of the other convenient services that the internet now allows. Our bank was generally 1,000 miles away from wherever we were stationed so if we had to make a deposit or deal with paperwork, we had to mail everything in. This trend continued for years and years and years.
I remember when we purchased our first home, we had to have the bank overnight a certified check for the closing funds because there wasn't a branch close enough for me to get to. On those rare occasions when you really needed to go into a branch, it was an impossibility. A few years ago, our bank began purchasing other banks and opening new branches. Of course, when they did this there was rarely a need for me to go into a branch and conduct business as you can do most things online now.
This week we needed to make some changes to some accounts and this required going into a branch and signing some paperwork. When we moved to our current location, I checked to see if there were any banks nearby and the closest one was four hours away. I told the banker that it would be a feat to get to the bank because it would require an eight-hour roundtrip drive, and this seemed pretty inconvenient just to sign two pieces of paper in front of a witness.
That's when she told me "not so." It seems sometime in the last few months, our bank has moved closer to us. Real close, in fact. This was music to my ears. I could go just 20 miles in either direction and find a branch. I was so excited to hear this. When my husband came home from work, I told him I had some really, really good news. He thought we had won the lottery or something. Needless to say, he was much less hyped than I about having our bank close by.
This morning, I trekked down to the bank. I explained why I was there and it took about three minutes to sign the paperwork and get everything squared away. Meanwhile, I was just so happy to be at a physical branch that I didn't want to leave. I kept thinking of things to do while I was there. As if I were at a spa or something.
Yes, I'll take a manicure and oh, how about a facial, too? And come to think of it, I could use an eyebrow wax while I'm here.
The manager was very nice, but after I inquired as to how much a safe deposit box costs (like I have anything of value to put in there), I think she began to realize I just didn't want to leave.
I'm not sure if anyone else gets this worked up about being able to walk into a bank. But then again, I assume most people have always had the luxury of having their bank close by. Ah, the things that make a military spouse happy......
