If the bank sank who would care.

Now is the time to search for an alternative for stashing away money that doesn't involve ever having to deal with a bank or any bank related product.

Ben and I recently had our tax done and surprisingly we got a return. I wasn't expecting this as I was sure I had received more than I was entitled to from centrelink throughout the year and would have to pay them back. We received a reserve bank cheque. As you all know reserve bank cheques should never be subjected to clearance times but some banks will tell you they have the right to do so. They only do this because they make millions of dollars from cheques. They use your money to make themselves more. Maybe they don't think the government has enough money in their coffers and the cheque just might not clear.

Ben took his cheque and deposited it through Australia Post. Australia Post doesn't trust the government and his reserve bank cheque is subject to five WORKING days clearance. I rang my bank only to be told that they have no control over it once it's been deposited through Australia Post. What a load of crap! We don't need access to the money straight away but I am furious that we have to wait for clearance on a RESERVE BANK CHEQUE just on principle. The guy at my bank told me that each bank branch reserves the right to subject a RESERVE BANK cheque to clearance at their own discretion. Now I know he's not personally responble for this outrage but I let him have it and told him that no bank has the right to make a reserve bank cheque subject to clearance. Of course he didn't really care he's just there to answer the questions.

Once Maya's father sent her a sum of money via Australia Post money order and I couldn't cash it without her ID even though she was only 9 at the time. I had to put it in her bank account and believe it or not it was subject to three working days clearance. I argued with the teller that it was as good as cash as it had been paid for with cash at the other end. No, she said, it's not. I asked her if she thought Australia Post might not have enough money to cover the $100 it was worth and she got very upset with me.

I am sick of the red tape and bureaucracy. I think I'm going to apply for a job at a bank.