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Riddle me this????

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Greg1959

Well-known Member
Today, I was in town for an appointment. Next door was a bank. I needed to bust a $20 bill into 20- $1 bills.

I walked into and and went to teller. I asked her to change the $20 bill for ones as I laid the bill on the counter. She asked me if I had an account there. I told her that I did not. She said "Can't help you."

As I stood there dumbfounded about what just happened, another teller entered the slot next to the teller that turned me down. I turned to this new teller and asked her if she could change this $20 for ones. She said "Sure". She completed the exchange. I told her thanks and left.

What gives????
 
Some folks are helpful; some aren't.

I don't know if there are any financial institutions that have newer policies of "only" helping folks with an account, but seems doing something as simple as that wouldn't be a problem. Long gone are the days of banks trying to entice people to bank with them. Now, there's enough people around to where they know they have no fear of going under - at least, not for lack of customers.
 
Yep if you do not have an account many banks will not help you any more. The reason I was told is if you have a counter fit bill they have not way to get back to you etc.
 
Bruce from Can.- "what possible good is a one dollar bill"?

Sweet corn is ready to sell and Grand-daughter needs to be able to make change when she sells it.
 
Went into bank that I use regularly last year with a bunch of change I had gotten from sales of greens from garden and asked for bills. New floating teller--middle age bald headed man-- and he told me "we don't take change" After I quit fuming I almost closed my checking and savings accounts there. Left and went to small store within a mile of my house and he was glad to get the change. Next day I got a call from two people from bank--including manager apologizing. They assured me I could bring in all the change I wanted to and they would accept it.
 
The first one was just being a jerk. Although around here lately banks are charging a small fee to cash a check if you don't have an account with them.

There's a story that's gone around about a few years ago in my hometown someone inadvertently wrote a check on the wrong bank. The bank covered it anyway and then called him.
 
(quoted from post at 12:20:15 08/07/17) The first one was just being a jerk. Although around here lately banks are charging a small fee to cash a check if you don't have an account with them.

There's a story that's gone around about a few years ago in my hometown someone inadvertently wrote a check on the wrong bank. The bank covered it anyway and then called him.
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I've heard a similar story here. When they used to keep "counter checks" in the stores, occasionally someone would pick up the wrong check. The bank usually knew which bank the person used and would contact them and cover the check. They never charged a fee to do that, it was just being neighborly.
 
I have a little different outlook on this one. Years ago I went into one of our local banks & wanted to break some larger bills into some smaller ones. They told me I didn't have a account there so they couldn't help me. So I pulled out a couple hundred dollars out of my wallet & opened a account. Then after the account was opened & again ask to have them break some larger bills into smaller ones. They broke them down just like I wanted. I left the bank with a smile on my face & thought to myself (old saying) there's more than one way to skin a cat.
 
I'd say the bank probably has a "no account no help" policy. The first teller was just following the rules. The second was figuring if you only wanted to break a $20 and not some astronomical amount they'd be helpful and do it.
 
This is the same reason I use to have multiple bank accounts. Working all across the country it got had to get money sometimes.
 
I wanted to cash a check at the only bank in Westport, WA about 40 years ago so I'd have money for lunch. They refused, because I didn't have an account there. So I opened a savings account with the same $20 check I was trying to cash, and then withdrew $10 for lunch. I don't think the teller was really a "company gal", because she was smiling the whole time this was going on. My next trip down, I withdrew the other 10, and that, as they say, was that.
 
Sadly can't even do that nowadays, least-a-ways not in the UK. Opening a bank account takes an appointment with a banking adviser (may take a month to fix that up) plus multiple proofs of identity etc, even if you are an existing customer!! Could be forgiven for thinking they don't actually want your money at all.....! Best keep it under the bed, if you have any left!
 
I am disabled & don't drive. So I don't carry a billfold. I have a roll of bills with a rubber band around it. Needed a little extra in the check book one time so I gave part of the roll to my wife to deposit. They told her not to bring bills like that in again!
 
(quoted from post at 18:01:01 08/07/17) I wanted to cash a check at the only bank in Westport, WA about 40 years ago so I'd have money for lunch. They refused, because I didn't have an account there. So I opened a savings account with the same $20 check I was trying to cash, and then withdrew $10 for lunch. I don't think the teller was really a "company gal", because she was smiling the whole time this was going on. My next trip down, I withdrew the other 10, and that, as they say, was that.
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Similar scenario for me. This was at a bank that I had an account with; they would not let me write a check from another bank for cash. However they would allow me to make a deposit to my account using the same check i would have used for cash, so I did and withdrew the amount I just deposited. Go figure...
 
My bank will make your account "inactive" if there is no activity and you have to go in and reactivate it. The next that happens I will withdraw $.01 to make them happy or unhappy as the case may be.
 
Going back some years ago... My cousin has a vending business, some banks couldn't be bothered to supply quarters to the business owners that used his machines. He ended up suppling the change to the banks and they held it for his costumers.
 
Heck, in some states if you have no activity for two years, the bank will make it inactive and turn the funds over to the state, by law. Texas is one of them.
 
(quoted from post at 09:08:25 08/07/17) First teller was just a jerk ? But tell me this , what possible good is a one dollar bill , unless you are buying some thing that cost , say , $21.00, and you can add the one with another bill.
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First teller was abiding by bank policy.

Second teller broke the rules. Hopefully she doesn't get in trouble.

Why? The bank pays the teller $XX/hour, and even if they only spend a minute making change for you there is a cost to that. That cost is paid by the earnings of the investments made using the CUSTOMERS' money.
 
You probably could have cashed it for free at your own bank.

I think that's one area of banking that's not regulated, so they take advantage of it.
 
Explain counter checks to today's generation and wait for the look on their face. It's like explaining crank up windows.
 
Back when I was still making house payments (home paid off about 5 years ago), the bank that had financed my home wouldn't cash a check for me at the drive thru window cause I didn't have a checking account with them, tried multiple times with different tellers, really ticked me off, paid on the home loan 25 years and treated me like a stranger...
 
Bank rules...

My sister used to work at the local bank before she moved away from here.
The last few years they have implemented lots of new rules AND fees:
Charge to cash a check if you do not have an account there.
Supposed to charge everyone a $1 to fax something.
Also other fees and rules which I cannot remember.

They must have gotten backlash from a lot of customers though... because they have dropped fees - especially for account holders.
 
(quoted from post at 09:20:15 08/07/17) The first one was just being a jerk. Although around here lately banks are charging a small fee to cash a check if you don't have an account with them.

There's a story that's gone around about a few years ago in my hometown someone inadvertently wrote a check on the wrong bank. The bank covered it anyway and then called him.
Click to expand...

Walked into key bank with a $10.00 check from my brother who banks there.Was told there would be a $1.00 charge for cashing that check.I told the teller "I don't think key bank can afford to cash even a small check" and took a walk.
 
I opened a new account at Chase last month because they have a lot of options in many states I visit. I was baffled why he asked me to check my credit. I said; 'Um, This is a depositor, giving a bank cash to hold in safekeeping. If anyone should be checking a credit rating, it would be me verifying your ability to repay me when needed'. He did not have a suitable answer and just tossed Chase corp under the bus as a required step in the new acct process. I told him I didn't want a credit check and he refused to open a new acct.

I went to BofA (whom I hate with white hot passion) and they were happy to open a new acct, no credit check. Chase lost my business, but I'm sure they don't care.
 
About ten years ago, the wife and I drove to Spokane. I went into a service station to use the biffy but I hadn't bought anything or filled the car up. I was denied access to the toilet. I was outraged but looking back, that trip to the can would have cost that owner money, water probably isn't free in Washington. And then, that facility has to be cleaned, sometimes serviced and repaired, etc. I now look at it differently ..... same for the bank. HOWEVER, the amount the bank charges, I guess that could be debated. But if that's the rule, that's the rule, take your bank business elsewhere should you ever consider changing banks.
 
"water isn't free" Shoot it rain 10 m0nths of the year in western Washington! Eastern Washington is semi-arid but there are lakes and rivers around. Denied the chance to use the lou well deny the station the chance to sell something.
 
As an OLD retired banker (among other things) I will say that the banking industry is the most misunderstood business in existence. The vast majority of people believe that banks are allowed to exist solely to serve the public--free of charge except for loans, etc. (After all, they are a federal government supported service, right?!) Non-customers of a bank believe that they are entitled to service, such as cashing a check drawn on another bank, and should be granted free of charge and without question. I mean they believe that if such check is returned unpaid it is the bank's problem--no longer theirs. So many times we were confronted with the belief that, except for loan interest, banking services should be free of charge to all, customers or not. Banking is a business, not essentially different from any other business, in existence to make a profit for its owners/stockholders. While it is strongly regulated by government agencies, it is only regulated by such agencies to protected depositors from a bank failure, not to provide free service to people and communities. The local bank seems to be a favorite "whipping boy" to lots of rural folk who simply do not understand.
 
Friday I went to Subway for lunch.
A fellow came in behind me and asked if he could use the bathroom. (You need the key to get in)
The employee said the restrooms are for paying customers only. The guy acted kind of shocked but then asked if he could just buy a cookie.
Okay.
So he bought the cookie and got the key.
I figured he really had to go.
 
Went to my bank to cash a $45.00 check today and was surprised to learn that the tellers no longer count out the money. A machine at each teller window counts the money and the teller just hands it to you.
 
Chase charged me 8 bucks to cash a 200 check a guy gave me from his chase
account. I didn'the have an account there.
 
Asked teller who knew me well if they had a machine that would sort the coins for me. Sure, and manager asked if I had a minuet about an unrelated matter. Walked back to teller she said total was about three hundred dollars and what did I want to do with it. I replied just wanted it separated by your machine and can I get some coin sleeves? She said It was all in the big bags to take to main bank. I asked why did you do that when all I asked was could you separate the coins with your machine. She said I though you wanted cash or deposit it. I said that's the problem you THOUGH not listened!!!!!!!!!. I never said to put in with other coins. I ASKED can you separate the coins?? Just seems folks do not listen any more!!!
 
(quoted from post at 15:53:14 08/07/17) As an OLD retired banker (among other things) I will say that the banking industry is the most misunderstood business in existence. The vast majority of people believe that banks are allowed to exist solely to serve the public--free of charge except for loans, etc. (After all, they are a federal government supported service, right?!) Non-customers of a bank believe that they are entitled to service, such as cashing a check drawn on another bank, and should be granted free of charge and without question. I mean they believe that if such check is returned unpaid it is the bank's problem--no longer theirs. So many times we were confronted with the belief that, except for loan interest, banking services should be free of charge to all, customers or not. Banking is a business, not essentially different from any other business, in existence to make a profit for its owners/stockholders. While it is strongly regulated by government agencies, it is only regulated by such agencies to protected depositors from a bank failure, not to provide free service to people and communities. The local bank seems to be a favorite "whipping boy" to lots of rural folk who simply do not understand.
Click to expand...

I had to have kind of a chuckle after reading this. Poor old banks. The whipping boy of the customer, and they need some kind of exceptional understanding.

Made me go look up Chase 10Q. Those poor bas - they made >27% profit on income of $26.5 BILLION. In one financial quarter. I'm sure they are on the edge of financial ruin if they take a check drawn on one of their depositors without some kind of fee.

People come in to a bank, they put their money in, trust it will be avail when they want it, and are insured against loss for the depositors money by the feds! As soon as the money crosses the rubicon, the bank can do whatever they want with it, so long as they meet the liquidity and some other boilerplate regs.

I'm no kind of 99percenter, and no kind of socialist, but pleading penury and asking a guy for a buck to cash a check on their own bank seems to me to be a bit churlish. And yes, BofA made the same numbers, but THEY didn't require ME to get my credit checked. If that's to stop some kind of ID theft, I don't see how. I've got my SSN, address, photo ID, and if I have all that, and not who I say, it's a sure bet my Experian numbers are gonna check out.
 
I can understand a bank needs to charge for some things to keep the doors open.

But if I pay the bank to have a checking account; I then write a check; And you want to charge the person I wrote the check to a cashing fee; that is just wrong.
I think cashing a check at the bank it is drawn from should be free.

Another recent problem I had was my daughter got a check. I cashed it for her and she signed the back of the check.
My bank would not allow me to deposit this check into my account because she was not on said account.

Banks have gotten way over board with their dumb rules.
 
When we had our business going we took a lot of checks and being a small town a lot of the checks were pretty small also. The bank was charging a fee for every check, but we found out if we just wanted them cashed they weren't charging anything. That lasted about a week and the president of the bank showed up and said if this continued they would have to charge us a fee for cashing checks for cash also.
 
My high school class has an account at the local bank for reunions.
I write myself a check for $20 twice a year and redeposit it to
keep it active.
 
I have no issue with a company/bank making money, but I think they lack integrity for nickel and dimeing for basic services. My interpretation of your post makes it sound like it would be OK to also charge a front door use, greeting fee, and floor space rental. "Good Morning Mr. Cool Hand" before I can help you that will be $3.75 for using the door, $1 for Hello, may I help you, and standing in front of my counter will be $2.75 a minute. "Will you be paying cash, or should we debit your account?"

Or, a salesman who sold a new tractor or piece of equipment to a farmer happens to come out to the farm to simply "Check in" with his customer to see if they are happy with their purchase and a week later the farmer gets a bill for "Post purchase" visit. Do you think the farmer is really going to want to use that dealer again for his next purchase?

All these little greedy fees do is to make the customer lose trust in the business. It takes a long time to build a loyal customer, but only seconds to lose one except for banks, who slowly bleed their customers to death!

Just my two cents, as I see greed and the loss of integrity a huge detriment to this country.
 
JohninLA, if you bring the check to the bank it is drawn on you're not "cashing" it, you're actually presenting it for payment, and no they are not supposed to charge to pay a check drawn on them, but then they're not suppose to open accounts for you without you knowing or charge you for Auto insurance without telling you, yet our government seems inclined to continue to let them misbehave. Banking and insurance are "regulated" industries and as of late have become prime examples of why you don't want the government involved in anything they don't have to be involved in.
 
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