*Banks that align with our moral values* is something I've honestly never thought about because I also didn't realize (naively) 🙈 that banks, as a corporation, are politically inclined. Although now typing this out, that sounds silly, of course they are.😂 I originally found Aja because I'm on my #debtfreejourney but my eyes are being opened beyond my debt which I know will be gone eventually, but the *value of money relating to moral values* Aja has been talking about has really have my wheels turning and look at things I would've never even *SEEN* 👁👄👁 Anyway, long comment sorry, but *THANK YOU* 🙏🙏🙏
Every company and person will always have political inclinations so ultimately no matter where you spend your money it will fund something you may not agree with. Honestly, I think you should focus on donating directly to causes you support instead of sweating over where your cents are going. Supporting abortions is not a moral value. Abortions are killing babies...I'd highly suggest you actually look at charts that show the process of an abortion and reconsider how immoral an abortion actually is.
Thank you for letting me edit the planner! It was truly an honor and it's exciting to know I'm one of the few people in the world who has seen it. 👀👀 Spoilers everyone: It's going to be a FANTASTIC planner that not only helps you manage your money but will help you see money as a tool for positive change in your life. Cannot wait to pre-order!
I cannot wait for your planner to come out. Just in time! Because I needed to find another planner since I won’t be re-purchasing the old one I have due to a scandal involving the founder/owner. 🙌🏽🙌🏽
I've been with Bank of the West for 15 years. I use to take my checks in before I did direct deposit and they have always been really fast getting your money to you. Basically you put it in and its ready to use. But I dont use it for anything other than depositing my paycheck and then transferring my money to a high yield savings / paying bills. But BOTW is really good bank I've never had any issues with them.
Probably too late, but you could just have planners without dates. A lot of people start budgeting at random times in a year when the lightbulb to be financially frugal turns on. I started back in April 2019 and needed a planner without dates. Of course, if that's not what you meant and you just wanted us to have something before the new year, then ignore me 🙃
I used to work for Bank of the West and still do business there. They are a very great business. They win awards for inclusivity among employee demographics and environmental issues! Once you get past your first 60 days, money is usually available next business day!
I highly recommend Houston! I moved to Houston about 5 years ago and fell in love with the people and the vibe of the city. Not to mention that cost of living here is wayyy more affordable than any other large city. Your money goes a long way! Last year, I moved out of Houston to try out D.C and missed Houston the whole time, so I moved back. If you do move to Houston, I recommend the Heights neighborhood, it is very walkable with a bunch of shops, workout studios, and restaurants. It will be very easy to get that community feel in that area. Another thing that surprised me about Houston, is all the green space - lots of parks and patio sitting. Real estate is booming here! Lost of affordable housing within the city!
Kaiser is great if you're not sick and need minimal care. If you need surgery or have cancer they are horrible!! Stay away if you need more than minimal care. Ah, the joy of financial institutions or any institutions for that matter. The rabbit hole is deep and looking into banks would imply looking into the companies we invest in our brokerage accounts and that will open another can of worms. It's a difficult decision to say the least. Kudos to you for trying ❤
I‘m happy to see that people in the US care about „green banks“ as well. I changed banks for similar reasons several years ago. But at least hear in Germany there are only a few „true“ green banks. And their fees are higher. I see it as a financial privilege that comes with the duty to act conscientiously with my money. Hope you’ll find the right bank for you!
I really admire you for looking for banks that align with your values! I really never thought about what a lot of them support, I was more focused on the convenience. Hope you find some good ones you can share with us!
Hi Aja! I hope you and Brian settle on a decision for moving soon, and that your anxiety is settled with it. Having a conflicted mind with so many benefits on either side is a horrible feeling and I’m sending you all the positivity and calm I can! 💕💕
I totally understand your struggles to decide where to move. We’re going through the same struggle and we also live in LA right now. We have money saved for a down payment but just thinking about plunking down such a huge amount of cash on an average house in a location we don’t really want to be in is so unattractive. And, we really don’t want to be straddled with a huge mortgage/property tax bill every month. I think a lot of people in the area are house poor, which we will avoid at all costs. All that in mind, we are so tempted to move to a different state where our down payment could be more like 50-60% down, versus 20%, and we’d have a much more manageable monthly obligation and have the financial freedom to breathe and enjoy life more. But that route comes with its own costs. We’d be leaving our family and many friends, good weather, and a lot of our professional connections behind. It’s such a tough decision. Ultimately, I think we will move though. We’ve killed ourselves at high stress, demanding jobs for years to save up the cash we have, and we want to have flexibility to explore different career paths if we want to in the future, rather than being buried and tied to our jobs because we have a $5k/month housing payment.
I would recommend trying another Credit Union. I have been using a credit union specific to the west coast for my entire adult life and only have good things to say. I don't want to say which one, to preserve privacy, but I feel good about their general attitude towards money and consumer protections. Most of my deposited funds are available same-day (I think it's up to 2500 same day, the rest is available after ~3 business days, TOPS), I can deposit over the mobile app with a photo, and I can easily transfer money between accounts online. This credit union IS a bit bigger than most, so perhaps finding one with a bigger foothold will give you the convenience you need. Good luck!
Aja Dang there’s many more opportunities for my husband’s career out there but one main thing that is also on your mind is the ability to buy a house. We currently live in the Bay Area and we would never be able to afford a decent home.
Your transparency is inspiring. Being intentional with your money is so important, and while you’re having to make tough decisions right now, I appreciate you speaking about them!
I've always just signed up for banks that were most convenient to our home or place of work. Definitely worth considering what the mission statement and values of the banks are going forward. Credit Unions are always a great choice since they are member owned.
Hi Aja! I live in AK so some of those banks aren’t here unfortunately 😫 But I work at CU and their morals aligned w/ mine so I totally understand where you are coming from! However, I do want to find a good bank with a high yield once we are officially debt free before end of this year! I don’t know if you read my previous comment to you a few months ago but we started with $47K of debt & now we are down to less than $10K! Thanks for giving me the motivation💗💗
Ethical finances and supporting abortion don't go hand in hand. Abortions are killing babies...I'd highly suggest you actually look at charts that show the process of an abortion and reconsider how non-ethical an abortion actually is.
I feel for you. I’m currently nursing a day 2 migraine. It’s brutal. Sorry to hear you’re experiencing lots of anxiety and stress. Sending you lots of love ❤️ xx
I have heard great things about Simple Bank and am considering switching my checking account out of Chase to Simple. They have budgeting capabilities (ie create buckets of budgets and assign your money to those buckets), but I am still looking into the ATMs that they partner with to see if they have ones in my area.
Don't gloss over the migraines! I truly hope you stay healthy, whatever your version of that is, you have such a good energy in your videos. Another great topic too!
I realy look forward to a bank roundup. I have been desparate to leave BofA for a long time but as we know the business of living especially lately has been heavily dependant on the ease of digital living. The lag time alone has been a challenge. I have also opened accounts with a credit unioun out of Chicago, however not having a brick and morter has kept me from changing over to the credit union entirely. Not to mention having a bimonthly paying job changing hill leave me having to deposit a physical check, blah blah blah! Thanks for bringing up these issues and helping us to take care of and advocate for ourselves!
Don’t leave California. I’m from Houston but I’ve spent 3 years in San Diego in the military. I miss it everyday 😔 the beaches, the small shops, the downtown community I lived in... don’t leave just to save money
There are many neighborhoods in Houston that have shops within walking distance to condos and dog parks. I’m sure you’ll find something. We live in the Houston area!!
I had to credit union shop earlier this year. I needed a one that would not penalize me for not having a certain number of transactions per month. As I get paid once a month, there was no way I would have that, and frankly I didn't want the hassle of trying to remember to go and deposit money just to not be charged. I finally found one, but I also learned that each institution did a hard inquiry on my credit. So now I would like to find a third bank, but I don't want my credit to take another inquiry hit. It's fine, I am just looking at this time as time to research where I want my money to go.
I'm part of two different credit unions (will never not be a part of a credit union because I've had such great customer service with them), and neither one of them take a week for a check to process. Because CU's tend to be smaller, you might have to do some looking around to find one with the amenities that you want and that you can be a member of.
for the mean time until you find the right bank, do it like me and keep chase. chase is the primary but just keep as little money in there as possible. foe example i keep my emergency there and the rest leaves asap.
I've been seeing my neurologist for the past 8-9 years and have been managing my migraines. I have a few flares here and there, but overall HUGE improvement. It's usually triggered around my cycle AND/OR when this hot (CA heat wave).
Hi Aja! I work in banking - it’s common for a lot of banks to place longer ‘holds’ on new customer deposits. This practice should end in about 30 days ☺️ if that’s not the case then I would consult with your in-store banker to see what their standard hold $ amounts and # of days are - hope this helps with your search!
It is so interesting to hear how the american money-system works. I have zero experiences with checks, and would never know they could be problematic like this if I hadn't watched you.
try Logix Federal Credit Union. I've been with them since I was 18, and I'm 26. The downside is they only have so many branches BUT when you get the Advantage Checking Account, you can add as many savings as you want to organize different goals (i.e. savings for vacation, new car, new home, sinking fund for bills, etc.) , you have unlimited ATM fee reimbursements regardless of what ATM you use, & you only need either direct deposit of $250+ OR minimum $750 daily checking balance to waive any associated fees. I have the Gold level and I'm unsure if it's different or adjunct to the Advantage Checking, but the rep I spoke to said the Gold level was the necessary requirement for the free ATM fee reimbursements. (Of course if you use a co opt ATM--like one from another credit union--there's no fee at all). The reimbursement is for if you used your Logix card at Citibank or Chase to withdraw money, for example. Logix also has really low APR on home and auto loans. Also for direct deposit, you get your paycheck a day early. Their mobile app is a 9/10 for me. It's not bad, but Citibank is the best/quickest by using the 6 digit pin. Logix has you enter your password (standard) AND answer security questions (also fine). Again, this isn't a bad thing. If you lose your cards/they get stolen, the cool thing is they print them for you on-site so you don't have to wait for them to be mailed. Charles Schwab is good for international banking because they have free ATM reimbursements WORLDWIDE. I'm looking into getting them for when I start traveling. I had USC credit union and I don't like them either, it's not just you lol.
they donate to Republican candidates. Which isn't the worst compared to what Chase does but during the Republican era of Trump and QAnon candidates, definitely not a place I want my money to go to.
Thanks for putting this out. I was recently considering switching my savings over to them because their APY is higher than my current bank. Not anymore!
Hi!! I’ve been following you for a while and I have to say, kudos to you for sharing your journey with us! But I just had this thought- are you worried about someone or persons finding you KNOWING you have all this money and something bad happen to you? I pray not 🙏🏼 but I’m just curious. This world is sick and dangerous and I really hope no one ever has bad intentions for you. Either way, thank you again for sharing your journey! You’ve helped me put my finances in perspective! 💖 much love to you, Aja! 😘
Great sharing of your financial aspirations and actuals. Very gutsy and authentic. Please check your percentages though, they seem to have gotten wrong. Should be 17%-40%-4%-3%-11%-5%-6%-1%-7%-4%-3%, based on what you show in the video. Same issue in your September/October budget. (Simple test: if the percentages don't add up to about 100%, something went wrong.)
i wanted to switch banks for convenience. I have been using a credit union for the past 24 years and i have to go out of my way to deposit cash, which doesn't happen often so not really a big deal. Cannot remember where, i read that credit unions are better because you tend to get a more personal touch. Once i read that i stopped.
If possible, would you be able to make a digital version of your planner? I've been planning digitally for a bit on my iPad and it's so convenient (I make a lot of mistakes).
that will happen down the road but not this year. I want to make sure my planner works first before expanding the product line. plus I've never used a digital planner so I don't really know how it works. I'd have to research first.
Ughh, also struggling with this myself. I have Bank of America and would like to leave for a more community focused credit union but it is difficult finding one that meets all of my needs. I have a fairly high balance and with Bank of America I pay absolutely no fees, free checks, free cashier's checks, free overnight shipping of debit cards, great cash back on my credit card. Still on the hunt though!
@aja you should really try discover bank! i have had them for a year now, they dont do ANY fees! no over draft, no check fees etc. I left chase bank and moved to them best decision of my life also the savings rate for a savings account is 1.2% (unless they change it) only thing is they are mainly online. but i promise changing to them has been a life saver 🥰
Hi Aja! Interesting topic about choosing banks that align with our own values. I just never thought about that before! I wonder about the banks here in Hawai’i..? And wow thinking of moving to Houston!? Omg I would feel anxiety to think about leaving behind a community that I love and care about also. I think moving/ uprooting now to be able to buy your house sooner is a respectable sacrifice.
I love SoFi but it has its limitations. Great UI and great community. It’s not meant to be your main bank but it’s a great secondary bank. I would also look out for square in the future.
Aja Dang no. It was traditionally a military bank that in recent years has allowed non-military members to join. They provide banking, investment, home and car insurance and other related services as well but mainly to military members and family. Since COVID-19 they’ve refunded members money paid towards car insurance. I really like USAA, but it is not a brick and mortar, though it’s provides the same level of service as Chase and other major banks.
I support you with this. I personally just have my state credit plus a military credit union and I ride with then due to their values. I would love to find a national bank that isn't scammy (wells fargo lol) or don't care about their customers, ethics etc. It is tough. I feel you on the old websites with some credit unions 😂😂
Wells Fargo got in major trouble for a bunch of things. Stay far far away from them. A cursory news search will show it but they definitely won’t line up with your ethics.
Where you can’t see is an aura migraine. The only combo I have found to help has been magnesium, CoQ10, and B2 (riboflavin) - ONLY combo that has helped prevent them for me!!
@@AjaDang It is where you lose vision, or see moving light (like electricity) and it can last 30 minutes to an hour usually. And once my vision comes back than the migraine comes in full force.
The thing that I am not a fan of with organizations that round up and donate (some groceries stores do this too) is that they can claim the donated money on their taxes. It is generally better to donate yourself so that you can claim it.
I work for a major Australian bank and I feel like my company is pretty good.. for a bank. We have a lot to do with community outreach and have programs within the bank for volunteering programs, they bussed a lot of us down to where the fires hit to hand out water and food ect, we give out food and accomodation vouchers to those in need with our two community sectors. They also focus a lot on female empowerment and POC, most people in leadership are women. We have to take 2 days of volunteer leave a year (We work with a charity we’re partnered with on those days) they also give us extra paid leave time if we travel to a fire affected area.
@@AjaDang I work for NAB- national Australia bank, I haven't had a look at all the information yet regarding their funding and stuff but they treat us, employees, really really well.
Hi Aja! I have & I like Logix credit union and Bof A. I too am trying to buy a house soon and know Logix is a great place to go for home loan. I have Kaiser and Mercury insurance as well so we might be of the same mind. Also, when it comes to anything including moving, if it's not a hell yes then it's a no!! Community is a connection everyone needs in order to be a happy person as well as family and friendships. 💗
I have a high yield savings account at Capital One and if I deposit a check right into that account it takes a week but if I deposit it into the checking account attached then it's immediate and I can immediately transfer the money to the high yield account. Something to check out for your credit union! A week is way too long.
I have a friend that recently moved to San Antonio and it’s a gorgeous city. I know you’re looking into Houston but wanted to throw that out there. Looks like in Texas overall you’d get a lot of bang for your buck. May also be a good place to raise children in the future if that is something you aspire to do. Good luck in your search!
Omg so excited for your planner ! Cannot wait honestly 😁 can you you make a video about investing ? I can’t remember if you already did but i would really appreciate it 🤍
Also because of you, I started researching about their contributions and they seen kinda neutral (?) I’m doing more research, but I’m happy with that so far
Aja Dang oh it’s really big here in NY. It’s a Canadian Bank. The app is super user friendly. The deposits are normally available the next business day. And that’s on top of my head.
serious question! I use Chase and like them because of ease of the platform (I haven't looked into their political leanings but something tells me I won't like it)...but if I just have my money direct deposit and never overdraft/wire/etc, are they making money off of me?
They use money in your bank account to fund loans they give out and they make money off those loans (net interest margin). if you have a credit card with them, they also make a % whenever you buy something. So even if youre not directly paying them, they still profit off of you/your money.
I think you should stay were you are if you love it so much you have everything that matters Family Friends near by you... life is so short.....but do what makes you happy xx♥️
I honestly didn't even know there were black owned banks. Looks like Industrial only has branches on the East Coast but One United has one in Crenshaw. I'll look into that one
Logix CU isn't too bad, but not sure what their policies are for politics. Most friends over in the valley i know were lucky and got into the Disney Employee Credit Union which apparently is pretty efficient, but you can't join unless you work there or worked there.
Just watched the Netflix documentary called "Dirty Money" about the Wells Fargo scandal. It made me immediately think of this video. Have you had any luck finding a bank that aligns with your morals and goals? I bank with TD and been trying to leave them for a long time, but unfortunately, it isn't as easy as you discovered.
there are a few. Bank of the West is a really great one but they aren't available in the South. But credit unions are pretty good. Empower, Aspiration, there are even some Black owned banks out there that focus on community outreach.