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Not that kind of bank...although it does lend itself nicely to the whole bank/wank word play
Brace yourself people, today I’m whining for Australia about banks….
Once upon a time I was deemed important enough to be a primary account holder.
To be a financial decision maker.
Worthy of my bank’s time.
But then I had kids and stopped working full time, thus rendering me virtually mute, useless, in the eyes of my various banks.
Seriously, what’s up with that?
I’ve been with one particular bank since I was born. I’ve managed to not go bankrupt, to maintain a positive bank balance (sometimes by the smallest of margins), and even maintain and pay off a credit card and loans – go me!
Then I coupled up and added a husband to the equation, and still, my banks were all cool with me being the primary account holder, the decision maker, the go to person for all our finances from loans to credit cards to mortgage to savings.
As soon as my employment status went from full time to part time, as soon as I became a stay at home Mum with only a minor level of part time income – no more.
Now they don’t want to deal with me. They only want to speak to #1Hubby.
Because he’s the primary income earner, and therefore he automatically becomes the primary account holder.
Even when we were both earning full time wages, he made more money than me. And still, there was no issue with me being the primary account holder, as long as I was pulling in a full time wage of some level.
Every single time we have to speak to our bank – initiated by us contacting them or them us – they will only deal with me to a point.
I can do all the technical stuff, request whatever changes, updates, increases, deductions – you name it, I can certainly put in the requests….but only #1Hubby can confirm any of my requests.
Every single time he gets on the phone and explains that he has no clue about our finances, and they really should be speaking to me, and can’t they please update our account details so that I can do all of the things without him needing to be there.
Every single time he's told no, but if he will listen to a few short disclaimers and then deign to give his permission for me to do all of the things….then, and only then, will they let me continue and do what I have requested.
Get ready for it – because I have to ask the question –
If I was a man, a stay at home Dad, a husband employed only part time – would this still be the case?
Seriously, I’m asking. Because of all the people I’ve extensively whined to about this matter, not one single male has ever experienced it.
And you all know that when I say I’ve bitched and moaned extensively, I really have spread the whiney loving far and wide.
Not one single male.
So is this a female thing? Is this the banks being completely archaic in their ideologies, by ranking me as a lesser decision maker than my husband, since we have kids and I only work part time?
It's crazy.
Of the people I know, the majority of the budgeters and financial controllers are the women / wives / girlfriends. The females.
Not. Happy. Jan.
