Usually when people have a visit from the U.S. Secret Service, it’s not a positive thing. But when the Secret Service came to see us at Canton Co-operative Bank a few weeks ago, it was at our invitation and I think it’s fair to say it was one of the most fascinating presentations I have […]
As I recall, it was the late WBZ radio host Lovell Dyett who used to say, “Spend your time wisely. It’s the only money you’ve got.” I found myself thinking about that when reading a page 1 Wall Street Journal article about people who get credit cards to chase bonus points and credit card rewards. […]
This is not just about Canton Co-operative Bank, though that is obviously the bank I know best. From my previous career as a bank examiner, I know that what I am about to say is true of many, many community banks throughout New England and nationwide. Day-to-day money management is a huge part of people’s […]
A gentleman came into the bank to get an objective opinion on a car loan he was considering. “The people at the dealership asked me what I was looking to pay a month,” he told me. “And that’s the amount the payment is. I can see that. But it looks like this car loan goes […]
There are a couple of situations when a local business owner should absolutely take action to determine if someone is abusing your trust and embezzling from your business. If you have a nagging feeling that someone could be embezzling from you — that something is “off” somehow — chances are your intuition is correct. If […]
Bruce Murphy is the owner of Bruce’s Floor Cleaning Service here in Canton and I have his permission to share this story with you. One day in the mail, Bruce received a letter from the “Embassy Lottery Company of New York & London.” There was a check in the letter, drawn on the Presidio Bank […]
Even people who are super-organized with their finances often don’t have things set up so that anyone could come in and carry on for them in case of an emergency. Whether that’s the one step you haven’t taken yet or you’re just deciding to get more organized with your finances, this is a particularly auspicious […]
Community bankers often hear that their bank reminds customers of the Bailey Bros. Building & Loan from the classic 1946 movie It’s a Wonderful Life. Which is a great compliment. What was it about the Bailey Bros. Building & Loan that people still remember it so specifically and so fondly seven decades later? A couple […]
I recently met with a couple in their very early 70s who were starting to think about downsizing. Why? Basically, because they were under the impression that it was “what everyone did,” that it was the “right thing to do” and they wanted to be “prudent.” They were considering buying a condo and were wondering […]
I never thought I’d find myself writing those words. But as more news comes out about what Wells Fargo was doing to its customers, that’s the only way to describe them. Wells Fargo was a rogue bank. In order to show ever-increasing marketing share and revenue growth to Wall Street, Wells Fargo put so much […]
