many more people have been parking money in wal-mart gift cards because banks are making it more difficult to open up accounts. http://digg.com/d31CKNa it is going to be more difficult to get a store credit card if new rules go through in february 2010. this is expected as the US becomes a nanny state under obama. decisions will be made by big government for your protection.
I have lived without bank or credit card since I left home. I cash my work check at my companies bank. They do not require an account, just 2 forms of id. I pay my rent by cash. I buy all goods by cash. Anything that needs credit card I use prepay visa i buy from loan store. Extra money I keep at my brothers house. Sure it's risky, but no less risky then the govt taking all your money. I don't ever want a bank account or need one. No justification for it.
Yes, but it's in my brothers name, I log in and do the work. And for those interested, bank of american in california does not even require SS# to use them. I did not know about this till refered by some mexicans. I went in one of the branches and you can open or just use them. You don't even need US drivers license ID you can use a mexico drivers license/Mexican Federal ID, which are pretty easy to duplicate. I think the ones in Texas and Arizona and New Mexico follow the same rules, but the one in illinois required a SS# :-( It seems the banks are regulated by state, otherwise not sure why bank of america would have different rules for each state. just fyi.