Finances

Banks don’t work for you. They work for shareholders and stakeholders. That means the bottom line comes first. But large corporate banks—which have a track record of discriminating against low-income and minority borrowers—aren’t the only banking game in town. Invest in the health of your local economy by doing your banking at a local community bank or credit union.

You just received a credit card application in the mail. The credit card company offers 0% interest for six months, with no questions regarding your credit history. Before you sign up, consider the fine print that credit card companies may not want you to actually read. Why is the credit card industry sending out so many applications? As long as you are racking up debt, why not use a credit card that earns a percentage of your purchase for your favorite cause—AIDS relief, wildlife preservation, human rights, etc.?

In recent years, many people have become interested in Socially Responsible Investing, or SRI—also known as ethical investing. How does avoiding investments in tobacco companies, military contractors, or Big Oil affect your annual returns? Investing is increasingly connected to personal values. Making the ethical investment decision could have a big impact on corporate America.