Posted by Joe, a resident of Another Palo Alto neighborhood, on Feb 23, 2012 at 6:49 pm

It's a shame that banks don't offer this sort of service at low/no costs, via video and web-based instruction material. There are virtually no classes in personal finance offered in the public school system. Banks are a likely source of this kind of information.

Given how dastardly banks have acted over the past decade, making basic information about how banking, and money, works would be the least they could do to help some of those they have damaged.

Posted by Hmmm, a resident of East Palo Alto, on Feb 24, 2012 at 11:44 am
Hmmm is a member (registered user) of Palo Alto Online

Joe, I had the same thought. Of course, it would have to mean that banks care about the little people, & are responsible entitities. I think this is actually a good chance for credit unions to teach & gain new members. My credit union has different classes for members.

I admit that I've had fantasies about these types of classes, espec. for the single moms in EPA. I'm so glad that these are being offered!

Interestingly, 2 of the most financially responsible AND savvy women I've ever known are from EPA. Hard working with jobs, families & property owners, they learned which local banks & credit unions were the best for their business. It was at their recommendation that I joined a credit union many moons ago.

Best of luck to the folks taking this course!

Posted by Perspective, a resident of the Greater Miranda neighborhood, on Feb 25, 2012 at 6:32 am

What strikes me the most about this class is it is meant to teach people how to "build wealth"...ummm..I thought it was "bad" to be wealthy? I thought it was "bad" to risk investing your money and work hard and actually "win" sometimes? I mean, gosh, if you are smart and invest wisely and work hard, you might end up wealthy, then you are "bad" because obviously you have been born with a trust fund and/or have taken it off the backs of the poor!