According to the FDIC, Quite a Few of the DFW's Households Don't Have a Bank Account

• I think there's usuary laws in the works to try and put a stop to the pay-day loan scam banks. They rip the people off who can last afford to be ripped off. an anecdote, virtually everyone I see in Oak Cliff pays at the grocery store with cash. No check cards, cash. I asked my wife why all those old women never get robbed and she said "because they all have grandsons that will kill your ass" haha.

• We're not bailing out pay-day loan "banks" because they're sitting pretty as they rip off tons of people who are too poor and/or uneducated to avoid their offerings. Short term loans, pay day advances, and check cashing will cost you more than your crappy overdraft fees in no time flat.

• Right. I don't get why "underbanked" is even a legitimate word. Aren't all Americans just a little "underbanked" these days???

• @Anonymous: "Most Mexicans don't trust banks. Fact." Then why isn't the statistic 5 in 10? The way I see it 1 in 10 are not getting soaked by monthly checking fees, overdraft fees, ATM fees.....

• Non-bank money orders are often cheaper than bank money orders, depending on what kind of account you have. Not to mention that it's sometimes more convenient to truck to the grocery store or convenience store than my bank branch. Of course, I don't buy money orders as much since I've dropped the eBay habit (and the invention of PayPal helped lessen my need for money orders, too).

• Most Mexicans don't trust banks. Fact.

• "underbanked"? Maybe it's just easier to get a short-term loan from Ace when you're in a jam. These things don't go on your credit report. In fact, there's a multi-million dollar industry in all the pay-day loan places, check-cashing places, money order places, etc. and the funny things is, we're not bailing those institutions out, now are we?

• <i>"used non-bank money orders, non-bank check-cashing services, payday loans, rent-to-own agreements, or pawn shops at least once or twice a year or refund anticipation loans at least once in the past five years."</i><p>I am sure there are plenty of folks in the area that do not get to shake down construction projects for birthday parties, get kick backs from constables, or have campaign finance committees to pay for stuff. My estimate is that there are at least four if us in the group!

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