How do you become a millionaire?

A nickle at a time! That should always be the answer for anyone aspiring to become wealthy. There are no tricks. It's good old fashioned hard work and a little bit of good timing (some refer to this as luck), but the credo stands true.

Ask any financial adviser and he'll say the same thing. Don't look to make a big score. The larger the return the greater the risk taken. But if you get yourself into a good plan, earning a little at a time, steadily, over time, the wealth will build.

Ever notice why there are so many banks in the area? Have you noticed? Next time you stop at any major intersection, take a look. Count them. There is usually one on every corner, and don't forget to count the one inside the supermarket.

WHY do you think there are so many banks? How do you think they make their money? A nickel at a time! All those accounts come with transaction fees. ATM fees, check fees, annual fees, interest rates, monthly fees, etc.

With recent history, banks aren't everyone's favorite monkey either. However, they are a necessary part of our lives. In fact, I don't know how anyone survives in today's world without the use of a financial institution.

That brings me to the point. With the multitude of banks to choose from, there are still locally owned options. Continental Bank is one of those options in our area. Harleysville Bank is another, as well as Alliance Bank. In fact there are many to choose from.

So coming up, I am working on some interviews with local bank officials to find out their philosophies on operating within the community and why it's beneficial to use them versus the larger national banks. It used to be that local banks just didn't offer enough branches to be convenient for their consumers. Not anymore. Branches are becoming more and more irrelevant. With these interviews, I am learning more and more about the advantages of using these local institutions over the larger national ones and will write about them here.

I am also close to bringing the battle of the bakery's post to a close. One more interview and we will have a good "spread" to choose from! Stay tuned!