Once upon a time, banks actually knew their customers. You had a relationship with your local branch, where bankers understood your financial situation beyond what an algorithm could see. That’s gone now. These days, if your income doesn’t match the system’s criteria, it’s “computer says no,” and that’s the end of it.
The Credit Card Runaround
So, my current credit card provider is dropping air points from its offer. No problem—I’ll just find a new one. Well, technically, I didn’t go looking—the banks came to me, via a marketing email from an airline.
Two offers stood out:
- A bank-backed card—higher credit limit, free travel insurance, air points that don’t expire.
- A credit-card company deal—no fees, but air points expire in four years.
The bank-backed card? They called me up and asked me to apply online or visit the branch. Having applied online with this organisation previously and wasting time on something that times out I opted for the branch visit. So I go in, hand over my ID, asked about more paperwork, and then—boom. Rejected.
Apparently, I don’t meet the income threshold.
And the kicker? They could have told me that in the online application. Instead, I wasted my time going in, only to be shut down in person.
To make matters worse, instead of offering flexibility, they suggested I apply for their lower-tier credit card instead—one that didn’t stack up to the better offer I already had with the credit-card company.
Do banks ever stop to think how much money gets wasted on these exercises? A marketing campaign pulls in a lead, only for it to get passed through phone calls, an in-person meeting, and extra paperwork—just to end in a big fat nothing. Instead of closing it down early, they let the system churn, spending time and resources on customers they were never going to approve anyway.
Banks Only Want You When You Don’t Need Them
This whole thing took me back years, to when my ex and I first applied for credit. We were turned down instantly. But my grandfather? He knew the bank manager and basically told them off—threatening to close all his accounts unless they reconsidered.
Guess what? Suddenly, we had credit.
These days, that wouldn’t happen. No one makes judgment calls anymore—it’s all computer systems and rigid thresholds.
Banks Have Never Been Kind to Women
My grandfather stepping in got results—but my aunt in Australia? She wasn’t so lucky.
She and her husband applied for a home loan, but the bank refused to count her wages as income. Why? Because she was a woman, and they assumed she’d get pregnant and stop working.
That was decades ago, but honestly? Has it changed all that much?
Even today, banks hesitate when a woman isn’t in a conventional salary structure. I know firsthand—right now, my financial wellbeing score is 75/100 with my bank. Pretty solid for someone who’s building a business and seeking alternative income streams.
But when I went through my divorce? The bank wouldn’t even offer me a loan to cover my existing mortgage—despite the fact that I’d been paying it solo for 12 years.
I had to go to a mortgage broker, who secured funding at a higher interest rate through an asset lender. Later, a mobile mortgage manager from the bank finally stepped in to help.
And the ironic part? Once I landed a job, the banks lined up to offer me financing.
I wonder how many women on their own actually get bank loans approved for housing. And even more—how many manage to survive a divorce and still keep a home on their own? Because for all the talk of financial independence, banks don’t make it easy to start over. I’ve managed—but only just, by sheer determination.
Stuck Because of Government Changes
Banking isn’t the only thing that leaves people trapped—government policy shifts can shut down financial opportunities just as effectively.
When the previous government opened up housing, I built a second home expecting to subdivide my section and sell the original house to my daughter, leaving me mortgage-free and financially stable.
Then the new government revoked that policy, stopping subdivision plans dead in their tracks.
Now? I can’t sell, I can’t subdivide, and I’m paying interest on a house I was supposed to offload. Instead of financial freedom, I’ve got bureaucracy keeping me tied up. And apparently, next year the council will open up feedback—dragging the process out even longer.
It’s ridiculous. This isn’t about future development or speculation—the house has already been built, yet I’m left waiting, unable to move forward.
Remember Who Helps You When You Have Nothing
That experience taught me a hard truth: always remember the people who help you when you have nothing.
When banks finally opened their doors again, I had a choice—take the mobile mortgage manager’s offer, or go with the mortgage broker who had actually been willing to help when no one else would.
I stuck with the mortgage broker. Because honestly? You never forget the people who step up for you when you’re stuck.
Banks don’t deserve loyalty just because things improve—they should earn it by showing up when it matters.
So What’s the Lesson?
By the time this is published, I will have locked in my mortgage rates for another year. After that? Who knows.
Be the star of your own story—especially when the going gets tough.
Maybe I’m stuck between a rock and a hard place right now, but that doesn’t mean the story ends here. Fortunes shift. Circumstances change. And when they do, I’ll be the one making the calls—not waiting for some computer to decide my future. Because no matter how tough things get, you’ve got to keep going.
You are the star —write your story even when computer says no.
