My parents allowed me to open up my very own bank account at the age of six. I distinctly remember this, and somewhere at home I have the original bankbook for that account.

One day I rode my bike to the local bank and deposited a bunch of spare change (pennies, nickels, dimes). The coins added up for $5 exactly. I deposited these into my account, at 8 years old, on my own.

But then I went outside, and tried to open the lock on my bike to head home. I could not open the lock. Couldn't remember the combination for some reason (although I must have used that combination to lock the bike up in the first place). Anyways, I tried and tried, and the bike lock would not open.

I wanted to call home but I had no money on me. And of course, I could have called collect but I didn't occur to me. Thankfully, I was standing in front of a BANK at which I had an account. I could simply withdraw the money needed to make a phone call to my mom, to ask her what the combination was again.

So, I go into the bank and withdraw the $5 I just deposited. I even ask for it in change. Out of the $5, I take 25 cents and make a phone call home. She gives me the combination. It works. Great.

Then I head back into the bank, and deposit $4.75 to my account. And head home.

To this day, I still have this bankbook. Deposit $5, Withdraw $5, Deposit $4.75... all on the same day. I should have called collect, or at worst, just withdrawn 25 cents from my account.

(And child bank accounts back then were “no fee”, so I did not lose out on transaction fees...)