For a day, I was one of the millions of Americans without a bank account. It was humbling
LOS ANGELES - Two and a half miles of walking, two failed attempts to cash a $15 check, one toy left behind at a checkout counter and $14 in fees for financial transactions that ordinarily wouldn't cost me a dime.
That was my tally after a recent, frustrating morning in Hollywood spent standing in lines, filling out forms and wondering if I'd have enough money or time to get it all done.
The exercise wasn't for fun. Rather, I was participating in a sort of financial scavenger hunt that aims to replicate how life works for the millions of Americans - about a quarter of all households - who either don't have bank accounts or still rely on storefront check cashers, payday lenders and prepaid debit cards to manage their money.
The event, called FinX - as in "financial experience" - was held this month during an annual conference organized by the Center for Financial Services Innovation and attended by executives from banks, credit unions and financial technology firms, as well as consumer advocates and even federal regulators.
The nonprofit think tank, backed by charitable foundations and major banks, advocates for better financial products, especially for Americans on the fringes of the financial system.
It hopes the exercise can teach
