A local bank branch is convenient. Deposit a check, get a debit card, talk to a real person if something goes wrong. None of that convenience has much to do with whether the money sitting inside actually holds its value over time.

That distinction gets lost easily, especially somewhere where everyday costs already run higher than most places. A dollar sitting in a savings account here is losing purchasing power at the same national rate as anywhere else, while simultaneously buying less locally to begin with. The bank isn't doing anything wrong — it's just not in the business of protecting purchasing power. It's in the business of holding deposits.

Gregory Mannarino has spent years drawing that exact distinction — between where money is convenient to keep, and where it actually holds or grows its value against inflation. They're not the same question, and treating them as one leads people to assume safety that was never actually being provided.

None of this is investment advice specific to your situation. It's a reason to ask a different question than "where's my money safe from theft" and start asking "where does my money actually keep its value," because those questions have very different answers.