All became clear as soon as I changed Dollars for yen for a trip to Japan. I think I have invented a formula to convert that currency to the ruble, given the current exchange rate. Upon graduation, I found a prestigious but very low-paid work, so I had to constantly find new ways to multiply my capital. In those days, commercial banks are just beginning his scandalous career. Interest payments on deposits dizzy, and the rate of the dollar has grown every day. Would be foolish not to use the opportunity to earn a little money, only to exchange a couple of thousand dollars.
Income was not huge, but pleasant. The next idea about the proper investment of money has been put money in Sberbank (yes, the Savings Bank), the contribution for retirees. At that time it had the highest percentage. At the bank I worked classmate, she helped me to make a deposit for a pensioner, using documents of her mother. Income exceeded all my expectations.
My mom could not understand why I have never had cash. I am confused to explain that to me more profitable to keep the money in the bank, and only many years later, my mother followed my advice and put all their spare cash in the bank. Even as an accountant, she could not understand it every day it loses money, but keeping them at home. A similar thing happened to me when I first arrived in Ireland. Here, as elsewhere, a huge number of banks with very different interest rates for deposit accounts.