Bank Transfer Day is this Saturday, and we applaud the enthusiasm of American citizens to take a stance against big banks and bailouts.

Bank Transfer Day is a consumer activism initiative calling for people to switch from major, commercial banks to not-for-profit credit unions. The protests suggest a Nov. 5 deadline for people to move their money.

At times, the Occupy Wall Street protest was vague, but this movement — which is not affiliated with but largely supported by Occupy protestors — is different. It’s a simple, easy action everyone can take against large corporation bailouts.

Instead, this movement is the paradigm of what the people can do to let their voice be heard. After banks like Bank of America announced plans to begin charging $5 monthly fees simply for having a checking account, protestors starting moving their money to other banks or credit unions, telling ‘no’ to those corporations. It’s a ‘no’ to the fact that we don’t want hidden fees and banks taking our money, and further, we don’t want banks being able to take big bailouts from the government.

This is the type of movement that puts the power in the 99 percent.

Protesting can only go so far. But putting our ideas into action ourselves speaks volumes. This is something everyone should do.

To the person protesting every day on Wall Street, you should participate in Bank Transfer Day. To the person angry about bank bailouts, you should participate in Bank Transfer Day. And to the person frustrated with hidden fees, you should be a part of this day, too.

One thing we’d like to make clear, though. Bank Transfer Day isn’t just a single day when everyone should actually do the transfer process, but an ideal ending date for everyone to have transfered banks.

Also, transferring banks is not easy, and it’s likely not something that could be done in one day. And don’t forget, most banks have limited hours or will be closed on Nov. 5, anyway.

When you change your bank, do your own research. Change your direct deposit slips and make sure checks you have written are cashed before you clear out your account. Ask good questions when switching to a new bank, and look into what direction your bank is moving toward in terms of new fees. Or check out the movement’s Facebook page at facebook.com/Nov.Fifth.

The best way to create change is to do it yourself, and it is small, direct movements like these that allow that change to actually happen.