it's time to stop dealing with banks.

is it weird that i'm almost 33 and have never paid a monthly fee? i've just always had "student accounts" that wave all those fees, and nobody ever bothered checking up to see whether i was really a student.

i had to switch banks a few months ago, and i just got a letter explaining that unless i can provide evidence of being a student they're going to start charging me $20/month, give me a very small debit limit and then start charging by transaction and a couple of other things that are really just flat out dastardly, the morally.....bankrupt.....cretins that they are.....

i was already pissed off at the check cost. it's over $1.50/check and they only sell them in bulk - 50 checks at a time. they get cheaper if you buy more than 50. for what reason? who uses checks in 2013 for anything other than to pay rent? that's enough checks to cover four years of rent. now, i don't like paying $1.50/check, but i'd pay it if it meant avoiding the headaches i'm about to put myself through. what i can't handle is dropping that much all at once. worst thing: the last bank i was at waived the cost. so, i was trying to figure out various ways around that...but switching banks isn't really fun.

i've got it narrowed down to a credit union that appears to be a front for ING. most of the credit unions seem to be a front for something or other. i only need like three things. but i NEED those three things...

i think that's the thing with banks, right? if it's a $1-$2 here or there, we gnash our teeth and stomp our feet, but it's more out of principle - and then we carry on as though nothing had happened.

that's how they get us. the bastards.

but, when they throw down $50 or $100 that's when we pick up the phone and yell and scream until we either get it reversed or are broken down into accepting our status as slaves who can be stolen from with impunity.

that doesn't happen often, though, 'cause they know this. they know they can get away with $1 surcharges. they know they can't get away with more than that.

or at least that's what i thought...