Most Banks are kNowingly rAping us of money

I've always known that banks are out to get you, but it seems they are trying to be even more deceptively clever these days.

I first noticed this when I needed a certified check from my bank. I found out that it was going to cost me $25-30 (I can't recall the exact amount) just to get the check. They already had my money. The cost of printing the check can't be nearly that much. What gives? Apparently if I had more than $15,000 or so in my bank account they'd be happy to give me a certified check for free. What do people with that kind of money sitting in the bank need with a certified check?

I just got an e-mail from my credit card company that sounded terrific - and thus was too good to be true. I've always wondered in this electronic age, why it still took so long for purchases to post and payments to be scheduled? It used to take two days to schedule a payment, electronically, from my bank to my credit card company. Well, now my credit card company - the grand MBNA - is offering me a same-day service. Thank goodness... until you read a little further.


Did you read that? 12 dollars?! So lemme get this straight. I now have to pay you for the ability to pay you? The kicker is that Bank of America has my checking account, and they now own MBNA, so I know it's easy for the payment to go through - it's the same bank. Anyone else think that this is simply ridiculous?