Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!mhuxl!ihnp4!inuxc!pur-ee!uiucdcs!uicsl!mather From: mather@uicsl.UUCP Newsgroups: net.flame Subject: Don't Bank On It - (nf) Message-ID: <5283@uiucdcs.UUCP> Date: Tue, 31-Jan-84 22:42:36 EST Article-I.D.: uiucdcs.5283 Posted: Tue Jan 31 22:42:36 1984 Date-Received: Tue, 7-Feb-84 08:39:05 EST Lines: 59 #N:uicsl:4300134:000:2649 uicsl!mather Jan 31 16:53:00 1984 Is there anyone there that has anything nice to say about banks? I'm getting sick and tired of my bank nickel and diming me to death. There is a penalty if I make too many withdrawls/quarter from savings. There is a penalty if I let my checking balance go below $100.00. There is a penalty if I let my savings account go below $50.00 There is a fee to find out what my current balance is. They get you hooked on these 24 hour tellers, then switch you to an Easy Answer (here in IL) (which has new and glorious features) and then charge you $12/year (reminds me of the surcharge levied by the credit card companies.) My bank's checking account balance statement looks like it was thought up by a first grader (maybe second). I asked for an Easy Answer card 10 weeks ago, it still hasn't arrived, and they've ripped out the old 24 hour teller machine (so I have no 24 hour service yet.) When I asked what the deal was, they said, "It takes time to process these things." I talk to bankers in my church and they say that consumer accounts are such piddly (spell doesn't seem to like this one) pains because people write such small checks (0.50 checks are common, says he), have very low accounts, bounce so many checks, blah, blah, blah, that we have to have all of those charges to pay for that service (while he works in THE BIGGEST building in the town, with THE PLUSHEST carpeting, etc. which somehow I feel I have an interest in (no pun intended.)) I would request that any response does not include the usual: "Why don't you keep enough money in the accounts?" "Why don't you switch banks?" "Why did you get an EA card if you are so against them?" "Why don't you keep the balance accurately?" a) I'm a student with only modest income. b) All banks in town have similar charges. (I called) c) It's free till April 1, then I burn it. d) With direct deposit income checks, it is an easy way to verify it. I am aware that banks are not governed by the usual trade laws, and in fact have their own board that oversees all bank operation. It is usually true that most banks MUST have similar charging arrangement, as determined by this overseeing panel, so that one bank can't suddenly have 15% savings account interest rates and get all the business. It just seems that the 'average' consumer get's the screw when it comes to banking. Maybe, after I graduate, I'll be a systems programmer for CITIBANK and do like Richard Pryor in "Superman III" did with the roundoff error. I could use a new car. B.C.Mather Le Maitre uiucdcs!uicsl!mather