I wish it were that easy. Everyone *knows* how they are supposed to managed their money, but once you get stuck in the cycle of living paycheck to paycheck, it's amazingly hard to break that without a change in income or living situations. Once you get strapped that bad....you are always playing catch up, and the money that you should be able to set aside is paying the fees and whatnot from the previous month. It's a bad cycle to be in, but it's where many people are.
On a different note, I love my bank. I've used Arvest (only in the OK, AR, MO ish area) since they opened, and they have always been very fair, I thought. Before that I just kept cash, b/c I knew my mom had *so* many problems with Band of America...
I'm sorry about the crap they are dragging you though, Dr. Del... hopefully you can find a way to get it sorted out before it gets too bad =/