read the fine print

From one of my bank accounts, internet bill-paying is fee-free. From my other account, it attracts a fee of 1.5% of the amount paid. If however I transfer money between my accounts, it costs nothing. In other words, for exactly the same transaction I can pay a fee, or I can pay nothing just by transferring the money over first.

Pity I found this out AFTER using the second account for a $4000 transaction. Yes, 1.5% of 4000 is $60. S.I.X.T.Y. D.O.L.L.A.R.S out of my pocket and into the bank's pocket, for the same service they provide for FREE on my other account.

You can probably imagine how I felt about the bank employee who told me (cheerfully? smugly? does the bank know there's a difference?) over the phone that all of this information was in the 'terms and conditions' brochure they gave me when I opened the account. Was she under the impression I would find my own stupidity comforting?