UK banking

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If you have never lived in the UK, let me tell you that their banking system is, err, curious. While banks in other countries encourage their customers to use overdraft (that, like, is how the banks make money), in the UK they charge you if you do. If you, for example, have a 1£ overdraft, they will charge you 20£ overdraft fee. So now you are -21£ in the reds. If you somehow forget to repay that balance, next month around they will charge you the interest rate, plus an excessive overdraft fee. Suddenly you are more than £50 in the reds.

Just had to share this personal experience, so that you can read the following in context:

After being charged £20 for a £10 overdraft, 30 year old Michael Howard of Leeds changed his name by deed poll to Yorkshire Bank PLC Are Fascist Bastards. The bank has now asked him to close his account, and Mr. Bastards has asked them to repay the 69p balance, by cheque, made out in his new name. (The Guardian)