Money Grabbing Tightwads!

I'VE JUST been charged a fee for retrieving my own money!

When I signed up for a cashback credit card with the Halifax, my understanding of the deal was that a (very) small percentage of the value of my purchases would be credited back to me each year. As expected, my card statement last month showed that I had received the grand sum of £30 in cashback payments. Now, as the balance on my card was zero, this showed up as £30 in credit.

Ha ha, I thought, I'm in the money! And so I hastened to the nearest Halifax ATM, withdrew my £30 and sallied forth to spend it on good, wholesome, tasty beer.

And now I've discovered that, for the privilege of recovering my own money, Halifax have charged me £3! Now that's a pretty mean trick. I can understand them charging a fee when you borrow their money on a card, but my own money? I think not, matey. Especially when I can draw cash out from my Halifax bank account, using the same ATM, and it costs me not a single penny.

I'm going to start a bank. After all, how hard can it be? You give me all your money, and I'll look after it for you. Then I'll lend it to you, as long as you pay it back, together with a large amount of interest. And when you finally want to take your original money out, I'll charge you for that as well. That is, assuming I haven't lost it all after gambling every penny on the stock market for huge profits.

In that case, you'll just have to wait for the government to give it to me so I can pass it on to you.

For a nominal fee.

Update 20 November: Those kind people at the Halifax have refunded my £3 'as a gesture of goodwill'. They seemed to understand I might be a bit miffed, but hastened to point out that their terms and conditions clearly state their intention to charge for cash withdrawn on a credit card whether it's your money or not. Hmm.