Bank fees are unacceptable

Today I submitted my request to Bank of America to cancel my checking account. I've had this account since the day I turned 18. I love BoAs overdraft policies (a grace period with no fees to deposit money to make up the overdraft) and their email notifications when my balance dips below whatever amount I specify. However, since I graduated in December, BoA has started charging me $12 per month to "maintenance" my account, whatever the hell that means.

I could have this fee waived if I had a direct deposit of at least $250 per month to the account. Since I am unemployed, however, and Emmanuel has his own credit union account that he deposits to, I obviously don't qualify.

$12 a month is a lot of money. $12 monthly is almost equal to our entire monthly entertainment budget, except that this $12 goes... where? Gives me... what? Nowhere. Nothing. It's simply gone, never to be seen again, may as well burn it. $144 a year for the grand privilege of letting someone else hold onto my money for me. No way.

For now, Emmanuel and I will continue to use just the one joint credit union account we have. I don't see much need for a second account, anyway, the BoA account was rarely touched.