When Peter Means returned to graduate school after a career as a civil servant, he turned to a debit card to help him spend his money more carefully. So he was stunned when his bank charged him seven $34 fees to cover seven purchases when there was not enough cash in his account, notifying him only afterward. He paid $4.14 for a coffee at Starbucks -- and a $34 fee. He got the $6.50 student discount at the movie theater -- but no discount on the $34 fee. He paid $6.76 at Lowe's for screws -- and yet another $34 fee. All told, he owed $238 in extra charges for just a day's worth of activity.

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