Overdraft fee question

Hello,

I found this post recently and wanted to ask a question, I don't know if anyone would be able to help, but if you could that would be appreciated.

On 12/8 I used my debit card twice (for two purchases). One at a convenience store and one at the grocery store. The bank debited the money from account immediately, and the two transactions showed up on my online banking list as PENDING.

As of yesterday morning, I had about 10 dollars in my account. When I checked a few hours later an automatic bill payment came in about about 92 dollars, which knocked my account into negative 82 dollars.

Best case scenario, I made two returns yesterday totaling about 90 dollars...if they posted overnight I would have been taken back into the postive by about then dollars.

Worst case scenario, I thought everything would post and i'd be negative 120 dollars b/c of a 40 dollar overdraft fee.

When I checked my account this morning, it was negative 200 dollars. What the bank did was post the 92 dollars FIRST, even though it was the last of the three transactions. That knocked my account into the negative right off the bat and caused a 40 dollar overdraft charge. They then posted/finalized the two smaller transactions which knocked me further into overdraft and caused another 80 dollars in overdraft fees.

I dont understand how they can do that, since the two smaller transactions occured FIRST and the money for them was already being held out of my account. Since they were pending before the larger amount even appeared, shouldnt' they have posted first. I knew I was going into overdraft, and I was ready to deal w/ that and get fined, but I believe the situation was handled improperly.

I have emailed the bank and awaiting a response, but I am not expecting anything to come of it. Am I right to question this, or do I have to accept that that is the way the bank works?

Thanks

If they all posted the same day the bank will normally waive that fee for you.