Ha I had the exact same experience with Wachovia bank in New York City once and basically their argument was on the lines of “The highest value transaction was probably the most important for you so we ordered it by price so that your most important transactions go through first”.

In a way though I feel like the American system is set up to traumatize you for being poor so much that you develop the thirst to become a millionaire one day when these things don’t affect you.