Withdrawing money from an ATM can be a convenient way to access your funds, but it can quickly become expensive if you're not careful. A recent Bankrate study found the average combined cost of an out-of-network ATM transaction to be a whopping $4.66. That's the highest amount since 2019 and includes both the fee charged by the bank and the surcharge levied on non-customers. To make matters worse, the average ATM surcharge hit a record high of $3.14 per transaction!
In this blog post, we'll discuss how to avoid these rising ATM fees.
Choose Financial Institutions With Free ATMs
The first step in avoiding ATM fees is finding a financial institution that offers free ATMs or reimbursements for using out-of-network ATMs. Many credit unions now offer free ATMs at select locations, so you don't have to worry about getting charged for using them. Additionally, some credit unions (like Hanscom FCU!) may reimburse you for fees incurred when you use out-of-network ATMs up to a certain amount each month or year. This is a great way to get around paying pesky fees without having to switch banks or use different services altogether.
Plan Ahead of Time
Another way to avoid rising ATM fees is by planning ahead and only withdrawing cash when necessary. By planning ahead, you can make sure that your withdrawals are made at free ATMs or ones that are within your network to avoid incurring any extra costs. Additionally, many retailers now accept debit cards as a form of payment, so you may not even need cash in many cases. This will help ensure that you don't end up paying more than necessary just because you weren't prepared before making a withdrawal from an out-of-network ATM.
Understand All Your Options
Finally, it's important to know what other options are available for accessing your money without incurring additional fees or charges. For example, some financial institutions like Hanscom FCU have mobile apps that allow customers to deposit checks without having to visit a branch location or use an out-of-network ATM. Knowing all of your perks and options is the key to avoiding ATM fees to keep more money in your pocket!
Fortunately, you can avoid rising ATM fees. By following these tips, consumers can save themselves from costly bank surcharges while still being able to easily access their funds whenever needed. Hanscom FCU members have access to over 100,000 surcharge-free ATMs nationwide — that’s a larger network than Bank of America’s! To get an idea of how many surcharge-free ATMs we’re talking about, please look at the interactive map on our website. By entering your destination, you can see exactly where the closest surcharge-free ATM is located.
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