If you grew up referring to ATM withdrawals as “tapping MAC,” you’re probably an elder millennial from the Greater Philadelphia area. 💸🔔 GO BIRDS! No one likes us, we don’t care. 🦅
What DO we care about? Wasting our precious paychecks on lame ATM fees. 😤 Fortunately, with a little finessing, you can avoid those bad boys like an Eagles fan avoids self-awareness! 🤪
Here’s Five Fast Facts on how to skip ATM fees:
- 💰 Math Against the Machine - A couple bucks here, a few pennies there…on their own, ATM fees don’t seem like much. However, if you hit them often, they really put a hurtin’ on your wallet. Today, the average ATM surcharge is $3.15.
- 📲 One Smart Phone - One of the best ways to find free ATMs when you’re out and about is to use an ATM Locator App. Pop out your smartphone and check out Allpoint or ATM Fee Saver. Prefer credit unions? Download the Co-op ATM Network App.
- 🛒 Add To Cart - Need some extra bills? If you’re running errands, get cash back at the supermarket or your fave big box retailer like Walmart! It’s rare for retailers to charge a fee when you use the cash back option. You can usually do it all through the pin pad at checkout. Just make sure you use an ATM card as payment.
- 🏦 Bank On It - Another way to steer clear of ATM fees is to choose a bank that’ll reimburse you. Both banks and credit unions offer checking accounts with this perk. Depending on the bank, benefits could be a reimbursement of fees up to a certain amount each month or a credit to your account.
- 🤖 Going Digital - Want to avoid ATMs altogether? Use a digital payment method instead. If you usually tip in cash at the barber or hair salon, see if your stylist accepts Apple Pay, Zelle, or Venmo. These days, many retailers accept these digital payment methods as well.
🔥Bottom line: On a scale from one to Andy Reid, how big will your wallet be once you stop paying ATM fees? We wanna see your answer in the comments! Did you have a three-check month in January? If you’re still hanging onto those bonus bucks, check out this article for ways to make the most of them.
How often do you use ATMs?
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