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ATM fees are some of the most hated bank fees out there.
You pay around $3 to the out-of-network bank and then another $3 to your own bank.
No one should pay ATM fees.
Why pay them if you don’t have to?
How I stopped paying ATM fees
In the past, I did not pay ATM fees often.
I bank at a large credit union that has several branches in the area I live in.
Sometimes, I would need an out-of-network ATM though.
One day, I was reading a post by a finance blogger.
He mentioned that he went into his local grocery store when he needed an ATM.
He then bought a pack of gum for $1 and got cash back on his debit card instead of going to an ATM.
Most grocery stores, Target, and Walmart offer cash back on your debit card when checking out.
I had usually ignored this feature.
One day I decided to try it out as my ATM.
I bought a banana.
Many grocery stores, Walmart, and Target sell single bananas.
It usually costs less than thirty cents.
Again, the finance blogger I followed buys a pack of gum.
Both a pack of gum and a single banana are cheaper than $6 ATM fees.
I never paid an ATM fee again.
I have to be in grocery stores and Walmart/Target a lot (Shopkicking, etc), so this works great for me.
I find that Target will do $10 cash back where most others stores require at least $20.
I find that Whole Foods will do any amount.
I shop at Whole Foods often (don’t think it is “whole paycheck” when I buy their 365 generic brand that can be cheaper than conventional brands without all the unhealthy ingredients).
Most grocery stores give cash back again.
I frequently use Target, Walmart, and Kroger.
Again, I am out doing the Shopkick app and getting my easy $60/month.
I am also starting to learn how to resell on Amazon using Walmart, Target, and other stores.
RELATED: How I Make $60/Month ($720/Year) Of Easy Money With The Shopkick App
Other Ways To Not Pay ATM Fees
1. Stay within your bank network ATM
If you bank at a large bank or credit union, it is easier to stay in network.
Like I said, I don’t always need to go out-of-network because my credit union is very large and has many branches.
There is usually an in-network ATM around.
2. Switch to an online bank with no ATM fees
Many online banks waive ATM fees.
There are drawbacks to online banks though.
For example, it can be hard to deposit cash.
At least this is true with Aspiration, the online bank I signed up for.
I signed up to get $50 from Swagbucks (usually higher now) though.
I have not tried the others.
Read our post about Swagbucks “Discover Offers” here.
This is one of the best things about Swagbucks.
RELATED: Swagbucks Review: Can you make money with Swagbucks?
3. Keep cash around
If you are very busy, keep some cash around.
4. Plan
As with anything, planning is key to what you do with your money.
Without a plan, everyone might pick up takeout often or eat lunch out everyday.
That is a lot of money for convenience.
Summary
No one should pay ATM fees today.
They are senseless.
Again, you get charged around a $3 fee from the out-of-network bank and another $3 by your bank.
After I stopped paying ATM fees, I never looked back.
So if you have a crazy busy schedule, try these tactics.
Again, without any planning, we would all spend more on a lot of things in the crazy, hectic world we live in where we pay for convenience.
Do you still pay AtM fees?