How to Avoid ATM Fees

There was a time in my life when I never needed cash for anything. I used my debit card for everything. Then, my son started public school, and the constant need for cash began - $5 here for a field trip, $10 there for a T-shirt. It wouldn’t be a big deal if they would take a check, but at his school, it’s cash or nothing. If you’re like me and you don’t live near a credit union branch, there are plenty of ways to get cash without paying a lot of ATM fees.

Hit Debit and Get Cash Back

The easiest way to get cash is with your Visa Check Card at the grocery store. Simply hit debit instead of credit when you make your purchase, type in your PIN and tell the cashier how much cash you need back. Usually, this service is free. However, I will warn you that I was in a store yesterday where everything costs $1, and that included the fee to get cash back. To be honest, I didn’t realize retailers could charge anything for cash-back transactions, but I was in a hurry, I needed the money and it was still cheaper than using a foreign ATM.

Open a KASASA Tunes or Cash Account

NCU now offers two checking accounts with nation-wide ATM fee refunds. These accounts are virtually free, and ask you to do a few simple things in return for massive rewards such as a 3.25% interest rate, iTunes credits and nation-wide ATM fee refunds. When you qualify for your rewards, you receive nation-wide ATM fee refunds up to $5.00. To find out more, visit myncu.com.

Use Shared Branches

Credit unions across the country share facilities to give members thousands of convenient locations to perform transactions just as if they were at their own credit union. Use these locations to make cash withdrawals, deposits, loan payments and more. You just need your credit union’s name, your account number and a valid government-issued photo ID to take advantage of this convenient service. Use the service center locator to find a shared branch near you. I have personally used a shared branch. It’s very convenient and it’s not much different than being in your own branch, except that checks sometimes take an extra day to clear. However, you can still get cash back immediately when depositing checks.

Stop paying fees to access your own money. You work hard for your money, and you deserve as much of it as possible. NCU gives you alternatives that cost nothing. Use them to save time and money.