Wednesday, June 25, 2008

using the grocery store as a bank

Americans wasted over $4 billion on ATM fees last year, according to BankRate.com. Some giant monster mega-banks are pushing their non-customer fees as high as $5! There's a better answer than getting ripped off. You can go to a credit union or a community bank and get real customer service and not have to pay for ATMs. Quite often, your credit union or community bank will have an ATM network that's fee-free.

I haven't been to an ATM or bank in the last 8 years. Why should I when our credit union allows me to get cash back at the grocery store checkout? I am steamed when I hear about all the folks who are getting horribly treated by their banks (the latest is folks in high foreclosure areas getting their credit card limits being lowered without notice), but irritated that people will allow a business to give them such horrible service and pay lots more for it. Credit unions are typically a much better choice.

2 comments:

Motherhen said...

You're right about getting cash back at the grocery. I never go to the ATM.

Anonymous said...

If I do that I tend to let my balance get too low. But I have a credit union right on my way home from work (and 1 1/2 miles from home).

In the summer I use that cash machine as incentive to exercise. I pull only $20 (and use the card to buy groceries) and walk to the credit union and home several times a week! ;-)