Hit $10,000 in ATM fees last year and it stung more than I expected

I work in IT for a regional bank, so I see the backend data all the time, but I checked my personal spending report for 2024 and realized I paid over $10,000 in ATM fees from using out-of-network machines. That's basically a cheap car or a year of groceries I just threw away because I was too lazy to find my own bank's ATM. Anyone else tally up a number like that and feel a little sick about it?

2 comments

2 Comments

the_seth3d ago

Ten grand in ATM fees? That's a whole semester of college tuition, man.

dakota1604d ago

Wait, did you actually pay $10k in fees or was that a typo? I've seen some wild numbers from people who travel a lot or work in cash-heavy businesses but that's a whole different level. Your bank probably has a mobile app that shows nearby ATMs, that alone could save you thousands if you commit to checking it once a week. Get a no-fee checking account with a big network or a credit union that refunds ATM fees, those are pretty common now. Maybe set a reminder on your phone to plan out your cash stops for the week, small habit change can make a massive difference over a year.

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