| Do you use a checking account? You may be paying | | | | Card to access your checking account funds. Most |
| too much for the use of a checking account and could | | | | retail stores will accept debit cards because the |
| be saving bundles by switching or eliminating the use of | | | | transaction is instantaneous out of your checking |
| a bank checking account altogether. | | | | account and they get their money fast. The best part? |
| If you want to save money by using a checking | | | | No fees! Use the debit card whenever you can, but be |
| account you need to use it wisely. Banks are happy to | | | | sure to keep tabs on your checking account balance. |
| have you deposit money for short term use, but they | | | | Personal Finance Problem: Check printing fees |
| plan on making money through fees somehow. What | | | | When you order checks, especially ones with fancy |
| type of fees can you encounter simply by using a | | | | options and decorations, you pay exorbitant fees for |
| checking account? | | | | the price of printing. For each check you write you |
| Personal Finance Problem: ATM fees | | | | could be paying .10 cents to .25 cents per check. That |
| Most people have an ATM card where they can | | | | adds up over $6 for the use of a book of checks. |
| retrieve money from their checking account funds any | | | | The Personal Finance Solution |
| time of day. But did you know when you pull out a | | | | Use banks that offer actual "Free" checking with no |
| mere $20 you could be paying over 5% in fees? | | | | check printing charges. Or, simply forgo the use of |
| Most bank ATMs will charge you an average of $1.25 | | | | checks and use a debit card for retail purchases and |
| for the use of their ATM console. To pull out $20 cash | | | | online banking to pay your bills. |
| that's a 6.25% fee on your funds. For $40 cash it's still | | | | Personal Finance Problem: Overdraft fees |
| a 3.12% fee that you could put to better use. | | | | This is the big one. Always - ALWAYS - keep your |
| At the worse end, if you choose to retrieve funds out | | | | checking account in balance. If you pay by check or |
| of your checking account from an ATM owned by | | | | by debit card and overdraft more than is in the |
| another bank you could be charged up to $3 for that | | | | account, you could be slapped with a hefty fee up to |
| little bit of cash. Ouch! | | | | $40. That's just on the bank side. The retail store may |
| The Personal Finance Solutiono Don't use ATMs | | | | have their own overdraft fee on top of your bank's. |
| unless you absolutely have to. For the price you pay to | | | | The Personal Finance Solution |
| access your checking account, it's not worth it.o Use a | | | | Use overdraft protection. Most banks will allow you to |
| bank that does not charge ATM fees. Some banks do | | | | have overdraft protection with a savings account. But |
| not charge an ATM fee as long as you use one of | | | | that means you must have money in that savings |
| their ATMs. National banks like Bank of America or | | | | account! Keep it stocked with enough to get you out |
| Wells Fargo who have ATMs in cities all over the | | | | of a jam. A $40 fee on a $5 overdraft can really |
| country may give you this deal. Take advantage of it.o | | | | knock you out financial if it occurs over and over. |
| Use a debit card. Banks today offer to issue a Debit | | | | |