More Cost-Cutting Tips

The two most common areas where a bank hits you up for extra dough are automated-teller machines and check overdrafts. Here's how to eliminate both fees:

1. Switch to a "no-fee" ATM card. Switching banks just to get a no-fee ATM card may seem like a drastic measure, but we're not kidding here. If you're getting charged $1 a pop to use your ATM card just once a week, you're forking over $52 a year for the convenience of accessing your own money. Come on, when are these guys gonna wise up? Probably long after you've hit the high road.

2. Have your bank account "sweeped." We don't want you to clean out your checking account. We just want to ask your banker to automatically move, or "sweep," money from your savings account into your checking account if your checking balance is too low to cover a check that is drawn against it. Why should you pay the bank a $20 overdraft fee when you've got money in the bank that will cover the check? If your bank doesn't offer a sweep, your banker should at the very least be willing to call and alert you to checks coming in, so you can transfer funds by phone to cover the check.

Continue to keep your banking costs down with these tips on hidden fees:

• Fight Back Against Bank Fees!
  
• Avoid ATM and Bounced Check Fees

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