How do I stop ATM charges?

Okay, so ATM fees, right? Ugh, they are the bane of my existence! Seriously, I swear my blood pressure spikes every time I see that little notification pop up on the screen. “Are you SURE you want to proceed? It’ll only cost you $3.50!” Like, really? Is that necessary?

So, how do you actually stop these things from eating your money? Well, the easiest, and probably most obvious, way is to just stick to your own bank’s ATMs. I mean, duh, right? But it’s so easy to just grab cash from whatever ATM is closest when you’re out and about. I totally get it.

But seriously, that’s where the vampires are lurking, ready to suck the money right out of your account! I remember one time, I was in a total rush, needed cash for a farmer’s market (best tomatoes EVER!), and just grabbed money from whatever ATM was there. Ended up paying like five bucks in fees! Five bucks! I could have bought another tomato for that!

Another thing that helps, and this takes a little more planning (which, let’s be honest, I’m not always great at), is to just withdraw a decent amount less often. I know, carrying cash can be a pain, and you feel like you’re back in the stone age, but those little fees REALLY add up. Think about it – $3 here, $2.50 there…before you know it, you’ve basically given away a whole lunch to the ATM gods. It’s infuriating, isn’t it?

So yeah, stick to your bank, plan ahead, and maybe start a “avoiding ATM fees” jar. Every time you resist the urge, throw a dollar in! Maybe you can buy yourself a fancy tomato…or something even better! ????