ATM fees on the rise

There is a fee for almost everything these days and nothing is worse than the one charged by the ATM.

Paying money to access one’s own money is a frustration that continues to grow. USA Today reports that the average fee for ATMs rose 2.6 percent last year and they are up 55 percent from ten years ago. One big reason for the increases is the fact that customers are no longer using cash as much as they were before and banks are forced to up their fees to pay for the ATM machines.

Fortunately, ATM fees can be avoided with a little planning. Credit.com suggests getting cash back at a store for free instead of relying on a machine. Finding a local bank that doesn’t charge fees and identifying several other locations in town within your network will help in a pinch if you need cash but don’t want to purchase to get it.