Bank Fees

[vacanut]

Our bank just sent us a letter saying they will be charging us $5.00 a month for our savings account. I've never had any fees for our savings/checking account, do you have banking fees on your accounts?

 

[NMAmy]

Mine don't have any fees unless the total is under a set number--it seems like it's $500 or $1000, I can't remember which.

 

[AllyandJack]

I'm not supposed to because we keep the minimum balance, but usually three times a year they slip a fee in hoping we don't catch it. There is always some lame excuse and an apology. One lady told me to try and be patient because of the merger. I was patient when I couldn't access online banking. I was patient when they deactivated my debit card before sending me a new one with the new bank name. I was even patient the first few times fees showed up on my statement. I finally lost my temper and told her they can't expect people to be patient when they are taking money.....did she not understand the concept of taking people's money and how that could be wrong and why people aren't as forgiving as, say, when a statement is mailed late?!?

I got my $18. back, but she warned me to keep my eye on the account because she wasn't entirely sure she fixed the problem.

 

[Toby'sFriend]

no way I'd put up with that unless they were paying a significantly higher interest rate. I don't have a savings account at a "bank" however. I have a money market account at ING direct. It takes me 2 days to get the money into my checking account.

I closed an account at Bank One once because of a bunch of fees they kept trying to stick me with. Then they charged me an account closing fee and a teller fee for using a person instead of an ATM to withdraw the rest of my money. They will never see me again.

The only problem I've ever had at our current bank is when they try to charge me a fee to count and deposit my coins when I bring them in. I just ask to see a manager and ask to have the fee waived -- they always do.

 

[Christine]

If your balances are below a set amount, usually a bank will charge a fee. For us, if our average daily balance drops below $1500, then we get a $4.00 fee.

 

[LadyyRedd]

I bank at Chevy Chase bank (DC area bank chain) and they charge a $5 or $7 (can't remember) fee for regular checking unless you have Direct Deposit, which I do, so I'm not charged.

Kimya

 

[jennyl772003]

When my DH opened the account, he was a college student, so they had "free checking". Now that his pay checks are direct deposited, so we have free checking because of that.

My old savings account had a fee of $6.50 a month if my balance dropped too low and one of our old checking accounts had fees also, although I am not sure how much they were.

 

[iNTeNSeBLue98]

Find a new bank. I was with a bid regional bank for a few years - after they bought the community bank I had been with for a few years. I had no fees with the old bank, but suddenly the new bank had fees for everything and every year they found new ones to add.

I finally moved our joint checking account to another community bank and we have NO FEES! The only charges we encounter are the terminal fees when using another bank's ATM.

 

[monarchsfan16]

When I got my checking account this summer I had a couple of options. I could get an account where they automatically deducted money each month (service charge) or I can maintain a minimum balance, to hold on to my money. Needless to say I now have to maintain a minimum balance.
One of my roommates has the same deal with her savings account, maintain a minimum balance or pay the fees. We go to the same bank.

 

[mickeyfan2]

Banks have been adding fee left and right lately. Fee are a great money maker. See if you need a minimum balance. I would also shop around for another bank if this is going to cost you $60/year to have an account with them.

 

[vacanut]

I've called a few banks in the area and they don't have fees for the checking/savings acct. Guess I'll be switching. I don't keep a lot of $$ in my savings account as I have 2 ING savings accounts I have my $$ in but keep the savings account as an emergency.

 

[nativetxn]

Checking account fees I can understand but I don't understand charging a fee for money in a savings account. I would definitely be finding a new bank.

Katholyn