How to avoid ATM fees

As Mutual Savings Credit Union recently pointed out on our Facebook Fan Page, the very first ATM in the world went into operation in 1967. Since then, ATMs have become a standard way to access your cash without having to visit your local branch. Unfortunately, some financial institutions charge foreign ATM fees for withdrawals made by people that do not have accounts with that particular institution. These fees can range from $2 to $5 or more and really add up. Follow these tips to learn how MSCU members can avoid foreign ATM fees.

Use a Mutual Savings ATM.
MSCU members don’t have to worry about any fees when withdrawing money from a Mutual Savings ATM. All Mutual Savings ATMs are conveniently positioned in our drive thru lanes, where available. Visit our locations page to find your nearest Mutual Savings ATM.

Sign up for Rising Rewards Checking.
Mutual Savings Credit Union’s newest checking account was designed with your convenience in mind. Rising Rewards Checking comes equipped with a free debit card and all of MSCU’s online services. Rising Reward members are paid interest on their checking account balance and even earn rewards points from debit card purchases that can be redeemed for select merchandise, gift cards and more. But the best feature of Rising Rewards Checking is the automatic refunding of your first $15.00 in ATM fees each month. The fees are reversed without having to send in your ATM receipts!

Get cash bank.
Most grocery stores and pharmacies now give you the option of getting cash back from your account when you use your debit card to make purchases. The amount you choose to receive is added to the amount of your purchase and taken from your account when the transaction is posted. It’s quick, easy and puts cash in your pocket!

Forget cash!
It’s as simple as it sounds: the best way to avoid ATM fees is to avoid using ATMs. Advances in debit card technology have tremendously reduced our need to have cash on hand. From gas stations to movie theaters to bowling alleys to restaurants – there are many places that will accept your MSCU debit card for payment. In fact, you’ll find that the number of stores or vendors that DON’T accept debit cards is far fewer than the places that do. With your Personal Identification Number (PIN), only you can use your debit card for safe, secure purchases.

Your branch is your backup.
If you still need to carry cash and all else fails, plan ahead and make a withdrawal from your MSCU branch or nearby service center location. This might be a last resort for you but Mutual Savings Credit Union takes pride in still being able to conduct your transactions face-to-face.

These tips are great to keep in mind as MSCU prepares for upcoming changes that are being made to adjust for federal regulations that will impact our operations. Contact Mutual Savings to inquire about any of these solutions that can help you avoid foreign ATM fees.

This entry was posted on Thursday, July 21st, 2011 at 10:19 am and is filed under News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.

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