Avoiding the big ATM rip off

Very good point. ATM fees is merely throwing money away.

A debit card can be a very good friend to someone who isn't carrying cash. Most places take them now, eliminating your need for cash, or need to use a credit card.

I am lucky in that I am home weekly, and get paid every time I come back to the terminal (we take a load out, and bring a load back basically.) I get keep a standard amount of cash with me every week, and make sure I leave with "X" amount of money every time I leave out.

 

Washington Mutual is a decent bank, you can open a checking account with debit card completely over the internet and they don't charge you a fee for using another banks ATM. Cuts down the cost a little at least.

 

I keep a 'good amount' of money in my sleeper so that if I end up in BFE the land of no ATM, I still have cash. A good rule is to keep enough for whatever expenses you could run into that day. Food, tolls, fuel, whatever. Make sure you can cover it in cash, you never know whats going to happen. This has saved my but a couple times.

Most importantly. ATM fees are tax deductions. Keep all your receipts!! This goes for o/o and company drivers

 

unless your getting per diem, then it is not.

 

Debit cards are good to use, but know they are riskier than using credit cards at ATMs. If a crook somehow gets access to your funds via a credit card, the bank will absorb the loss. If said crook accesses your funds with your debit card, you will be SOL. If you do use a debit card, ask your bank to put a cap on it. When I used a debit card, my daily max was 100 bucks. Without a cap, someone could clean you out in a week or even a few days, and there'd be nothing you could do about it. At least this is what I've been told about five times by bank managers. Sure, it's unlikely, but why take the risk?

Perhaps this is the real reason debit cards have been pushed so hard by banks in the last few years.

 

I usually use my debit card instead of a credit card. A few years ago, somehow someone got my number and purchased all kind of stuff online and had it shipped to Southern California. My checking account was emptied, bouncing everything legitimate and incurring huge fees. It took a lot of hassle, but I got all my money back and all my fees charged by US Bank back. I was SOL when it came to charges from the places I wrote my checks too, but at least two months later I had most of my money back.

 

Strip club ATM's charge alot too.

 

Do you really want to use your ATM card there and leave a paper trail? Plus, isn't it difficult getting the card to stay in her g-string when she comes over to your side of the stage?