I’m not a big fan of banks but if you use them you may be frustrated with the bank fees. With planning, you can sidestep some of
the more costly fees and penalties. The FDIC offers the following examples:

• With credit cards, try to pay the card balance in full each month to avoid interest charges. If you can’t pay in full every month, send in as much as possible to keep interest costs to a minimum. “Think twice before accepting an offer from your credit card issuer to skip a payment,” said Luke W. Reynolds, Chief of the FDIC’s Community Affairs Outreach Section. “It’s likely that interest will still be charged, so you’ll actually be paying morein interest because you’ll carry a higher balance on your card for a longer period of time.”In addition, pay your credit card bill on time. One reason is to avoid late fees. Another is that late payments can damage your credit record. If repeated, they could even trigger interest rate increases on your credit cards and loans.

• With your checking account, avoid fees for insufficient funds and bounced checks. “Record every deposit and withdrawal in your checkbook — especially remember your debit card purchases and ATM withdrawals,” said Reynolds. “It is important to know how much money you have in your account so you won’t overdraw your balance.”Your bank may offer various “overdraft protection” services for your checking account, but be aware that these come with their own costs. Reynolds added that one of the least expensive options could be to ask your bank to cover insufficient funds by automatically transferring money from your savings account.

• At the ATM, limit or avoid “surcharges” (access fees) by using your own bank’s machines or those owned by institutions that don’t charge fees to non-customers. If you definitely need cash when you’re out of town or otherwise not near an ATM owned by your bank, consider getting cash back when you use a debit card to make a purchase at a supermarket or another merchant.

• Don’t be afraid to ask for a break. Bounce a check or send in a late payment for the first time ever? Think the fees for your mortgage application are a bit steep? Depending on the circumstances, your bank might be willing to reduce or waive a fee or penalty, especially if you’ve been a good customer and don’t have a history as a “repeat offender.”

Samantha Gregory

Samantha A. Gregory is an author, consultant, and speaker. She’s a single-mom lifestyle, money, and parenting expert featured in The Washington Post, The New York Times, Essence Magazine, HuffPost, ABC News, and Mint.com.

Samantha founded the award-winning RichSingleMomma.com™, the first online magazine featuring personal finance, parenting, and personal development content and courses for single moms.

She aims to inspire women who are ready to thrive and not just survive in their single motherhood journey. Connect with her on Instagram @richsinglemomma.