by Triple Water Astrology

Created on: March 08, 2007   Last Updated: February 18, 2009

Banks can be difficult do deal with. They're conservative and often it's confusing how to use the chain of command, and frustrating when each of two departments refers you to the other. It's possible to find a bank that will work with you and occasionally forgive fees, depending on what type of customer you are and what kind of fees they charge you.

I would agree that consumers must be aware of their balances and pay if they overcharge their accounts (this is set in the account agreement). But some fees are uncalled for and it seems as though banks invent ways to charge more fees every year. I once had a "returned statement fee" debited to my account. Being polite and using the bank's chain of command often will result in a refund of at least part of the fees assessed.

Bank fees come in two varieties: penalties, and paying for simply doing something such as opening an account. Definitely the latter type of fees can be avoided in the internet age. Some parts of the country typically charge for accounts and in other parts of the country, banks do not charge for that. Find out if you can go to a bank that provides the same services for you for less or no fees and patronize that bank. Opening an account is easy and the bank will usually be happy to have your business.

Often banks will charge for official checks, coin counting, and other services. If you politely ask the bank to waive the fee for something like that, it might. It also might be helpful to be a frequent or long-time customer. Again, it's easy to find an alternative to a bank if it charges a fee for something. If a bank charges $2 for a money order, go to a convenience store and buy one for $0.79. Trivial amounts can add up to hundreds or even thousands of dollars over a lifetime.

Even a "free" account might start incurring fees, for example, if the account goes below a certain balance or if it has no activity for a certain amount of time. Reading your statements online or in the mail is very helpful - a balance of less than $100 can go to below zero in a year or less before it's closed by the bank's system. Consolidating your accounts may help (and the trend is for banks to open several accounts for customers due to promotions or for other reasons).

Debit cards can be a real trap because the available balance may not be in real time. Holds, delays, and other glitches may make having a debit card not worth it to you. If you starting incurring fees for some reason, especially if you honestly think that they're

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