Is this right, Im flippin peeved?

My bank and my son's back charge a fee if I use someone else's ATM. This is a rare occurance 9 times out if 10 everything I do is P.O.S transaction. My husbands bank does not charge if he uses someone else's atm. And if the bank he does use an atm for charges a fee his bank reimburses him.

On this case I have seen many places that have a minium charge fee. Most of these are smaller stores and because of the fee they get charged per transaction. Most of those places I try to carry cash for or just buy the min. (which is way to easy for me to do).

Originally Posted by Ping

My bank and my son's back charge a fee if I use someone else's ATM. This is a rare occurance 9 times out if 10 everything I do is P.O.S transaction. My husbands bank does not charge if he uses someone else's atm. And if the bank he does use an atm for charges a fee his bank reimburses him.

On this case I have seen many places that have a minium charge fee. Most of these are smaller stores and because of the fee they get charged per transaction. Most of those places I try to carry cash for or just buy the min. (which is way to easy for me to do).

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This gas station is huge and VERY busy. It is right off of one of our busiest freeway systems. They are packed with customers day in and day out. Id expect this from small businesses, but this one.. Not so much!

BTW banks want you to use your debit card as a credit since they do not generate fees when used as a debit!!
Also if you need cash w/o atm fees shop and use debit card as debit and take out extra cash-I do it all the time.
Are you sure your bank charges you for your debit card use???

Originally Posted by GailC

BTW banks want you to use your debit card as a credit since they do not generate fees when used as a debit!!
Also if you need cash w/o atm fees shop and use debit card as debit and take out extra cash-I do it all the time.
Are you sure your bank charges you for your debit card use???

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I can never manage to have cash on me... When I was a stylist it was never an issue because I had tips Now I have direct deposit and the banks arent open when I leave for work (my bank is very out of the way from where I work) and they are usually close to being closed by the time I get back to by my house (I wont go to banks in my work area, not a safe neighborhood). Check cards are very convinient to me. I will have to ask if they have debit fee's at my bank, I forget. I never use debit, guess I just go with what I know.

Since I was on the phone to my bank anyway I asked. They said as long as they tell you about the fee before you confirm the transaction on the POS terminal or have it posted clearly in the store, it is perfectly legal and no different than another bank charging you $1.50-$2.50 for using their ATM machines.

It could be different in the US though

On a side note, she mentioned that there is talk of it being illegal to refuse to use the POS terminal under $5 as it is basically legal tender and so the legitimises the charge further if vendors are forced to allow people to use the machine under $5

Interesting, the lady I talked to said it was (but im not sure what her position is at the bank) though a representative is checking on it for me. I know that this issue has been on the news.

Originally Posted by trixie23

The only time an ATM doesnt charge a fee is if it is at my bank (the fee is like $2.50 plus). I never carry cash on me!

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I get cash back when I do the grocery shopping, or I go to a non- charging ATM. I will get 60.00 to last for the week.

this is really not a difficult thing to do, and you could probably manage it, unless you want to keep giving away your money, two dollars at a time?

Originally Posted by gailuvscats

I get cash back when I do the grocery shopping, or I go to a non- charging ATM. I will get 60.00 to last for the week.

this is really not a difficult thing to do, and you could probably manage it, unless you want to keep giving away your money, two dollars at a time?

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Im not giving it away. I never use those atm machines... If I need cash badly I go to the atm at my bank where it is free of charge... like I said I never have cash on me....

Yes, it is illegal and crappy when you have no cash.

However, since the merchant is charged 3-6% per transaction, I see their pov. People will charge small amounts like a $1 at a time - to get rewards on their cards. It is infuriating that a merchant has to pay so much to the banks to offer such a service.

As a courtesy then, I try to use cash only on small purchases.

The small merchants I've chatted with about this - if customers fight them on their minimum balance requests, they said they would stop taking charge cards at all.

Originally Posted by GailC

BTW banks want you to use your debit card as a credit since they do not generate fees when used as a debit!!
Also if you need cash w/o atm fees shop and use debit card as debit and take out extra cash-I do it all the time.
Are you sure your bank charges you for your debit card use???

Click to expand...

My bank charges if I use my (debit) check card, whether or not I get cash back. It is 50cents at a time. They also charge the merchant - whether used as a credit or debit, but as a credit, save that 50cents.

That just burns me up, those crappy fees; it is so predatory and takes advantage of ppl.

Dont get me started on the not-my-bank ATM! It is a $3.75 fee each use.

My parents own their own company. It is legal to set a minimum dollar amount because transaction fees are outrageous for vendors.

It is illegal to charge a fee if they buy under that minimum amount. What that implies is the company is now passing on to YOU the customer THEIR credit card fees.

I guess I have it pretty good. I belong to the state credit union which reimburses up to $4.00 a month on ATM fees, and then I go to the ATM at WAWA which never charges a fee. I also get cashback when I go to the grocery store and other places that let you do that. I never have to pay a fee, if I do it is reimbursed up to 4, seldom happens.

I am going to OCMD for vacation, and this post is a good reminder. They charge a lot at the ATM machines, but fortunately they opened a wawa a few years ago, so that is where I will be getting my KENO money.

So the bank guy called me back after he made a few phone calls... His answer?????? "Uhhhhh, I dunno... Sorry I couldnt be more help." I give up, its not worth pursuing anymore, I just wont go to that gas station. I went to two different gas stations about a mile apart from that one in the past two days (smaller gas stations) and wasnt charged any fee's... Both my purchases where just under $5.

Don't merchants have to pay a 2% fee on ever credit card sale?

Yes but when you are buying more things they generally make enough profit to cover it. Say they make 20c on each $1, if you spend $5 they make $1, if you spend $50 they make $10. Credit card companies often charge a fee plus a percentage which comes to over $1 per sale so when you spend less than $5 it costs them more than the profit