There’s no denying it. Banks exist to make money. Banks love it when students use their ATM cards for Interac and ATM transactions because they make a ton of money off them. Here are some little tips to avoid the ATM wedgie:

Open a Sprowt No Fee Student Account. You’ll get UNLIMITED ATM and Debit transactions. And if you can’t get to a PenFinancial Credit Union ATM to withdraw cash, don’t worry – you can use any credit union ATM on the Exchange network and you won’t pay a surcharge. In contrast, if you use your bank card, you have to use that bank’s ATM or you’ll pay a surcharge!

Can’t carry cash without spending it? Then leave it at home. Only take what you need for the day and make yourself a rule – once your cash is gone, it’s gone!

If your ATM card has been lost or stolen, get a new card and password right away. Never use your old password.

Go online regularly and check your account. Be sure that your card hasn’t been compromised and if there are suspicious transactions on your account, call the credit union right away.

Don’t get ATM access for your savings account; you’ll be tempted to spend your hard-earned funds once you run out of cash or your chequing account runs dry.