It is normally pretty easy to find a way to avoid checking account fee's if you just get enrolled in some type of package with the bank which may involve things like a monthly direct deposit, atm/check card, savings acct, etc. Other than that...look into switching to a different bank...I don't pay any fee's with the bank I am with...they even reimburse me when I get charged fee's by other financial institutions when using their ATM
You mind if I ask who you bank with? My bank is offering a "Free Checking Account", but I can't write checks. I have to do all online banking. Not that this a really big deal anyway. I just don't have anything more important to think about today. Not to mention Lee Lakowsky just looked at me and said, " Quitcher beetching", but I'll be damned if I'm going to pay my bank $96 dollars a year so that they can make money off of me.
I am with a relatively small bank called Gate City...their locations are mainly in North Dakota. I'm actually employed by one of the "Big" banks but prefer to have a relationship with smaller local institution. You may want to start by asking some people you work with where they bank to see if there are some better options for you. Often the largest banks are the worst offenders when it come to fee's imo
