ATM Fees Reach Record High Once Again

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MIAMI (CBSMiami) -- ATM fees have hit a record high for the 11th year in a row.

If you withdraw money from a machine not affiliated with your bank, the average ATM fee is $4.69, according to Bankrate.com.

That's up 55 percent over the last decade.

"Over the course of a year that can add up to hundreds of dollars," explained Bankrate.com's Greg McBride.

McBride says fees vary in different cities. Pittsburgh, New York, Washington, D.C., and Cleveland have the highest. Seattle, San Francisco, Milwaukee, and Dallas are among the lowest.

Customers can also be hit with two separate fees when using an out-of-network ATM. The owner of the machine charges one fee and your bank can charge another for using another bank's ATM.

Bankrate says people are using using ATM's less because they're using less cash and paying with credit more. With fewer ATM withdrawals being made, banks have fewer opportunities to charge fees that are used to maintain their ATM networks.

"That's one of the catalysts for the increase in ATM fees that we see year in and year out," explained McBride.

McBride says to avoid fees, only use ATM's in your network. Most banks now have apps that can help you find one nearby. You can also join a bank that reimburses out of network charges.

And here's another sign it can be expensive to have a checking account.

"The average overdraft fee hits a new high, it's at $33.38," said McBride.

McBride recommends getting text alerts from your bank when your account is running low to avoid a bouncing a check.