ZenPayDay Money Tip
The Monthly Bank Fee You Can Erase in One Call
Here’s the whole thing in three steps.
Hi there, Plenty of checking accounts quietly charge a monthly maintenance fee — and the most common mistake is assuming it’s just the cost of having an account. It usually isn’t.
Here’s the whole thing in three steps.
Today’s big idea · Bank Fees
Call your bank and ask to waive your monthly maintenance fee
~$60–180/yr
One phone call
How to put it into practice
Work down the list in order — the quick wins at the bottom take a minute each.
Pull last month’s statement and scan for a line labeled maintenance fee, service fee, or monthly fee.
takes 3 min
Call the number on the back of your card and ask to waive the fee or move to a no-fee checking account.
saves ~$5–15/mo
Ask them to turn off overdraft coverage so a small slip can’t trigger a ~$35 charge.
avoids ~$35/incident
Quick wins
- Set a low-balance alert so you’re warned before you overdraft. saves ~$35/slip
- Stick to in-network ATMs to skip out-of-network surcharges. saves ~$3–5 each
- Ask if direct deposit or a minimum balance makes the account free. often $0/mo
- Switch to e-statements if your bank charges for paper. saves ~$2/mo