BANFIELD: Have you noticed that bank fees are going up and up? And it's really annoying? If you have, Alison Kosik is here now to give us tips on how to avoid getting binged every time we do anything.</s>ALISON KOSIK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: These banks are gets creative, Ashleigh. We talked to Greg McBride, as senior financial analyst at bankrate.com. He says regulation is cutting into bank revenues so what you have are banks responding by doing away with free checking. But customers are taking notice. Bankrate found 72 percent of the nation's biggest credit unions, they still offer free checking. No surprise. Credit union membership is on the rise. In the second quarter of this year, credit unions added 643,000 members. Now, Credit unions are not the only ones offering free checking. Many community banks and online banks do as well. Shop around. If you don't want to switch banks, you can protect your money. Sign up for low-balance alerted by e-mail or text messages. Link your savings and checking accounts to overdrafts come from your savings accounts. And use your bank's web site. Get cash back using your check card in stores. There are ways to get around the pesky, pesky fees.</s>BANFIELD: The deal is, every time you think you're getting a convenience, recognize it's like, what, $4.07 every time you go to an ATM that is not your bank.</s>KOSIK: Yes, you pay for it.</s>BANFIELD: Man, do we. Alison, thank you.</s>KOSIK: Sure.</s>BANFIELD: Good tips, good advice. Money saving. Hey, thank you very much for being with us. I do appreciate you spending the hour with us. And I ask you all to do one thing for men now. Stay tuned. NEWSROOM INTERNATIONAL starts right now.</s>DEBORAH FEYERICK, CNN ANCHOR: And thanks, Ashleigh. Welcome to NEWSROOM INTERNATIONAL. I'm Deborah Feyerick, in for Suzanne Malveaux. And we're taking you around the world in 60 minutes.
Tips to Avoid Bank Fees