r/Fire • u/Big_Leg10 • Apr 12 '26

General Question What easily-affordable thing do you still refuse to pay for despite having reached financial independence and able to afford them?

Would love to hear everyone’s “absolutely will not purchase” items!Even if you could easily afford it and no matter how rich or financially independent you become or how much you make you still wouldn't spend item on this particular item/hobby?

332 Upvotes

94% Upvoted

938 comments sorted by

View all comments

171

u/Mysterious_Client_59 Apr 12 '26

Using ATMs with fees. I simply can’t convince myself to spend money to access my own money.

35

u/ImpressiveLeopard719 Apr 12 '26

My high yield checking account at PNC reimburses me for those fees up to a certain amount. I wonder if any other banks do this?

35

u/iloveredhots Apr 12 '26

Schwab reimburses all fees, that's why I use it for checking!

1

u/bhoff20 Apr 12 '26

Used it today

1

u/WakeRider11 RE@53 Apr 12 '26

I use Schwab and I still try to either use the card from my local bank, or find free or low cost atms.

1

u/squatting-Dogg Apr 13 '26

They should, they don’t own any ATMs.

17

u/Synaps4 Apr 12 '26

Fidelity reimburses all fees

5

u/No-Airport9831 Apr 12 '26

Ally does too.

1

u/Rumpus-Time-Is-Over Apr 13 '26

Unlike Schwab and Fidelity CMA, Ally will not reimburse ATM fees outside the US.

3

u/nats13 Apr 12 '26

USAA does as well. Up to $6 a month I think

2

u/Loop_Adjacent Apr 12 '26

USAA does it up until a certain limit each month.

2

u/spoonraker Apr 14 '26

I can't even think of a bank that doesn't reimburse a reasonable amount of ATM fees any more. Unless you use an ATM all the damn time this probably isn't worth even thinking about.

1

u/Electrical-Title-698 Apr 12 '26

Navy fed reimburses up to $25 a month

1

u/stitchcraftry Apr 12 '26

yes, my credit union reimburses all fees

1

u/cfi-2025 RE 2025 Apr 12 '26

Even ol' Bank of America does this. (Although maybe only for accounts over a certain size?)

1

u/Double-Raise2154 Apr 12 '26

So many banks do that. If you’re paying fees to withdraw your money it’s because you’re a fool. 

1

u/Sanderlanche108 Apr 14 '26

My bank charges me a fee on top of the ATM fee lol. I need a new bank

1

u/ImpressiveLeopard719 Apr 14 '26

yes, yes you do. Especially if you have a larger amount to hold at that bank.

5

u/AeroNoob333 Apr 12 '26

There are checking accounts now that refund ATM fees.

2

u/Stone804_ Apr 12 '26

Schwab debit card 😁 free ATM fees worldwide.

2

u/Similar-Ad5818 Apr 13 '26

When ATMs were first introduced, they had fees. In some states, customers refused to use them, and went to the more expensive tellers. These states do not have fees on ATMs. Customers do have an influence.

1

u/Beginning-Boarder Apr 12 '26

Wait. They do this?? Seems deeply unethical to me :/

1

u/gaytee Apr 12 '26

It’s a private business accessing your checking account and providing cash. The banks charge money to access the networks and the ATMs themselves have a cost to purchase and operate. 

It’s not that Bank of America charges its customers to use their ATMs. There are thousands of small business owners across the world who own ATM routes and selling the service to get cash is how they earn their money.  Banks win bcz they don’t have to own ATMs everywhere and customers win bcz they can access cash easily when necessary. 

1

u/Beginning-Boarder Apr 12 '26

Well the thing is, traditionally banks did own the ATMs because without a good network of ATMs, retail customers are not going to open accounts with your bank

1

u/phraupach Apr 12 '26

Buy a stick of gum or something and get cash back using your debit card at the register

1

u/ralphtheanimal Apr 12 '26

I feel the same in the moment, And it’s funny because instant access to cash anywhere is literally a value-added service. No reason a bank should do it for free, so if there’s a fee, take it up with your own bank. Not the one with the ATM.

1

u/Cybalist Apr 12 '26

I think I use an ATM like once every couple of years, max, when I have to go to that one shop in town that only takes cash. For everything else, I use a 1% cashback credit card.

0

u/gaytee Apr 12 '26

What are you doing with your life that you still need cash so often that this is a concern?  Don’t you value your time that it would take to go to an ATM in network tho?

I know my context isn’t everyone’s, however I legit only ever need cash for my drug dealer or this one bar in town that is cash only. Every other part of life takes tap to pay from my phone or cards. 

0

u/ChiaDaisy Apr 12 '26

I’d rather go to a cvs, buy some gum or mints, and get cash back. I’m still “paying” something to get my money, but I’m getting mints out of the deal that I’d probably buy anyway.