Fees

Banks make your financial life easier. But you should expect to pay for most of the services you use. The actual fees vary from bank to bank, so you'll want to learn exactly what the costs are as part of deciding where to take your business.

Basic fees

To start, ask about the fees associated with the services that you'll use most often. If you write a lot of checks to pay your bills, be sure to find out what the bank's monthly and per-check charges are for a checking account. If you use an ATM frequently, you should also ask what the bank charges to use its own machines, as well as what it charges if you withdraw money from a different bank's ATM. If you plan to bank online, ask about monthly usage fees.

Extra fees

In addition to the charges for basic services, you should expect to pay for optional, special services such as money order and bank check fees or the cost of a wire transfer. You may not need them often, but they're very handy when you do.

There are some fees that you can avoid or keep to a minimum if you're aware of what they are — and if you keep track of your account balances.

• Overdraft fees
• Stop payment fees
• Balance inquiry fees
• Extra check fees
• Replacement statement fees

Where you decide to conduct your banking is an important financial decision. Be sure you explore all of your banking options, and understand the products, services and costs each has to offer you.