ATMs Your Bank Will Let You Use For Free

Diving onto the nearest ATM regardless of brand can be tempting when you need cash in a hurry, but you'll invariably end up paying $2 or more for the privilege. Dodge fees with our guide to which ATMs your bank lets you use for nothing.

The listing below summarises which ATM "networks" you can generally utilise for free with a particular bank's accounts, and how many machines that network offers. Each financial institution is linked to its online ATM finder to help you locate a useful nearby option. (If you're using an unfamiliar ATM, be on the alert for skimmers and other fraudulent devices.)

Note that a bank offering free transactions on its own machines doesn't in itself guarantee that you'll get a fee-free transaction: if your account limits the number of ATM transactions you can make per month, then you'll end up getting slugged if you go over that number. (Even then, using your own bank's ATM will be cheaper than using a rival, since the latter experience will end up hitting you with both foreign withdrawal and excess usage fees.)

Minimising your visits to the automatic teller can be good financial practice: constant visits for top-up money are often symptomatic of broader budget management issues. That said, there seems little point forking over money you can avoid by locating the "right" ATM when you do need to make a withdrawal. Be wary of unbranded ATMs in corner stores, petrol stations and the like, which will generally charge fees no matter what kind of account you have.

ATMs inside are not safer.
can you scan the entire store, and everybody in there, before walking in?
how many exits are there?
Is that cleaner mopping the floor, or watching your PIN entry?
The street front ATMs are the safest, without question.

The trick is to cover the PIN pad with your hand whilst typing it in to avoid cameras or people seeing.

And walk round with a titanium staff and get trained in a martial art (Tai-Chi has weapon forms that may prove handy). That way people will think you are just crazy and if they end up messing with you then you just kick 10 bells outta them.

NAB and RediATM are one and the same network now - Credit Unions that use RediATM can also use NAB and vice versa.
It's also worth nothing that whilst you don't pay a direct charge, some accounts charge you an excess ATM fee if you rack up a certain number of (even within-network) transactions in a month.

ING Everyday accounts can use all atms for free as long as you withdraw over $200. Or you could just get cashout from Coles or Woolworths. In fact they pay you $20 the first time you get cashout from Eftpos.

While not free, ME Bank account holders can use Westpac, St George and BankSA ATMs (as well as ME Bank ATMs if you can find them) for $1.00 fee rather than the $2 or more at other ATMs (but note the fine print says except at BP Petrol Stations for St George and BankSA)

Bankwest hero account pays interest on the account balance and has free ATM use at Bankwest/CBA. I get about $9 per month in interest instead of the account keeping charge I used to get from my previous bank.

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