Open a Credit Union account. Do all your banking online, pay by EFTPOS and credit card (really cheap, no frills, low interest rate Mastercard) and get cash through EFTPOS cash out and you're laughing! If I am stuck and have to use a foreign ATM, the Credit Union refunds any fee I have to pay. In fact it rebates the cost of up to 15 EFTPOS transactions, equating to $6 and a further rebate of up to $5 for ATM transactions per month. How about that!
I only use my bank for mortgage(s). And remember, the interest rate pressure on the banks from the Rams and Aussies crowds has kept mortgage interest rates lower then they used to be. The banks have set about making up the difference through fees, (including fees on mortgage accounts!) But if you have a reasonable mortgage, the lower interest rates more than counters the fees, especially if you use strategies to avoid paying fees as above.
No I don't work for a bank or a credit union.
