ATM Fees

A Nov. 25 letter compared complaining about ATM fees to demanding free milk from Ralphs when you normally shop at Albertson’s. One flaw in that kind of thinking is that the milk you want from Ralphs does not belong to you, while the money you wish to withdraw via an ATM does belong to you--not the bank.

The banks use depositors’ money to earn piles of money in loans and investments, then charge us for access to it--our own money. Charges for bank services are too damned high and getting higher, and being hit with a charge for access to our own money is just one more ka-ching! for the banks.

DON M. HOWARD

Oak Hills

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The banks have it all wrong; not only should they not charge me a fee when I use another bank’s ATM, they should reward me with a bonus! After all, they save wear and tear on their own machines, fewer supplies, less currency to count out when they resupply their machines, etc. The other bank has every right to charge me, a noncustomer, for using their machine; they are providing a service to me.

GENE HUBER

Irvine