View Full Version : Banks in AT Trail towns
Montana Mac
09-19-2008, 11:54
A question for previous thru-hikers:
What was the most common Bank (financial – not creek, river, stream, etc :D) in the towns along the Trail?
The bank I use in Montana doesn’t have any branches east of the Mississippi and the ATM fees add up.
You are hiking thru small town America along the AT.
A better choice might be to use your debit card at the local Post Office. I think they can give you up to $50 cash.
NICKTHEGREEK
09-19-2008, 13:53
A question for previous thru-hikers:
What was the most common Bank (financial – not creek, river, stream, etc :D) in the towns along the Trail?
The bank I use in Montana doesn’t have any branches east of the Mississippi and the ATM fees add up.
The way things are going in banking a $4-$5 dollar round trip (your bank ATM charge and the host ATM charge is going to be a bargain next year. Wachovia, PNC and BB&T are 3 big names in the SE.
CrumbSnatcher
09-19-2008, 15:35
i only use american express travellers checks, 1 dollor charge per hundred. i carry mostly 50.00 checks and some 20.00 dollor checks. they work just like cash. and will be replaced if you lose them.
atraildreamer
09-20-2008, 11:53
i only use american express travellers checks, 1 dollor charge per hundred. i
No fee for AAA members. :):):)
bigboots
09-20-2008, 15:30
You can try setting up a small account with National City Bank, they have an ATM refund. They pay back all ATM charges on your statement. Free ATM use the entire trip!
I don't have an account with them right now, so I don't know the fine print, but am thinking about it for my 09 thru.
Bigboots
You can try setting up a small account with National City Bank, they have an ATM refund. They pay back all ATM charges on your statement. Free ATM use the entire trip!
I don't have an account with them right now, so I don't know the fine print, but am thinking about it for my 09 thru.
Bigboots
Good idea. Many of the smaller local banks will refund ATM charges because they are not part of a large network.
Tennessee Viking
09-20-2008, 16:15
For every trail town you hike into, they will more than likely have different banking systems & ATMs.
I would stick with check cards and cash advance credit cards. With check cards, you can debit cash back at some stores.
One good tip about using ATMs, use notable bank ATMs and not your easy convenience generic ATM. Bank ATMs will at times charge less in fees than generic ATMs usually (Banks: $2-3; generics: $5 or more).
You are hiking thru small town America along the AT.
A better choice might be to use your debit card at the local Post Office. I think they can give you up to $50 cash.Just don't expect them to have the 50 bucks right when they open up. It is best to go in the afternoon after they have done business all day and even then you cant get much out of some of them. I went to the Glencliff PO about ten minutes before it closed and was only able to get 10 bucks. But for 30 cents or whatever a generic postcard costs it isn't a bad deal and you get to send out a postcard.
Most of the banks are local banks. I would pay for what you can directly with a debit card and take out cash in large chunks(50-100 at a time) to have cash with you.
Kirby
wrongway_08
09-21-2008, 10:59
I used my bank card the entire trip. you can, when you find one, hit up the Walmarts and such for an extra $40.00 cash.
I would just hit the bank ATMs and pull out $200-$300, this would last a few towns (for town stuff, I would just buy food and rooms on the card because they dont charge a fee for regular charges) and keep those ATM fees to less then .5%. Its kinda worthless to only pull out $50.00 because then your payn around 3% - 5% fee on your money!!! Do that 20 - 30 times on your trip and you have wasted a lot of $$$$.
Besides the P.O., most grocery stores give cash back on debit cards...and they have way more cash on hand that small-town P.O.s usually do.