As more people choose to swipe their debit cards instead of paying with cash, it hardly seems fair to pay a fee for the service.

Unfortunately a lot of bank accounts that come with debit cards – especially MasterCard or Visa options – also come with monthly fees.

While a fee of $5 per month may not seem like much at first, it all adds up and some people could end up paying over $100 per year just to access their money.

But the worst thing is that there are many accounts that have a no fee option and include just as many features and benefits as their paid counterparts.

It is all a matter of knowing where to look, so to get you started here is a look at some of the most common no fee debit card options.

Basic Debit Card Accounts

People who simply want the basics of an everyday transaction account could end up sidestepping fees at the same time.

A number of basic debit card options like Suncorp’s Everyday Basics account or NAB’s Classic Banking do not charge any monthly fees for the service.

But it is still important to make sure the account will suit you because some of the more basic debit card options could limit free transactions or only offer a basic debit card.

Debit Cards That Offer Fee Free Eligibilities

Some debit card options will offer to waive monthly fees for eligible account holders.

Students, for example, do not have to pay monthly fees for most banks, including ANZ, Bankwest and Westpac.

Other accounts will waive these fees if a certain amount of money is deposited into the account, like HSBC’s Day To Day debit card account that is fee free if $2000 or more is deposited each month.

Some banks may even offer a fee waiver without advertising it, so if you are happy with your current debit card but would like to save on fees it may be a good idea to talk to a customer service representative about what kind of options are available.

Additional Debit Cards

Some accounts will allow several debit cards to be connected to them. While there may be a fee for the actual account, often there will be no fees attached to the actual debit cards.

For people who have a lot of money in one account and would like to keep card spending or statements separated, this may be a good option. It is also convenient for couples that share expenses but may not want to open a joint account.

Paying fees to access your money might be fine for some people but with so many different ways to avoid them you should be able to save even more and still get the most out of your debit card.