Have been lurking with you for about a year and a half. Thought you might be interested to know that last week our bank allowed $500 cash withdraws from the ATM machine. This week the limit has been reduced to $300. Also, money was given in $10 bills this week versus $20 bills last week. Bank is located in Western NY. Anybody else notice any changes of their banks policies?

-- Carpenter (Staying@home.com), December 20, 1999

Answers

No, mine still allows $300 and gives twenty's. However, I think the biggest y2K threat we face is everyone walking with loads of cash...or storing it in their homes. This will make tempting targets for thieves. I am taking out some cash, and keeping it available, but will not be keeping it in my home or on my person.

-- jeff hodgin (hodginj@sprynet.com), December 20, 1999.

I believe it's always been $300 from my bank but I could be wrong about that. I can verify that I have experienced 10 dollar bills coming out when I withdraw $300. I've had this happen twice already. This has never happened before that I can recall. Usually I get 20 dollar bills. I'm in Michigan, Detroit area. The last couple of times I made a withdraw, I've gotten 20 dollar bills, but nevertheless I've had the 10 dollar problem in the past.

-- Larry (cobol.programmer@usa.net), December 20, 1999.

My credit union allows $300 withdraws. One disturbing thing I've noticed is that there is a continual turnover of new tellers. Also, I noticed in our newspaper that this credit union was advertising for new part time tellers. Perhaps it's only a coincidence but it does make me wonder if there is something going on I don't know about.

-- Mary Doe (m.doe@usa.net), December 20, 1999.

FWIW,

In March of this year my credit union allowed withdrawals of $500. In the summer it was reduced to $300.... and now the limit is $200 a day.

I'm in South Central Wisconsin.

-- cheddar (head@dairyland.com), December 20, 1999.

Regardless of what the limit on the ATM is, you can always just go inside and get whatever amount of money you need from the account.

I don't see what the big deal is about ATM cash withdrawls. I am sure there are more factors than "y2k" to consider when they set those rules.

If you want your cash, just take ten minutes out of your life and go inside the bank for pete's sake. You people are the first ones to whine about how lazy everyone is these days. Try practicing what you preach.

-- (boink@narf.skippy), December 20, 1999.

I just read the other day that some of the banks are using only $20 bills and limiting the choices of withdrawals so that they could fit more money in the machine. If nothing but $20s are in the machine, it will hold more $$$ than a mix of $10s and $20s. Around here our limit has always been $200/day, since we first got ATMs 20 years ago or so.

-- Jim (jiminwis@yahoo.com), December 20, 1999.

The bank above is only a few years old and only a local bank. This may account for the $500 limit. I rarely use the atm. Seems to me the timing of it is a little to coincidental especially for a bank that claims it is compliant. They also are staying open for business all day on Jan. 1. Are your banks open 1/1/00?

-- Carpenter (Staying@home.com), December 20, 1999.

My bank in the Dallas area, allows $500 ATM w/d (one per day or several totalling no more than $500). Gives it out in twenties. I am being kept busy breaking the twenties into ones, fives and a few tens.

-- preparing (preparing@home.com), December 20, 1999.