When you think of a card costing you money, you probably think more about credit cards than debit cards. But debit cards can cost you plenty of money too. Today let’s take a look at some of the ways debit cards can cost you money, especially in ways you might not realise up front when choosing to use debit rather than credit.

Here are three “hidden” costs of debit cards you should be aware of:

1. Monthly Account Fees

Monthly fees tied to your debit card aren’t usually labelled as “debit card fees.” Instead they’re called account maintenance fees or something similar. By referring to them as fees for your checking account, banks can make debit cards appear significantly cheaper than credit cards.

They also advertise low dollar amounts — like $5. While these dollar amounts seem instantly cheaper than most annual fees, it’s important to remember that they’re monthly, so that $5 monthly fee is really like a $60 annual fee. When you stop and look at it that way, you’ll find that many credit cards are actually cheaper.

Some debit cards, like NAB Classic Banking with Visa Debit, don’t charge an account fee if you maintain a high enough balance. If you have one of these cards make sure you keep an eye on that fee. You might forget about it until the day you decrease your balance beyond that threshold.

2. Currency Conversion Fees

This somewhat hidden fee works much like credit card fees. Here’s the gist of how it works: If you travel to a foreign country or you make an international purchase (such as online) your bank has to convert the currency and you’re charged a fee for that. The fee might be a set transaction fee or a percentage of the purchase price. It isn’t always clear if companies online are in your country or not, so to avoid these fees stick to Australian companies you know and trust.

3. ATM Fees

One of the perks of debit cards is that they give you access to your own money — that means no interest. But it does mean you might pay ATM fees to withdraw cash. These fees are relatively small, but they can really add up over the course of a month. If you find yourself mostly using your debit card to access cash, you might want to consider using the card for purchases directly instead.

None of these debit card costs are truly “hidden” or kept a secret from the consumer. They’ve just become such everyday charges that we can sometimes forget about them and how much they can add up to. Monitor your statement carefully each month and see how much your debit card really costs you.