If overdraft fees have become a regular part of your month, you know that each time your account is overdrawn, you are charged a fee. And over time, those fees add up to a lot of money. Now is the time to break that cycle, help save money, and avoid being overdrawn in the first place.

Here are 5 ways to prevent overdraft fees and keep your account in the positive.

Use one account for spending

An account like a Civic checking can serve as your main spending account. That way, you can easily (and closely) monitor activity in one account to help prevent being overdrawn.

Fund your account with direct deposit

Direct Deposit will send your paycheck to your account each pay period. You can request a form for Direct Deposit from your employer or add your account number to a Civic Direct Deposit Authorization form. That way, you know your paycheck funds will be deposited to the account on a regular basis.

Check account balances before spending

Automatic payments can change your balance fast depending on the time of month, even with Direct Deposit. Each day, check your balance to know the exact amount in the account. This can help you avoid spending more than the available balance and going negative. If possible, make this part of your daily routine. And, we have an app for that!

Set up balance alerts and notifications

The Civic app can help in many ways, including sending you an email or text notification about a low balance and more. Just open the app or log in to online banking and go to ‘profile’ and ‘alerts’ then ‘notifications.’ Add these notifications as an extra set of eyes to help you keep your balance in the positive.

Deposit cash payments as soon as possible

If you get paid in cash, deposit it as soon as possible. That way, the money will be in your spending account and ready to use. This can help serve as a buffer to keep your account from going negative. Make cash deposits at a Civic branch, add cash at the Money Center at Walmart with your debit card, or at one of 90,000 retailers nationwide using an in-app barcode.

Use these tips to create a financial routine that can help you take charge of your money and avoid unnecessary overdrawn fees.