Fed up with your bank's fees? How to move your accounts

— -- At first, it seemed like the perfect match. Thoughtful gifts. A smile every time you walked in the door. An occasional note thanking you for, well, just being you.

But like so many romances that looked promising at first, your relationship with your bank has soured. You've been ground down by ATM fees, overdraft charges and penurious earnings on your so-called interest-bearing checking account. You're angry and you want out. But breaking up with your bank can be messy and expensive, especially if you use direct deposit, online bill payment and similar automatic services.

Because of the hassle, most consumers don't switch banks unless they move to another part of the country, says James Van Dyke, president of Javelin Strategy and Research. Every year, only about 11% of bank customers change their bank accounts, he says.

While consumers often complain about fees and services, Van Dyke says, "It takes dynamite to remove them from their bank."

However, attitudes may be changing. While the overall percentage of bank account switchers remained about the same during the first quarter, 44% cited higher fees as the reason for the change, up from 36% for the past 12 months (see box), according to a Javelin survey. Only 8% cited a move as the reason for the change, vs. 26% for the past 12 months.

The findings suggest that consumers who have long complained about fees and services "are getting up and walking away," Van Dyke says.

Banks have given them plenty of reason to leave. Average ATM and bounced-check fees continued to soar last year, according to Bankrate.com. Banks have also made it easier for consumers to overdraw their accounts with checks, ATMs and debit cards, triggering hefty overdraft fees. Meanwhile, the average interest-bearing checking account is paying less than 1%.

In this tight-fisted economy, there's no reason to pay more for banking services than necessary — especially when there are so many banks and credit unions vying for your affections. Some community banks and credit unions are offering interest rates of 4% or more on checking accounts if you meet certain requirements, such as using your debit card at least 10 times a month. You can find more information about rewards checking accounts at checkingfinder.com or bankdeals.blogspot.com.