A growing number of my customers use credit cards, but the fees are killing me. Anything I can do?

A: I feel your pain! If the fees are killing you, then the sales are saving you! We can no longer live without accepting credit cards, because almost everyone does and we would lose the sales. It’s the cost of doing business. We do have a little control, however. We can shop around and look for lower fees from other companies. Just make sure your research is thorough. Some companies will claim a lower fee and then throw in hidden costs. Other operators have stopped taking credit cards but now have ATM machines, which eliminate the fees altogether and actually give you money from the fees you charge your customers for using the ATM. Remember though, an ATM machine creates new liabilities for you.