Most people don’t know that an ATM machine makes money from its users in two ways.
The first way is by charging the user an ATM usage fee when the cardholder accesses their money.
The second way ATMs make money involves the bank or financial institution that owns the machine and allows customers to use it.
Have you ever wondered how much money is inside an ATM? The average ATM contains between $15,000 to $20,000 in cash at any time.
Still, that amount varies depending on the type of machine and its location.
If there is not a lot of cash in the machine when you withdraw, you can withdraw up to $500 for each transaction, which may be just enough to treat yourself to a great meal out.
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How Much Money Is in an ATM on Average?
ATMs hold about $20,000 worth of cash each day, though that number varies based on seasonality, location, and time of day.
That’s because most bank customers only have access to a fraction of their account balances at any time, and ATMs release cash as needed.
When cash withdrawals are less frequent on weekends and holidays, ATMs don’t need to hold nearly as much at any given moment.
Additionally, when many people use the ATMs often, such as during tax season or significant conferences, operators may need to restock the machines daily.
How Much Money Is in a Small ATM
The amount of cash inside a small ATM varies depending on where you live, but there are some general trends we can follow.
Most of these small machines hold somewhere around $2000-$5000.Most ATMs have less cash late at night or when many users withdraw.
There are typically fewer security cameras around the machine, and theft can occur at night or when many people aren’t using the device.
Additionally, some banks don’t use as much money during holidays and weekends as more money will likely come out later in those weeks.
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How to Find Out How Much Money Is in an ATM
If you want to know how many dollars are in an ATM at any given moment, call a local bank and ask them. A representative from each bank should be able to provide you with that information.
Or, if you call your own bank, you can ask for a quick tour of their vault or some other place where ATMs are kept.
That way, you’ll see it firsthand. If neither option works for you, your last resort would be to count how many $20 bills are in one large denomination bill bin at a time.
Take note of how many ATMs there are per room and use some simple math to determine how much money is in each machine.
What Is the Average ATM Withdrawal Limit?
The average withdrawal limit from ATMs (or automatic teller machines) around a country typically varies depending on which country you’re talking about.
However, it usually ranges between $80 and $180, although some countries allow their banks to set lower limits (up to $100).
This means that people in these countries are more likely to take out higher amounts than they need, which could contribute to overspending.
In fact, there have been several studies that show that people tend to spend more when using cash instead of credit cards.
How Often Are Atms Refilled?
The answer to that question depends a lot on which country you’re in. Banks typically put more cash into ATMs during rush hours for withdrawals and remove it when business slows down.
In fact, some countries have stringent rules about how often banks must refill ATMs—which means there could be quite a bit of variation from machine to machine.
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Conclusion
On average, there are pros and cons to loading money in an ATM if you are a business owner with your own machine.
On the one hand, having that constant influx of cash means you’re likely providing more accessibility for those without bank accounts.
Still, if not monitored well by management, a store can lose significant revenue due to theft.
No matter your situation, being aware of potential risks to security and making small changes every now and then will help cut down on big and small losses.