. >> david lazarus, a consumer columnist at the "l.a. times," david, why is this overdraft fee hitting so many checking account consumers? >> well, let's face it, we're not the best managers of our money. that's our birth right of americans to throw our money around willy-nilly. there are a few things to keep in mind when we look at overdraft fees. the owe new ownus is on us to kk of our money. unless you have a burning jones to go out and support the ban banking industry with these billions of dollars of fees racking up, do something about it, and there are tools at your disposal that will help you not get caught in the overdraft fee vortex. >> what are some of those tools? >> well, the first thing as we heard, opt out from overdraft protection. since 2010 federal law has given you the power and the right to step away from that, and it's just smart. if you don't have the money to cover a transaction, this will just cut off the transaction. now there is a couple of things. paper check don't apply to this, and recurring payments don't app