Bankrate’s 2008 checking study found if you bounce a check, you’ll pay an average of $28.95. That’s 2.5 percent higher than last year. If you’re lucky, that’s all you’ll pay. Too often, even occasional check bouncers fall victim to banks’ practice of paying the largest check first when they’re clearing several checks received around the same time. If that first check drains your account and there are three or four smaller checks behind it, you’ll get clipped for multiple NSF fees.

Bounced-check fees by year: