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Americans are increasingly using debit cards, instead of cash, to make routine purchases. And recently, many banks planned to use this habit as a "gotcha" and start charging their customers a fee for using debit cards.

This move was prompted by a new law effective October 1, 2011, that cut the amount of money a bank can charge a business when it accepts payment with a debit card - from 44 cents a swipe to 21 cents a swipe. The result: banks will lose about $9.4 billion annually.

When Bank of America, Wells Fargo, JPMorgan Chase and other banks announced they would, try to recoup their lost revenue by charging customers $3 to $5 a month for using debit cards, a public outcry ensued. President Obama criticized the debit card charges as a way for banks to expand their profits at the expense of customers. And a Bank of America customer gathered more than 300,000 signatures on a petition protesting the debit card charges. In response to the backlash, Bank of America and many banks abandoned their debit card charge plan.

So, is it time to rejoice? Not yet. As Bank of America spokesperson Anne Pace put it, "We will continue to initiate actions to mitigate lost revenue where and whenever possible." Expect banks to find stealth ways to increase expenses that may fly under the radar, says Bill Hardekopf of Lowcards.com.

Likely actions banks will take, according to bankrate.com, include:

• Inactivity fees on debit cards (so you'll have to use them at least a few times a month)
• Fees for getting paper statements
• Fees to speak to a teller
• Higher charges for bounced checks
• The elimination of debit card reward programs

The idea of charging customers for debit card use was the last straw for many bank customers. Politicians, such as Senator Durbin (D-IL), urged credit unions to entice customers away from large banks. And the National Association of Federal Credit Unions recorded a 350% increase to its online credit union locator. Big banks got a black eye, but are still in the fight to make money.

Meanwhile, Alliant members, like you, can continue to enjoy one of the benefits of the Alliant Advantage. Alliant does not charge monthly maintenance fees for checking nor does Alliant charge a fee for a debit card.

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Sources: The Washington Post, smartmoney.com, gobankingrates.com and businessweek.com