Taking money overseas

[noosacuda]

I'm taking cash $US and a loaded cash passport card and a (Mastercard for reserve funds) with me to the States.

[Sam_Boss260]

Data mining an old thread...

We are doing 5 weeks in Europe soon, and I'm contemplating this issue.

I'm thinking of getting a Citibank Plus Visa Debit card, as it has low fees and use it as the ATM card.
And getting a 28 Degrees credit card as it does not have any international transaction fees.

Anybody had experience with these?

[Yellow_Festiva]

Originally Posted by Sam_Boss260

Data mining an old thread...

We are doing 5 weeks in Europe soon, and I'm contemplating this issue.

I'm thinking of getting a Citibank Plus Visa Debit card, as it has low fees and use it as the ATM card.
And getting a 28 Degrees credit card as it does not have any international transaction fees.

Anybody had experience with these?

28 Degrees card is well worth it. No commission on transactions and they don't jack up / down the conversion rate to compensate.

Don't know about the other card, but if you have done your research then it should be fine.

Take some cash hidden away for an emergency. Around $2k if you are a couple. Only take USD if you have some lying around and want to 'dispose' of it. AUD will be fine (50's & 100's), after all, it will only be used in case cards fail / are lost / compromised etc.

Travel insurance, and notify the banks of your itinerary so they don't cancel your cards.

Oh, I remember having an issue with my PIN somewhere in Europe. One country didn't recognise a 4 digit PIN and I couldn't access my cash. Upon my return I was told by the bank that I should have added a 00 at the end (or something like that??) so perhaps use a 6 digit number.

Perhaps this isn't a concern any more?? No idea. Can you still make a 4 digit PIN I wonder??.

Where you off to Sam?

[Sam_Boss260]

Originally Posted by Yellow_Festiva

28 Degrees card is well worth it. No commission on transactions and they don't jack up / down the conversion rate to compensate.

Don't know about the other card, but if you have done your research then it should be fine.

Take some cash hidden away for an emergency. Around $2k if you are a couple. Only take USD if you have some lying around and want to 'dispose' of it. AUD will be fine (50's & 100's), after all, it will only be used in case cards fail / are lost / compromised etc.

Travel insurance, and notify the banks of your itinerary so they don't cancel your cards.

Oh, I remember having an issue with my PIN somewhere in Europe. One country didn't recognise a 4 digit PIN and I couldn't access my cash. Upon my return I was told by the bank that I should have added a 00 at the end (or something like that??) so perhaps use a 6 digit number.

Perhaps this isn't a concern any more?? No idea. Can you still make a 4 digit PIN I wonder??.

Where you off to Sam?

Thanks for the tips and advice. All taken onboard.

Main purpose of the trip is to see family in Sicily. So we are doing Dubai as a stop over, then Paris, then Sicily for the majority of the trip, then Rome and then back home.

[Bucknaked]

I always take T/C and a small amount of cash. Aussie banks give terrible rates plus their fees. T/C is perfect, I will never use an OS ATM.

Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk

[Yellow_Festiva]

Originally Posted by Sam_Boss260

Thanks for the tips and advice. All taken onboard.

Main purpose of the trip is to see family in Sicily. So we are doing Dubai as a stop over, then Paris, then Sicily for the majority of the trip, then Rome and then back home.

No worries.

Enjoy your trip!

Oh, and don't let on that you understand Italian (assuming you do?) You will hear some interesting stuff at markets / ticket booths / on public transport etc when people assume you don't know what they are saying.

Been to Italy several times, dad's Calabrese

[2011G6E]

When we went to the states, we used one of those "Cash Passport" cards. They could be used anywhere, most places didn't even require signatures, no fees either when being used. You can swap and change currency online as you see fit, and reload for free as well. No charges for changing between currencies either.

We found it extremely easy to use, everywhere accepted it, no issues at all. Highly recommend it.

[Yellow_Festiva]

Originally Posted by 2011G6E

When we went to the states, we used one of those "Cash Passport" cards. They could be used anywhere, most places didn't even require signatures, no fees either when being used. You can swap and change currency online as you see fit, and reload for free as well. No charges for changing between currencies either.

We found it extremely easy to use, everywhere accepted it, no issues at all. Highly recommend it.

How long ago was this? Last time I looked into one, they charged a loading fee.

[Yellow_Festiva]

Originally Posted by 2011G6E

When we went to the states, we used one of those "Cash Passport" cards. They could be used anywhere, most places didn't even require signatures, no fees either when being used. You can swap and change currency online as you see fit, and reload for free as well. No charges for changing between currencies either.

We found it extremely easy to use, everywhere accepted it, no issues at all. Highly recommend it.

This makes for some interesting reading:

http://www.cashpassport.com.au/how-d...es-and-limits/

Sorry, I personally think they are a rort. Fee to open, fee to load, fee to close, fee to use here, possible fee to use OS, fee to not use it, fee when there is no money to collect the fee, near 6% conversion fee on top of the rate the bank uses (that is also around 4% down on what XE says)...

Rort........

[Jastel]

There's a catch to every system.

Cash is good for taxis, tips, food and small stuff. Can lose it get robbed etc.

CC for hotels and planes, car rentals, travel insurance included on Gold and above cards. Get more points if that's what you want. May spend too much, lose card and you're stuffed. Smaller villages may not accept.

Cashcards , you can only use up to that limit, give to the wife. Easy to reload these days with internet.

Travellers Chq - maybe for emergency only, it is 2014.

You need a combination.

But remember you are spending thousands of $$$$ on a HOLIDAY to enjoy it, don't stress about a $2 loss on currency exchange.

[Sam_Boss260]

Originally Posted by Yellow_Festiva

No worries.

Enjoy your trip!

Oh, and don't let on that you understand Italian (assuming you do?) You will hear some interesting stuff at markets / ticket booths / on public transport etc when people assume you don't know what they are saying.

Been to Italy several times, dad's Calabrese

Classic!! We are Sicilian, so yes will understand a fair bit.

[2011G6E]

Nothing is free...but Cash Passport has less fees than a lot of the others.

...and keep away from most of those kiosks in airports which exchange money.

You CAN just use a Visa linked debit card...I did it a couple of times with my ANZ debit card in Vegas. There's a fee of course.

[Jastel]

Originally Posted by Sam_Boss260

Classic!! We are Sicilian, so yes will understand a fair bit.

Australian friend of mine with Italian background was going on a tour somewhere in Italy, heard the guy charge the white tourist $20 and then the local Italian $10, when it was his turn to pay and the guy wanted $20 he abused him in Italian and got the tour for $10...

Try that trick as well.

It was Euros obviously and I am guessing the amounts but the story remains.

[EDManual]

if you have an Amex Platinum you get free travel insurance and lots of benifits even without paying for anything like the flights with the amex card.
I have that.
I will look into the 28 degree card. Sounds interesting.
We are going to France mainly for 3 months from June :-D Yay, Long service leave!
Hmm, Nurburgring!! And the Goodwood Festival of speed... and and and!!

[tranquilized]

Yeah those cash passport cards are a scam, wouldn't bother with them. You're getting charged 3% conversion rate for every dollar you put on there, there really is no benefit unless you really want to lock in the exchange rate for the whole trip. But why would you? All the "experts" were predicting the $Aussie to crash and burn, but this week it reaches a 4 month high....

28 degrees mastercard is an absolute must. The conversion rate they give is always excellent, and no conversion charge. If you plan to spend AU$5000 on the trip, the lack of conversion charge saves you $100 right there, not to mention what you'll save from the better conversion rate.

In the past you could even use them to withdraw cash for free by putting the card in credit then taking a cash advance, but they've since closed this loop hole by charging 2% conversion charge on cash advances, which just makes it the same as any other option except you're still ahead because you'll get a better rate.

[EDManual]

I did a search for the 28 degrees card, seems not as good as was, 3% fee for something :

28 Degrees Mastercard overseas ATM fee hike hits Australian travellers with minimum $4 per withdrawal

John Rolfe Cost of Living Editor
News Corp Australia Network
January 11, 2014 10:00PM

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WITHDRAWING cash while abroad just became a whole lot more expensive for hundreds of thousands of Australians due to hefty new fees on one of the most popular - and arguably best - cards on the market.

Since January 1 more than 250,000 holders of a 28 Degrees Mastercard have faced a 3 per cent charge when using overseas ATMs. Before the change it was the only fee-free credit card, arguably making it the top option for holiday-makers. Choice named it best travel money card in 2012.

But now, a tourist who takes out a total of $5000 will be hit with $150 in fees - even more if they withdraw in small amounts because the minimum slug is $4.

The company behind the card, GE Money - part of the $US278 billion ($A313 billion) behemoth General Electric - is suffering a backlash from users.

Tripadvisor member Tarratourist wrote: "Very annoyed as this was a fantastic card to use overseas for cash advances."

On Twitter, Dezer1970 said: "@28DegreesMC new cash advance fee of 3% very disappointing! Time to find a new credit card."

A GE spokeswoman, who asked not to be named, said: "We have implemented this completely avoidable fee so we can continue to offer our customers the benefits of no international transaction fees on purchases, no currency conversion fees and no annual fee."

Asked to explain how the fee was avoidable, the spokeswoman said it could be avoided by not using ATMs. Or buying casino chips.

Money expert Michelle Hutchison from comparison service finder.com.au said the best option now was to take two cards.

For withdrawing cash Ms Hutchison recommended the Citibank Plus Visa debit card, saying it was the "only transaction account that doesn't charge for using the card overseas". It doesn't have monthly fees, either. "It's great for using your own money for making purchases or withdrawing cash," Ms Hutchison said.

There appears to be strong demand for the Citibank card. Its head of retail banking Vibha Coburn (correct) said transaction volume rose more than 50 per cent last year.

Ms Hutchison advised against withdrawing cash overseas using a credit card because of the fees and potential for interest charges. Following the 28 Degrees change, the lowest fee credit card is Suncorp's Clear Options Gold Visa. Its cash advance fee is 1.5% but there is also a charge for currency conversion (3.4 per cent), plus ATM fees and an annual fee that rises to $120 in the second year.

Ms Hutchison said you shouldn't cut up your 28 Degrees card. As GE's unnamed spokeswoman noted, there is still no extra charge when making purchases abroad. The only other annual-fee-free card that can make this claim is Bankwest's Zero Platinum card.

[tranquilized]

yeah thats what i was saying, they've just closed what you could call a loop hole. Its still brilliant for just using as a normal credit card.

I'm gonna look into that citi bank card for my next trip.