Marie
Senior Travel Member
Posts: 114
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Post by Marie on May 22, 2003 19:02:55 GMT -5
- I have an atm card qith Royal Bank Canada and it works with "Plus" atms but not with "Cirrus" atms. Does this cause a problem? I mean are atm machines that work with Cirrus more available in Europe?
- Secondly are atms easy too use?
- And thirdly, I asked my bank how much it costs to take out money in Europe and they said around 5 dollars each time! Isn't that a bit pricey?
If anyone has any info or advice, please do say!
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Post by Kim on May 22, 2003 19:28:53 GMT -5
The bank machines are extremely easy to use, same as here pretty much. You won't find it hard to find a machine, they are everywhere.
Yes, $5 is very pricy! Call around to some banks and find out what they charge and open an account somewhere else as that is too much. I think ours was $2 at CIBC, but that might have changed.
Kim
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Post by WillTravel on Jul 24, 2003 3:45:32 GMT -5
If at all possible, consider getting two ATM cards, and/or having two separate accounts. I had some currency we had purchased in Vancouver for each country. In Denmark, I needed to withdraw some more, so I went in good faith to an ATM. I asked for what I thought was a reasonable amount - didn't work - I tried again - still didn't work - I was very frustrated. Although I didn't see why it should make a difference, my son (whose card is on the same account) used his card, and was able to withdraw money.
As it turned out, my bank (TD/Canada Trust) for some unknown and unexplained reason had put a $100 withdrawal limit on my card (but happily not my son's card). They apologized and withdrew that limit, although it didn't matter at that point (my husband phoned to investigate a couple days later).
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Post by LHR02 on Jul 24, 2003 5:05:25 GMT -5
Absolutely get two ATM cards! If one gets demagnitized, folded, scratched, chipped, whatever or heaven forbid the machine 'eats' it for some reason you would be stuck with no way to access your funds. My bank at first balked, said they could not issue a second card with only one person (me) on the account, once I explained my concerns and why I wanted one they readily issued me a second card.
And yep, $5 is way too much.....negotiate or find another bank. ;D
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Post by jennifer on Jul 24, 2003 11:27:22 GMT -5
HI!
I'm with Caisses Popoulaire du Québec, don't know where you come from, but if you can, change to their account for the length of your trip! I never had a problem what so ever, it's 2,50$ per withdrawal and they exchange the money according to the exchange rate of the second you withdraw! But shop around in your town, there must be a cheaper bank!
xoxo
Jen
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izaguf
Full Travel Member
Posts: 27
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Post by izaguf on Jul 30, 2003 15:00:56 GMT -5
$5 is very pricey! When I was in France, Switzerland and Italy earlier this year my ATM card didn't charge any surcharges and would convert my US dollars to Euros or Francs at the exact exchange rate for the day.
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Post by me on Aug 13, 2003 21:00:21 GMT -5
have heard that one should carry tweesers, just to get your card back from a baulky ATM that eats your card! Absolutely get two ATM cards! If one gets demagnitized, folded, scratched, chipped, whatever or heaven forbid the machine 'eats' it for some reason you would be stuck with no way to access your funds. My bank at first balked, said they could not issue a second card with only one person (me) on the account, once I explained my concerns and why I wanted one they readily issued me a second card. |
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Post by WillTravel on Aug 13, 2003 23:31:10 GMT -5
At the Rick Steves site, they have a forum where people post all the ways they were ripped off or robbed in Europe. One scam involved bank machines that had a special plastic sleeve inside where the card goes. You go through the transaction as normal, and then don't get your card back, because the sleeve has little hooks on it. The thief then comes along after you leave and retrieves the card (don't know how they get your PIN, but somehow that's done also). Anyway, you can feel the edge where the card goes in, and see if there are little hooks there. I started to wonder if this was an urban legend, and unfortunately it is not. See: www.snopes.com/inboxer/scams/atmtheft.htm |
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Post by Kim on Aug 14, 2003 8:26:44 GMT -5
Yeah, I've heard of this scam happening in North American as well.
I highly recommend signing up for online banking as well, to be able to check your transactions and balance.
We had two instances in Greece (nowhere else though, oddly enough), where we put in our card and everything went as usual like a normal transaction, only the money never came out.
Tried it again at another bank machine in another distant location and the same thing!
Checked to see that the money came out of our account online, yep, it did.
So we just called up our bank, told them what happened and our account was credited within a few days. Also a good idea to bring your banks phone number!
Kim
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Post by Ynox on Aug 19, 2003 17:49:59 GMT -5
got charged between £1.50 and £1.75 to use an ATM in greece. Exchange rate varied between 1.36 and 1.38 euros to £. Either way was a bit of a rip off  |
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Post by jennifer on Aug 19, 2003 18:36:09 GMT -5
Atm's are always rip offs but when you think of it, they are probably the cheapest way anyways!
travellers cheques can be a hassle and they have fees....
etc..
so I mean, you got to live with it. I must admit it's the best way to carry money though!
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Post by me on Oct 9, 2003 17:29:55 GMT -5
TC's are a much bigger ripoff than ATM's. IMO! from the time you buy a tc, the company gets the use of your money (time value and all that). then, they often charge a fee on top of bad exchange rates! w/ atm's, the cash stays in your account untill you withdraw it, and i found that fees are lower (sometimes no fee at all) the exchange rate is the market rate at the time of the transaction! if your bank charges fees, find a new bank! [there are too many exclamation marks in this post  ] Atm's are always rip offs but when you think of it, they are probably the cheapest way anyways! travellers cheques can be a hassle and they have fees.... etc.. so I mean, you got to live with it. I must admit it's the best way to carry money though! |
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Post by LHR02 on Oct 9, 2003 17:38:37 GMT -5
I agree David.....if you've travelled at all these past 2-3 years, and assuming you have done your homework and have your funds in the right bank...then you know ATM's are no rip off at all and the only reasonable way to go.
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Post by me on Oct 9, 2003 17:59:53 GMT -5
i may have said this before, but Americans can find banks with low, or no, fees at bankrate.com
- d
Actually, this site merely lists banks, and tells what fees they charge. it's a good way to find low/no fee banks.
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Post by LHR02 on Oct 9, 2003 18:26:00 GMT -5
or in the southeast at Compass Bank...among many others.
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