Thread: Q for international travellers

Originally Posted by solmanic

Get a Wizard ClearAdvantage Mastercard! NO FOREIGN CURRENCY CONVERSION FEES!
I kid you not.

We have used one overseas for the past 4 years and it's been great. On our last trip alone I estimate it saved us about $700. Even the conversion rates are good. I am always pleasantly surprised when I get the statement to see that my A$ amounts are less than I thought.
Even O/S ATM transaction fees are cheap or sometimes non-existant! And it's just a regular Mastercard so it's fairly widely accepted. You don't need to be a Wizard customer to get one either.

BTW - don't worry about Maestro - a regular Mastercard is usually accepted by ATMs anyway. And we usually put the card into credit and just use it as a debit card. Too easy.

wouldn't this mean its a cash advance and interest is charged from the day of the withdrawalconfused

Originally Posted by MickG

I use a cash passport card from Travelex (may be available from other places too) You basically decide how much cash to whack on the card either in AUD or Canadian before you go and it is pin code protected just like your every day ATM card. There is a tranaction fee each time you draw from an ATM, but the benefit is you have already paid the exchange rate and therefore your balance is all yours......minus the tranaction fees which varies from country to counrty. You can have multiple cards on the same A/C. Very easy to use and the only trick is to get the best exchange rate before you put the money on it. Only down side is you are more inclined to withdraw larger amount as the withdrawal fee is the same for $10 as it is for $1000. All fees are disclosed up front for the country you are visiting so you never ned to check rates each day etc.

HTH, Mick

This is the go used it in the USA eariler this year. Check their website out.

My wife is back tomorrow from being in Italy for three weeks with her mother. The girls and I ( 8 and 10 ) survived just.

Originally Posted by MickG

I use a cash passport card from Travelex (may be available from other places too) You basically decide how much cash to whack on the card either in AUD or Canadian before you go and it is pin code protected just like your every day ATM card. There is a tranaction fee each time you draw from an ATM, but the benefit is you have already paid the exchange rate and therefore your balance is all yours......minus the tranaction fees which varies from country to counrty. You can have multiple cards on the same A/C. Very easy to use and the only trick is to get the best exchange rate before you put the money on it. Only down side is you are more inclined to withdraw larger amount as the withdrawal fee is the same for $10 as it is for $1000. All fees are disclosed up front for the country you are visiting so you never ned to check rates each day etc.

HTH, Mick

Originally Posted by ak

This is the go used it in the USA eariler this year. Check their website out.

My wife is back tomorrow from being in Italy for three weeks with her mother. The girls and I ( 8 and 10 ) survived just.

they do not do canadian $$$, along with the $3.75 transaction fee megs will also be slugged with a 5.95% conversion fee for every transaction

Originally Posted by weeds

they do not do canadian $$$, along with the $3.75 transaction fee megs will also be slugged with a 5.95% conversion fee for every transaction

Exactly - stay away from travelex... $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

Originally Posted by weeds

wouldn't this mean its a cash advance and interest is charged from the day of the withdrawalconfused

As long as the card balance is in credit then there is no interest. Yes, technically it is a cash advance but as long as the money is coming out of deposited funds, there is no interest, just the cash advance fee, which is minimal on the Clear Advantage card.

I've lived and worked all over Asia for more than 11 years - never even seen a traveller' cheque... it's cash or ATM card as far as I'm concerned. One bank I use charges a flat $5 withdrawal fee per transaction on ATM card, but 5% on a credit card withdrawal.... do your sums, I'm sure you will find out what works best with the cards you have

In the US its almost a cashless society, everything goes on credit from a cup of coffee to the mortgage.