Aaron Baldwin
New Member
- Time of past OR future Camino
- Frances 2018
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I'm an American going on camino soon and as far as getting cash from ATMs, can i just use a regular debit card to get euros? Will the cost of converting it at the atm be minimal or should i figure out a prepaid card with euros loaded on it?
A debit card is the preferred method simply because a credit card withdrawal is frequently treated as a 'cash advance' which incurs higher interest charges on the balance. Banks have different policies on what fees they charge for a debit card's use, so you need to check with your specific bank.
For myself, I have a checking account with Charles Schwab for the sole purpose of travel. It has a secured and encrypted link to my primary checking account which is at a different bank. I can transfer funds back and forth between accounts as needed. The debit card from my travel account has no ATM transaction fees for out-of-network ATMs; it automatically reimburses my account for the fees the owner of an out-of-network ATM might charge for its use; it does not charge me a currency exchange fee.
Best of all, that account was free to open, it is free from any minimum balance requirements, and there is no monthly fee to maintain the account. PLUS, it pays interest on my checking account balance.
That account was easy to open, and just to reiterate, it was FREE. Some other forum members have the same type of results with a few other banks as well, so it pays to do some financial institution shopping
A debit card is the preferred method simply because a credit card withdrawal is frequently treated as a 'cash advance' which incurs higher interest charges on the balance. Banks have different policies on what fees they charge for a debit card's use, so you need to check with your specific bank.
For myself, I have a checking account with Charles Schwab for the sole purpose of travel. It has a secured and encrypted link to my primary checking account which is at a different bank. I can transfer funds back and forth between accounts as needed. The debit card from my travel account has no ATM transaction fees for out-of-network ATMs; it automatically reimburses my account for the fees the owner of an out-of-network ATM might charge for its use; it does not charge me a currency exchange fee.
Best of all, that account was free to open, it is free from any minimum balance requirements, and there is no monthly fee to maintain the account. PLUS, it pays interest on my checking account balance.
That account was easy to open, and just to reiterate, it was FREE. Some other forum members have the same type of results with a few other banks as well, so it pays to do some financial institution shopping
Was it just the bank checking account from charles schwab? I had looked into them before and they seemed like a good option.
@JillGat, see https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/camino-del-norte-a-chimayó-usa.36607/#post-352153 for my report on that walk. As mentioned in that thread, there is no established infrastructure for lodging, food, etc, so it would be difficult to do without making advanced arrangements at least for overnight lodging. Anne Sieben, who led the group I walked with, has formed a group called the Society for Servant Pilgrims which promotes pilgrimages to various religious sites such as Chimayó here in North America. See http://societyofservantpilgrims.com/chimayo/ for more up-to-date information about the Camino del Norte de Chimayó, including a suggested itinerary and lodging suggestions along the way. FYI, when we did it in 2015, we walked the opposite direction from that suggested itinerary, starting in San Luis and finishing at Chimayó.Hey jmcarp, Off topic, but I see that you walked to Chimayo in New Mexico. How was that?
YES!!! Great advice, so repeating it so you are aware of why...Make sure you have a back up card just in case something goes wrong with your primary account. Use the ATM's on weekdays when the bank is open and take out about 200 to 300 euros. Cash is king in Spain unless you are traveling luxe because most places won't take a credit card.
That is a “true story”Also, you need a four-digit PIN. Six-digit PINs may work on some networks, but they may not work at all. Spanish banks will charge a fee. Your bank may refund it to you. There always will be a difference in bid/ask that generates a fee. Even if your bank says "no fee," be skeptical. There is always a fee somewhere. Changing currency is nearly impossible after you leave the airport, and it is very expensive at the airport money changers. AAA and similar sources in the U.S. charge very high fees, so using your ATM will be the lowest cost choice. There is no free lunch!!!
All good mate just remember that there are certain ATM that won’t work with visa but the other 99% are just like any other around the world, be vigilant for skimming devices but look at the end of the day you never lose a cent as a result of any fraud with your bank cards due to fraud. Just check with your bank for processing feesI'm an American going on camino soon and as far as getting cash from ATMs, can i just use a regular debit card to get euros? Will the cost of converting it at the atm be minimal or should i figure out a prepaid card with euros loaded on it?
That is a “true story”. When saving for the Camino
one should save an extra $500 just for fees and exchange rates.
It sucks BUT it is what it is and we can’t let that affect our journey.
Some experiences are worth the cost! Buen Camino Fellow Pilgrims.
I’ll be on the Norte next week
I'm an American going on camino soon and as far as getting cash from ATMs, can i just use a regular debit card to get euros? Will the cost of converting it at the atm be minimal or should i figure out a prepaid card with euros loaded on it?
Meaning exactly four, not at least four. And the first digit cannot be 0.Be sure your card has a 4-digit PIN associated with it.
Can any of the posters recommending buying a RFID cover for a card cite a single authenticated report of anyone, anywhere, ever having their card details compromised remotely?
I bought those one year, but discarded them pretty quickly.
Never felt I needed them (yet).
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