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If you're walking the northern camino, Leiberbank has no charges. The cash machines in supermarkets appear to have no charges eitherSince I got my preloaded currency card to avoid the predations of my UK bank's steep ATM fees and awful exchange rate, I've been paying more attention to the fees charged by the Spanish banks to use their ATM's, which seem to vary widely.
I started a list on my phone last year of the culprits that had steep fees:
BBVA
Sabadell
Can anyone add to this list, or recommend cheaper ones?
Here is a post with a cheat sheet
Thanks for that reminder. I had read that certain places may allow you to add your ‘cash’ withdrawal to the sum of items purchased in a store with your card and avoid the bank cash machine fee.I drawn 3 times on my CF last year and was charged ~1,70€ per withdrawal.
I used the Caja Rural, that's the equivalant network as my bank at home.
Many pilgrims I've met in bigger supermercados used the chance to withdraw cash at the cashier as they pay for their bought goods. That's free most of the time.
Anything above €2 is too much in my opinion.
Caixa €5
Yes, but with my Charles Schwab debit card they remove ALL fees, so Santander bank is no issue for me to use! I then step inside and exchange some of the larger bills for smaller ones.Santander such a bunch of gougers!
Not really!Santander such a bunch of gougers!
As far as I am informed it's possible at EROSKI, MERCADONA and LIDL as a service. The small oldtown stores won't offer that service, but the bigger ones will.Thanks for that reminder. I had read that certain places may allow you to add your ‘cash’ withdrawal to the sum of items purchased in a store with your card and avoid the bank cash machine fee.
Hi,what about stepping inside a bank (if it's there and it's open) and withdrawng the cash from the cashier? do they charge any extra fees there too? (apart from the exchange rate which is no issue for euro-using countries.)
I thought that might be the case. ripping us off at the ATMs.Hi,
We tried that a few times but they always direct us to the ATM which are usually outside the bank
Also we always ..and only..take out money from the ATM when the bank is open
Years ago we tried to take out money in Finistere and the machine "ate" the card. we then had to wait till 10.30 the morning after to get it back!
Not ideal if one wants an early start.
Annette
Yep, I only get cash from ATM's in Spain during bank's business hours too. I had a card "eaten" as well on my first camino and learned my lesson.Hi,
We tried that a few times but they always direct us to the ATM which are usually outside the bank
Also we always ..and only..take out money from the ATM when the bank is open
Years ago we tried to take out money in Finistere and the machine "ate" the card. we then had to wait till 10.30 the morning after to get it back!
Not ideal if one wants an early start.
Annette
Halifax Clarity card has no charge to use, no commission or loading feesSince I got my preloaded currency card to avoid the predations of my UK bank's steep ATM fees and awful exchange rate, I've been paying more attention to the fees charged by the Spanish banks to use their ATM's, which seem to vary widely.
I started a list on my phone last year of the culprits that had steep fees:
BBVA
Sabadell
Can anyone add to this list, or recommend cheaper ones?
Since I got my preloaded currency card to avoid the predations of my UK bank's steep ATM fees and awful exchange rate, I've been paying more attention to the fees charged by the Spanish banks to use their ATM's, which seem to vary widely.
I started a list on my phone last year of the culprits that had steep fees:
BBVA
Sabadell
Can anyone add to this list, or recommend cheaper ones?
If you open an account with Charles Schwab, you can get their credit card that will work at an ATM. They do not charge ATM fees. If you do get charged, CS will reimburse you at the end of the month.Since I got my preloaded currency card to avoid the predations of my UK bank's steep ATM fees and awful exchange rate, I've been paying more attention to the fees charged by the Spanish banks to use their ATM's, which seem to vary widely.
I started a list on my phone last year of the culprits that had steep fees:
BBVA
Sabadell
Can anyone add to this list, or recommend cheaper ones?
Schwab is definitely the best choice for pilgrims from the USA, but it's unfortunately not an option for Europeans, who instead have to do a combo of having a good home bank and being careful which brand cash-machine they use if they want to avoid the fees.If you open an account with Charles Schwab, you can get their credit card that will work at an ATM. They do not charge ATM fees. If you do get charged, CS will reimburse you at the end of the month.
And Fidelity reimburses me all ATM fees so I really don't care what they chargeI'm from the USA and when in Spain I always use Santander bank ATM's, along with my Charles Schwab debit card. They are great and reimburse me all atm fees.
Is this the Fidelity cash management account deal?And Fidelity reimburses me all ATM fees so I really don't care what they charge
Logos are found easily for Visa®, Plus® and others - all the major systems.Are those logos on Camino ATMs?
Sounds great on the Spain end. What about on Fidelity end - fees, exchange rates, service charges...?I use Fidelity and rhey always reimburse me ALL atm fees worldwide
NoneSounds great on the Spain end. What about on Fidelity end - fees, exchange rates, service charges...?
Navy Federal is then same here.I'm from the USA and when in Spain I always use Santander bank ATM's, along with my Charles Schwab debit card. They are great and reimburse me all atm fees.
This is the key issue, and far more significant than a withdrawal fee, and a difference of €20 on a €300 windrawal on ‘their’rate versus ‘on the day’ rate! is typical so be careful! Also check wording on screen. Also recently I note that whilst the ‘accept without conversion’ tends to be the left hand option, some are now offering it to the right of the screen. Take time to absorb on screen info!I recently tried to extract an amount from two different banks in the same town. The 5 euro fee was similar in both banks but the proposed return for 360 euros was a 40 dollar difference! So don’t only look at the bank fee.
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