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Hi everyone,
I bank with PC financial. I have checked with them but I haven't heard anything exact as to whether or not the card will work in Spain. Do any of my fellow Canadians use PC financial and have you used the bank card in Spain? I plan to buy some Euros to take with me, but I would not want to be carrying the whole amount! Most will be in my bank to take out as needed.
Thanks!!!
PS bought new camera, booked flights, and I have contacted Orisson (and heard back, but not received the paypal bill) This is getting real.
I have had problems both in Spain and US with PCFinancial would recommend taking back up card. I work for a Canadian credit union, and used that card everywhere no problem, Buen CaminoHi everyone,
I bank with PC financial. I have checked with them but I haven't heard anything exact as to whether or not the card will work in Spain. Do any of my fellow Canadians use PC financial and have you used the bank card in Spain? I plan to buy some Euros to take with me, but I would not want to be carrying the whole amount! Most will be in my bank to take out as needed.
Thanks!!!
PS bought new camera, booked flights, and I have contacted Orisson (and heard back, but not received the paypal bill) This is getting real.
You don't need to stress about using the debit card in Spain - because you won't be using it. If anything, your accounts are safer when you are in Spain than in Canada. Almost all transactions on the Camino are in cash. I would use my debit card once a week to get cash from a bank machine. The rest of the time was cash and if I stayed in an expensive hotel, then I used my VISA. Buen Camino!
Hi @CdnDreamer - yes, I've read that the camino is a cash economy so I figure that while in the camino, I will probably use ATM machines for withdrawal only once a week.
May I ask why you say that "your accounts are safer when you are in Spain than in Canada"? I work in IT, with some security background, and I've consulted with a couple of major banks here in Canada. I'm interested to know what Spain (or Europe) has in terms of security that Canadian banks don't have.
Hi @bitesizedtravel - the Cashpassport site says that it can be used in any ATM that accepts Visa or Mastercard. My understanding is that one can load it with a set amount in any currency (in this case euro). Then when using at an ATM, it just subtracts the amount withdrawn plus the service charge ($3 for Visa, 1.75 euro for Mastercard). Mastercard seems to be cheaper and it is free to withdraw cash from a teller of a participating bank.
The main attraction of the Cashpassport, at least to me, is security. If it is compromised, only the Cashpassport is compromised. If my regular banking card is compromised, then that could become a huge problem.
I used my PC Financial debit card for cash withdrawals on my camino
I've just had a look at the last six months of my account, available on the app. I was charged $3.00 each time I made a withdrawal. These withdrawals were made from my chequing account, so as I recall, I was able to do my bank machine banking in English and I chose the chequing account as the account from which I was making the withdrawal. Besides that, I only have an Interest Plus Savings account and I cannot make withdrawals from that, only transfer money to the chequing account the day before I need to withdraw it. Another thing which you might consider is how much you are authorized to withdraw from your chequing account each day. At one point, Presidents Choice informed me that I was not to withdraw more than $500 cash a day, as my cash withdrawals had previously been small. I objected to this and the amount was raised to $1,000 a day again. I have just noticed that I had at least one withdrawal (in euros, of course) which was more than $500 out of my Canadian account. Confirm that you have the amount authorized that you wish to withdraw, to avoid problems.Hi @Albertagirl - do you remember how much PC Financial charges per withdrawal? Also, how many accounts are linked to your PCF card? I think I can almost check this task off my list of todo - I just need to know if having more than one account linked is not going to cause any confusion with the Spanish ATMs. I know that I can call the bank, but it would be re-assuring to know that somebody has actually used a card with more than one account.
When I am in Canada I use my bank card for almost every financial transaction I make during the week. I use it at fast food restaurants, movie theatres, stores, gas stations etc. So I am opening up my banking information to countless numbers of debit machines that could be compromised. When I was in Spain my debit card was used only once a week, and usually at a bank machine of a major bank. So it wasn't the increase in security that made my bank account safer, it was the lack of use of the debit card.Hi @CdnDreamer - yes, I've read that the camino is a cash economy so I figure that while in the camino, I will probably use ATM machines for withdrawal only once a week.
May I ask why you say that "your accounts are safer when you are in Spain than in Canada"? I work in IT, with some security background, and I've consulted with a couple of major banks here in Canada. I'm interested to know what Spain (or Europe) has in terms of security that Canadian banks don't have.
Hi @bitesizedtravel - the Cashpassport site says that it can be used in any ATM that accepts Visa or Mastercard. My understanding is that one can load it with a set amount in any currency (in this case euro). Then when using at an ATM, it just subtracts the amount withdrawn plus the service charge ($3 for Visa, 1.75 euro for Mastercard). Mastercard seems to be cheaper and it is free to withdraw cash from a teller of a participating bank.
The main attraction of the Cashpassport, at least to me, is security. If it is compromised, only the Cashpassport is compromised. If my regular banking card is compromised, then that could become a huge problem.
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