Cash vs Credit or Debit

[Goyo]

Ah ok! Thanks! As a non USA person I didn’t want to assume it as I thought it might upset someone (given stereotypes around some USA travellers!)!

As a ”gringo” (a USA person) living in México for a long time, I can safely say that some of those stereotypes about mis compatriotas are, unfortunately, on the money, spot on, correct. Despite all my time living in MX and being a card-carrying legal resident, working and paying taxes, I am still a guest here, and I act accordingly, o sea, respectfully. Not all US expats do, and certainly, some (many???) US turistas don’t. A recently deceased friend of mine who started and ran a successful ecotourism business here used to say something to the effect of “come on down for a visit, just don’t stay too long.” I’ll leave it up to you to read between the lines. Buen camino, brah

 

[Former member 102963]

As a ”gringo” (a USA person) living in México for a long time, I can safely say that some of those stereotypes about mis compatriotas are, unfortunately, on the money, spot on, correct. Despite all my time living in MX and being a card-carrying legal resident, working and paying taxes, I am still a guest here, and I act accordingly, o sea, respectfully. Not all US expats do, and certainly, some (many???) US turistas don’t. A recently deceased friend of mine who started and ran a successful ecotourism business here used to say something to the effect of “come on down for a visit, just don’t stay too long.” I’ll leave it up to you to read between the lines. Buen camino, brah

Thank you! No doubt!! Thankfully in a lifetime spent travelling I have rarely, if ever, met the stereotype of the USA traveller! In fact most of them have been entirely the opposite I am pleased to say! *

*That said I have seen plenty of loudness, appalling dress sense, check shirts , and grown men wearing baseball caps!!!

 

[Goyo]

Thank you! No doubt!! Thankfully in a lifetime spent travelling I have rarely, if ever, met the stereotype of the USA traveller! In fact most of them have been entirely the opposite I am pleased to say! *

*That said I have seen plenty of loudness, appalling dress sense, check shorts, and grown men wearing baseball caps!!!

For sure. Glad to hear you say that. And obviously, it isn’t only folks from the US that can act up and be silly. It takes all kinds and they can be from anywhere.

 

[Roscoe]

Two things came immediately to mind when I saw this:

• why would anyone tip in a currency not used in the country they are visiting? Surely they realise that this imposes a burden on whoever gets the tip, even if that is just to take it to the bank to exchange it. More, unless it is a note, most Australian banks are not going to exchange it. Perhaps a currency exchange might, but it doesn't make it any less burdensome.
• how would someone in the US, who might have greater reliance on tips to form a livable income stream, react to getting a tip in Euro, GBP, AUD, etc. I can imagine that any initial surprise would be quickly replaced, perhaps by anger? Or a demand for local currency? I cannot imagine it being accepted without some adverse reaction.

I used to feel uncomfortable about being offered tips, until someone who has worked in the hospitality industry told me that I should just accept it gracefully, rather than risk insulting the guest by refusing it. The ship was on a world cruise and had already visited a number of Australian ports. Some guests tipped in $AU. Regardless, I appreciate the gesture.

 

[Goyo]

Thank you! No doubt!! Thankfully in a lifetime spent travelling I have rarely, if ever, met the stereotype of the USA traveller! In fact most of them have been entirely the opposite I am pleased to say! *

*That said I have seen plenty of loudness, appalling dress sense, check shirts , and grown men wearing baseball caps!!!

It was funny to read the last line of your entry. For a minute I thought you were talking about the tourists from the capital (and other large land-locked cities) of my country of residence who descend upon our beach town with ever increasing frequency. Just like the “snowbirds” from the US and Canada, you can spot a mainland turista a mile away. But they have a good time, are generally respectful of the locals and the natural treasures that we have, and don’t get too outta control. They do dress funny, tho’…

 

[dqduncan]

...... And there are banks with very low or no ATM fees. ......

Anyone remember which banks have low/no fees. Pretty sure Unicaja is one - the only one?? Getting dinged 4-7 euros is too steep compared with our system in Canada. Looking into Wise and alternatives so scanning this long thread for details on that. I know someone's posted on that...I'll find it

 

[dqduncan]

Zelle only works in the US, and Cash App only works in the US and UK.

Can I use Zelle® internationally? | Regions Bank

Know if you can use Zelle® to send & request money internationally? See our FAQs to get the answer & learn more about electronic payments & online banking.

www.regions.com

Cash App Banking Review 2024

We reviewed the Cash App Card and Cash App Savings account. Cash App Savings pays up to 4.50% APY if you meet certain requirements. Start saving today.

www.businessinsider.com

WISE seems to be the option for Canadians (and likely others). There may be alternatives which is what I'm trying to find by scanning this thread.

 

[trecile]

WISE seems to be the option for Canadians (and likely others). There may be alternatives which is what I'm trying to find by scanning this thread.

For most situations there is no need to transfer money directly to a business. Cash, credit and debit cards work.

 

[Molly Cassidy]

Anyone remember which banks have low/no fees. Pretty sure Unicaja is one - the only one?? Getting dinged 4-7 euros is too steep compared with our system in Canada. Looking into Wise and alternatives so scanning this long thread for details on that. I know someone's posted on that...I'll find it

Liberbank

 

[dqduncan]

.... Better use a financial service provider like Wise and enrol with them, too. And, oh yes, there might be a fee associated with the mere fact that the Spanish bank will grant you a debit card and manage your account for you .... .
....

Are you or anyone else aware of alternatives to Wise? Revolut is one, but as a Canadian, I was advised against that funds transfer platform because they did not have as robust banking practices as and affiliations with the Canadian banks. Will go with Wise unless someone highlights a better option as I know it'll be a lower cost option than taking a 7euro hit with every transfer.

 

[Friend from Barquinha]

WISE seems to be the option for Canadians (and likely others). There may be alternatives which is what I'm trying to find by scanning this thread.

I've had good experience with WISE (as another Canadian). Quick, so far reliable, and not that costly.

 

[DoughnutANZ]

Anyone remember which banks have low/no fees. Pretty sure Unicaja is one - the only one?? Getting dinged 4-7 euros is too steep compared with our system in Canada. Looking into Wise and alternatives so scanning this long thread for details on that. I know someone's posted on that...I'll find it

https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/resources/spanish-atm-cash-machine-fee-cheat-sheet.749/updates#resource-update-883

 

[Goyo]

https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/resources/spanish-atm-cash-machine-fee-cheat-sheet.749/updates#resource-update-883

Thank you for the info.

 

[David Tallan]

Two things came immediately to mind when I saw this:

• why would anyone tip in a currency not used in the country they are visiting? Surely they realise that this imposes a burden on whoever gets the tip, even if that is just to take it to the bank to exchange it. More, unless it is a note, most Australian banks are not going to exchange it. Perhaps a currency exchange might, but it doesn't make it any less burdensome.
• how would someone in the US, who might have greater reliance on tips to form a livable income stream, react to getting a tip in Euro, GBP, AUD, etc. I can imagine that any initial surprise would be quickly replaced, perhaps by anger? Or a demand for local currency? I cannot imagine it being accepted without some adverse reaction.

I think the answer to your first question may be in this later post:

...the bizness to all the major ports of call on the Gulf of Mexico and the Pacific coast is again booming. And the US dollar is welcomed from turistas, period, whether they come by land, sea or air. Dollar tips are golden.

American tourists on cruise ships are given the impression in some countries that "dollar tips are golden" and assume that it applies everywhere.

 

[Goyo]

I think the answer to your first question may be in this later post:


American tourists on cruise ships are given the impression in some countries that "dollar tips are golden" and assume that it applies everywhere.

Certainly México is a special case vis a vis US cruise ships and US tourism in general due to its location “so far from God, so close to the United States” (Porfirio Diaz). Despite all the bad press México gets from certain groups north of the border, the US is the primary source market for the country’s inbound tourism by a long shot. The US State Department can issue all the warnings about travel to México that it wants, but mis paisanos still flock there. And while the COVID pandemic shut down the tourist industry in many countries, Mexico’s borders remained muy, pero muy abiertas to flights and vehicle crossings, tho’ cruise ship travel did grind to a full stop. Furthermore, many Mexicans have US travel visas and go shopping across the border with those same US greenbacks that they’ve saved from their jobs in the tourist industry. I would assume that cruise ship tourists visiting ports of call in the Spanish, French or Italian Mediterranean, for example, would do their homework and understand that if you want to leave a tip, you leave €€€, not $$$. Silly me, that’s what happens when you assume, eh? Oftentimes a bad idea

 

[Former member 107885]

Update on fees as just been to a few banks in Spain.
Uk cardholder. All flats fees, no %ges.
BBVA €6
Caixa €7
Deutsche Bank - £0

So BBVA up a fair bit from sheet. Perfectly possible as Caixa was only €2 a couple of year back.

DB are my ‘go to’. Good ATM coverage in cities but no so in smaller places. Quick shout out to them tho…

1. Choice of big notes or small notes
2. Very transparent re EUR or GBP conversion. Actually have a separate page with no numbers saying’ on the next page you need to decide which currency…’ and then next page currency is quite transparent with fees clear… tho as usual sun shining on screen! Increasingly some banks are increasingly vague and use quickly unclear wording around fees.

I walked a km to save €6 and bought a beer for €6 so I have either broken even or had a free beer depending on your outlook.

 

[Roscoe]

Free beer.

 

[TravellingMan22]

It's always interesting to hear about the fees at different banks. It seems like BBVA and Caixa have increased their flat fees, while Deutsche Bank remains a solid choice with no fees.

All of a sudden Deutsche Bank seem to be charging! First saw this 2 weeks ago and tried to use them this morning and quoted €4 (UK debit card). So maybe a policy change or maybe they vary by location. I am in a couple of different cities here next week so will check. Anyway Sabadell across the road was €1.80.

 

[DoughnutANZ]

All of a sudden Deutsche Bank seem to be charging! First saw this 2 weeks ago and tried to use them this morning and quoted €4 (UK debit card). So maybe a policy change or maybe they vary by location. I am in a couple of different cities here next week so will check. Anyway Sabadell across the road was €1.80.

Different card issuing entities have different agreements with the ATM operators and so there is no one, definitive set of charges.

 

[TravellingMan22]

Different card issuing entities have different agreements with the ATM operators and so there is no one, definitive set of charges.

Yes I know that, but have used DB at least 100 times with no fees on the same card. Always been that way but all of a sudden they are looking to charge me on that card.

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

All of a sudden Deutsche Bank seem to be charging! First saw this 2 weeks ago and tried to use them this morning and quoted €4 (UK debit card). So maybe a policy change or maybe they vary by location.

Maybe your bank was previously in this organization and then withdrew.

Global ATM Alliance - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[TravellingMan22]

Maybe your bank was previously in this organization and then withdrew.

Global ATM Alliance - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Thanks but no it wasn’t! Never mind I rarely use cash but was worried I might need some today, but I didn’t!

 

[TravellingMan22]

Well all of a sudden Deutsche Bank seem to have introduced a fee of €4 per transaction, after several years of no fees using my primary card. Certainly for the card I have used for several year. I can’t find any mention of it online but I tried several different ATMs in a number of different cities, small branches and big branches, over the last three months. Interested if anyone has experienced has different.

Of the big banks Sabadell seems to be the cheapest at €1.80 per transaction.

Thankfully you need cash a lot less now, with the significant investment in, and growth of contactless, but you still need some!