Claireabella
Member
- Time of past OR future Camino
- Camino de santiago - 2017
For 2024 Pilgrims: €50,- donation = 1 year with no ads on the forum + 90% off any 2024 Guide. More here. (Discount code sent to you by Private Message after your donation) |
---|
Banco seemed to be everywhereIf i may..
Is there a "national bank" of one sort or another,that is as common as apples?
Along the way?
Its kind if a dumb question,but i have been charged for using a local banks atm extortionat rates to pull cash,
My idea was to carry adequate euros.
Thank you guys
http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopi...or_Bank_of_America_account_holders-Spain.html
I hope this helps rather than hinders,had
See this is what i was afraid i would end up doing. I have no idea of how rural the Camino is and was thinking that people carried cash. But i wouldn't be comfortable with that. Like you, i'd bring it to the shower etc.... Great advice!I learned after the fact many people don't take a lot of cash with them....fortunately I wasn't aware of this advice when I walked the Frances. I carried enough cash for 25 days and only used the ATM once (or twice) to make sure I was able to handle anything.
I didn't feel the cash was a burden, and just kept it in a money belt, with me at all times. I would take it with me to the shower and slept with it in the foot of my sleeping bag. I didn't feel this was a liability at any point.
When I go again in 2016 I will do the same. Lots of 20 Euro bills.
....others may have differing advice.....
Gosh yes i never thought of that. Some banks over here charge as much as £5.00 if you are not an account holder with them and you use their ATM!If i may..
Is there a "national bank" of one sort or another,that is as common as apples?
Along the way?
Its kind if a dumb question,but i have been charged for using a local banks atm extortionat rates to pull cash,
My idea was to carry adequate euros.
Thank you guys
http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopi...or_Bank_of_America_account_holders-Spain.html
I hope this helps rather than hinders,had
Thank you for that. I worried because people kept referring to credit cards and i don't have one, just a debit card. I thought i was going to have to get one and i really don't want to. Id be dangerous with it!Albergues and small stores - cash. CC cards for pharmacies, sport stores, larger regular grocery stores, hotel break, salons if you want a hair cut or nails on break day - lots of uses for cards. Try to get a debit card and cc with no international fees on ATM or purchases. These will show as you paying a fee to get cash but bank reimburses. It's been years since I've paid any ATM fee or international fee on purchases. You can find good hotel rooms for very little and they take cc cards. Buen Camino!
Haha!Thank you for that. I worried because people kept referring to credit cards and i don't have one, just a debit card. I thought i was going to have to get one and i really don't want to. Id be dangerous with it!
Thats what i was thinking. Even enough for 2 days in case you get stuck. Better to be on the safe side. I have heard that cards can get eaten but i don't understand why. Unless you put in the wrong pin?I kept a spare 100 euros stashed away so that if I did stretch my cash too far and find myself in a place with no ATM and no way to replenish, I had my extra stash, which is enough for about 3 days.
Great advice. Thank you so very much!There are loads of ATMs en route. What I do is load up a prepaid euro-denominated debit card - there are lots of different brands to choose from. That way I pay for the Euros just once - and it's generally not a bad rate - and then I can use the debit card either to pay for accommodation or meals or have free withdrawals from an ATM (because most bank ATM's don't charge you if you are taking out euros). As well as saving money, the advantage is that even if I lost the card I haven't lost anything that gives access to my real bank account - just the funds that are loaded on the card if the thief could somehow guess my PIN. I use one which I can monitor from my phone so I know how much I have left (and I can even top up from abroad on my phone if I've underestimated what I need). I tend to carry some euros in cash for the reasons others have given above but on three caminos I have never had to use a credit card or bank card - and have never been stung by the charges that using those cards in a Spanish ATM would incur.
If i may..
Is there a "national bank" of one sort or another,that is as common as apples?
Along the way?
Its kind if a dumb question,but i have been charged for using a local banks atm extortionat rates to pull cash,
My idea was to carry adequate euros.
Thank you guys
http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopi...or_Bank_of_America_account_holders-Spain.html
I hope this helps rather than hinders,had
My USAA bank, if you are prior service or a family member of a military person.Would love to know what credit cards you found that do not charge an international ATM fee. I found a number that do not charge international fees on retail transactions, but the ATM remained a problem.
I will most definately look into the charles schwab acct, i prefer backup money as a rule,but i wont be in the states and i forget human nature...William, consider opening a Charles Schwab online bank account.
Schwab has been around a long time.
They are dependable.
When you call you get a human.
And best of all, they will reimburse you ALL of the ATM and exchange fees at the end of each month.
I use my card at ANY bank and if I'm charged a fee, it is reimbursed at the end of the month.
It's probably not safe to carry your entire wad of euros along the Camino.
Most folks carry between 200-500.
I never carry more than 300 at a time in my money belt.
Did you have any trouble finding atm machines and were you able to use a bank card or was it a credit card? I'm Canadian and heading over in less than two weeks.Cash is king. I use an ATM machine and withdraw cash when needed. I spend about 30E per day, so a 300E withdrawal lasts over a week.
Melanie, I changed 700$ into 500 Euros and was good for almost 3 weeks. ATMs are not an in ingeneral but do not panick whenone rejects your card, the next one will take it. Which means to get to the ATM beore you have only 5 € in your pocket. I use a BMO card. As for cash, I carry it on myself ina freon or cargo pocket, Macabi skirts are great for deep pockets. Any town of a couple 1000 people will have a number ot ATMs.I am a Canadian leaving in less than two weeks. Would love to hear from fellow Canucks who have recently walked about ATM experiences. I am only comfortable with 200-300 euros on me at one time. Credit cards can be cancelled and replaced if lost or stolen....once cash is gone...it's GONE!
Thanks for any information!!
Melanie, I changed 700$ into 500 Euros and was good for almost 3 weeks. ATMs are not an in ingeneral but do not panick whenone rejects your card, the next one will take it. Which means to get to the ATM beore you have only 5 € in your pocket. I use a BMO card. As for cash, I carry it on myself ina freon or cargo pocket, Macabi skirts are great for deep pockets. Any town of a couple 1000 people will have a number ot ATMs.
In fact the Chronoplus buses in Biarritz, Anglet and Bayonne have a notice next to the driver's seat saying he will not accept anything larger than a 5 euro note. The same thing is true in Bilbao with the local buses and trolleys.Albergues are cash only. So are most of the Mom and Pop stores that are often the only store in the village.
I got off the plane in Biarritz. The bus driver was not happy to make change for my 20 euro note on a fare of 1 euro.
ATM machines are ubiquitous.
I used a bank debit card (I had three, actually), and there are a lot of ATM's. There seemed to be two networks, and my cards were valid in only one of them, which included all of the major banks. If you are running low on cash and are in a city but headed for small villages, plan ahead and make a withdrawal before you leave! Credit cards are not a good backup, and American Express is useless.Did you have any trouble finding atm machines and were you able to use a bank card or was it a credit card?
We use cookies and similar technologies for the following purposes:
Do you accept cookies and these technologies?
We use cookies and similar technologies for the following purposes:
Do you accept cookies and these technologies?