Ombud
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Oct 2, 2013 19:06:04 GMT -5
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Post by Ombud on Oct 2, 2013 19:06:04 GMT -5
Should I take a prepaid Visa card with me (as well as my ID so I can visit USAA in London if needed) or should I take my debit card? I don't have a Visa now. I closed all charge cards except for one American Express when I joined this group years ago
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chiver78
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Oct 2, 2013 19:10:39 GMT -5
Post by chiver78 on Oct 2, 2013 19:10:39 GMT -5
well, you'll need a passport to leave this country. do you mean a specific other ID? as far as plastic goes, if your hotel does not take AmEx, I would bring a prepaid card solely for use at your hotel - you do not want to use your debit card for that purpose. other than that, I would just use cash. I'm very leery of having a preloaded card that could potentially be lifted by a pickpocket. I'd likely leave it in the hotel safe for the duration. find your bank's "sister bank" over in London and take out British pounds when you get there as you need it. have fun on your trip
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Ombud
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Oct 2, 2013 19:49:21 GMT -5
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Post by Ombud on Oct 2, 2013 19:49:21 GMT -5
My passport is my ID and my USAA info for the London branch is on my droid. The flight + 5 nights at Rembrandt Hotel (4★) = $1452 & pd. Plus I can charge day trips / get vouchers on droid. My cell plan is an international one but I haven't used that aspect in months. I normally travel with the debit card but that's now linked to 33k in the bank so I would prefer to leave it at home. Hence my dilemma
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chiver78
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Oct 2, 2013 19:59:01 GMT -5
Post by chiver78 on Oct 2, 2013 19:59:01 GMT -5
if your hotel is already paid for, I would just travel with your AmEx and debit card. sounds like you share my concerns about a loaded card, do you have another bank account? you could transfer most of that balance out of the account the card accesses, and then put it back when you get home. that seems to be the least messy way to secure yourself, as far as I can see.
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simser
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Post by simser on Oct 2, 2013 20:06:34 GMT -5
I normally use credit cards every single time I shop- except when I go out of the country. Then I only use a debit, and get money from an ATM and just use cash. Hotels I prepay. So I'd stick with no prepaid card, but I do bring 2 different debit cards.
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Ombud
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Oct 2, 2013 20:07:38 GMT -5
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Post by Ombud on Oct 2, 2013 20:07:38 GMT -5
So I should just take the AmEx or would you ask USAA to express out a new charge card?
Edited: SIMSER we posted the same time. Sorry. Are you concerned about losing card?? I've got cash but rarely carry it even here
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justme
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Oct 2, 2013 20:08:49 GMT -5
Post by justme on Oct 2, 2013 20:08:49 GMT -5
I normally use credit cards every single time I shop- except when I go out of the country. Then I only use a debit, and get money from an ATM and just use cash. Hotels I prepay. So I'd stick with no prepaid card, but I do bring 2 different debit cards. Is there a reason you don't use your CC abroad?
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chiver78
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Oct 2, 2013 20:19:11 GMT -5
Post by chiver78 on Oct 2, 2013 20:19:11 GMT -5
I normally use credit cards every single time I shop- except when I go out of the country. Then I only use a debit, and get money from an ATM and just use cash. Hotels I prepay. So I'd stick with no prepaid card, but I do bring 2 different debit cards. Is there a reason you don't use your CC abroad? many American cards have significant exchange fees. when I was in the market for new cards, that was something I made sure I looked for - since I was travelling overseas a lot for work. Ombud - I would take the AmEx. there are still many merchants that will accept it. just bring the debit card so that you can access cash via ATM, for those merchants that don't.
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justme
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Oct 2, 2013 20:20:57 GMT -5
Post by justme on Oct 2, 2013 20:20:57 GMT -5
Thanks chiver78! So is that the only reason? i.e. If you have a card with zero foreign transaction fees you'd use it?
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chiver78
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Oct 2, 2013 20:37:27 GMT -5
Post by chiver78 on Oct 2, 2013 20:37:27 GMT -5
I wasn't the one who said I don't use CCs abroad, but I wouldn't be interested in using one that would charge an ridiculous exchange fee. I don't know what simser's reasons are, but I haven't had any major issues. Discover wanted a PIN, which I didn't know before I left the US. it made that card unusable for that trip, but I had the luxury of being able to use my corporate AmEx and just not put in for the reimbursement. I hit the ATM the next morning.
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Ombud
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Oct 2, 2013 20:52:38 GMT -5
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Post by Ombud on Oct 2, 2013 20:52:38 GMT -5
Chiver, did you ever access $$ via AmEx?? Do you need a pin for that? There's an ATM in the lobby where I can supposedly get cash via AmEx. I hate to admit that I've hard this card for years and only used it for plane tickets
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chiver78
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Oct 2, 2013 21:16:42 GMT -5
Post by chiver78 on Oct 2, 2013 21:16:42 GMT -5
no, never accessed a CC of any flavor for cash. that's what my debit/ATM card was for - and with BofA, I had a fee-free "sister bank" in almost every country my company ever sent me to.
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Ombud
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Oct 2, 2013 21:24:50 GMT -5
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Post by Ombud on Oct 2, 2013 21:24:50 GMT -5
Ok. 2 cards. Debit & AmEx. Charge as often as possible. Hate changing $$ 4 ££ or €€. Always seem to have leftovers and I won't be back till spring. Don't have to find a sister bank, USAA has a branch there
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Deleted
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Oct 3, 2013 14:08:15 GMT -5
Post by Deleted on Oct 3, 2013 14:08:15 GMT -5
I don't know how debit cards work in Europe but MANY places here won't take AmEx. I would have a Visa and / or MasterCard.
In fact, after having had problems with my MC (my regular card) twice, I would have a Visa AND a MasterCard. We always got by because DH also has a Visa. It happened to us in Panama a few years ago, and it happened again this summer in Jordan. My DS1 (who we were staying with) suggested we try HSBC, and it worked there. So twice during our three weeks we ended up going on a special trip to the one HSBC there, by taxi, to use our MasterCard lol.
I know it's extremely unlikely to happen to you in the UK, but if ever you go "off the beaten track" one day, it definitely could.
But again, there are a LOT of places in Europe that won't take AmEx, because the fees are apparently significantly steeper.
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Apple
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Oct 3, 2013 14:18:25 GMT -5
Post by Apple on Oct 3, 2013 14:18:25 GMT -5
Ok, I see you've taken the debit card before but it's tied to way too much money to feel comfortable doing that now. Here is what I did: I opened a second checking/savings account through the SAME credit union (or bank). I then transfered a dollar amount I felt ok about to the NEW account, let's say $2000. I got a debit card on that new account. So then, everything worked the same, but that new debit card had no connection to my regular account so, even if someone stole the card, the most they could steal was $2000, and that was only if they could get to it before I noticed and got it canceled.
That is what I would do if I were you, since you already know how your debit card will work (just test the new one before you leave!)
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Oct 8, 2013 14:56:47 GMT -5
Post by The Walk of the Penguin Mich on Oct 8, 2013 14:56:47 GMT -5
USAA's m/c does not have bad exchange rates or fees associated with it, you might want to check it out.
I don't ever travel with a single card when I travel. I've been in the situation where for some inexplicable reason, my previously perfecting card didn't work. Fortunately, I did have AmEx and it was acceptable to the hotel I was trying to check out of. I later called the credit card company only to be told "I don't know why your card didn't work in Paris, there was no reason why it shouldn't have". And yes, I did call before I went and told them I'd be using it in Europe.
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chicg
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Oct 30, 2013 20:34:42 GMT -5
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Post by chicg on Oct 30, 2013 20:34:42 GMT -5
You can also ask the bank to disconnect the access to your savings via ATM machine when you're overseas. That way if you do lose the card, there won't be a way to access the savings. I have this feature on my card all the time, the accounts are still linked but transfers and withdrawals must happen at a computer or in a branch.
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Ombud
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Oct 30, 2013 20:53:13 GMT -5
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Post by Ombud on Oct 30, 2013 20:53:13 GMT -5
Just got back & it never became an issue. USAA only charges 1% to use the card in another currency.
my travel buddy took £500 so when my £70 ran out I just traded $ for £. Used the card only twice for charging - once for meals, once for souvenirs
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