28° Mastercard Cash Advances while overseas [No more free cash advances from 1/1/14]

[lovetravellingoz]

.....and the 8th one I tried worked.

Now that is perserverience!!!!

 

[serfty]

Now that is perserverience!!!!

Hey - I needed the ¥¥¥!

The Australian Frequent Flyer Online Community - View Single Post - Wizard Mastercard Cash Advances while overseas

 

[_kab_]

Two weeks ago was offered an unsolicited increase to my limit with the Wiz from $5k to $6500! Needless to say I accepted!

Have been using it for quite a few o/s purchases lately which is the only reason I can see that they offered it to me since I begged for an increase earlier this year and they politely declined.

 

[zzyss]

Nice. Meanwhile, I'm still trying to get an increase on my measley $1k :-(

 

[auriga]

They have just offered me an increase in credit! What a surprise!

I only use the card overseas, and always pay the closing balance on time.

 

[zan5hin]

Zzyss, I used to have the measly $1k credit limit, so I kicked up a stink on the phone to the CSR about how I was travelling overseas and I would be booking multi-week tours which cost more than $1k, so I needed the limit raised to $3k.

There was a problem with the fact that I had a history of late fees, however I think what I did was put the CSR said I could escalate the issue to a higher level where they would investigate and make a determination. I might have to put a letter in writing to Wizard but in a week I had my $3k limit.

I stopped having late fees and recently bumped it up to $3.5k online via the request form which has a max $500 limit at a time. I really don't need more than that, as I am very careful with my credit card, and now I have a NAB Gold Banking VISA debit anyway.

 

[zan5hin]

I am heading to NZ today. Just got a NAB Gold Banking and had a Wizard for ages.

Has anyone done a head to head on these too, seeming they both seem to be the best options for overseas travel?

 

[serfty]

I believe the WCA has been slightly better than the NAB for forex cash rates.

Maybe you could do some direct "fee free" cash withdrawals for the same amount with each card at the same ATM, one after the other. You could then report back .

 

[zan5hin]

Because you're so awesome, just for you Serfty, I will do exactly that

 

[zzyss]

Because you're so awesome, just for you Serfty, I will do exactly that

Cheers, I'd be interested in seeing that too, since I've recently acquired the NAB card as well.

 

[zan5hin]

It will take me at about 2 weeks to report because I am taking a bit of cash with me.

 

[KateMayo]

I did a comparison earlier this year whilst in the UK (9.6.09): same withdrawal amount; same ATM; transactions one after the other.

£30 withdrawn

Wizard cost: $60.14
NAB Gold cost: $61.19

I’m sure Serfty can work out the percentage difference between the two and to the xe.com rate of the day

 

[kdser]

I remember I did comparisons a while ago. WMC is a little better than NAB GV.

 

[zzyss]

Has anybody used this card in Indonesia before? (Specifically Bali)
Also out of interest, since a lot of tourist economy runs on USD, any advice around withdrawing in local currency vs looking for machines that dispense USD?

 

[Baysider]

I gave very little information in the application so I'm wondering about the additional ID that people were talking about earlier on. I didn't see a form for this in the letter I got. Just more paperwork for the second card which Mrs Warks can't be bothered doing.

I deduced from posts going back 2 or 3 years that this additional info was needed before your card would work overseas. A few people found out the hard way.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

Just back from Vietnam..

Using Wizard gained about 16200 Dong for your $

Whereas cash in $Aust gained about 17300 Dong if you look around a little.

So if I was going back I would take more Auusie $ with me and use the Wizard less.

 

[evilbiscuits]

Has anyone used the wizard mc in Europe in particular Itay?

thanks
laura ​

 

[serfty]

Welcome to AFF evilbiscuits

Not Italy, but Croatia, Bosnia and the UK.

 

[gibspmuh]

Has anybody used this card in Indonesia before? (Specifically Bali)
Also out of interest, since a lot of tourist economy runs on USD, any advice around withdrawing in local currency vs looking for machines that dispense USD?

I've used the Wizard extensively across Indonesia, including in Bali. In my experience its been much better using Indonesian Rupiah than US$ (hotels may quote US$ prices, but they still expect payment in rupiah generally). If you use US$ they'll just convert the Rupiah rates back again at a generally poor conversion, and outside of the hotels you'll have an even worse time. Some package or tour operators may want payment in US$, but they're usually the exception.

Given the Wizard card overcomes most of the costs usually associated with using Rupiah (poor exchange rates and high costs associated with multiple ATM withdrawls due to the low max limits per transaction on most ATM's in Indonesia) then it's an easy choice to make.

Another thing to keep in mind if you use US$ is that any US$100 notes will need to be in pristine condition and of a recent printing (definitely newer than 2003 and for some places even more recent) otherwise they won't touch them due to counterfeiting fears. Having been through that hassle in the past it's yet another reason I prefer to stick to Rupiah in Indonesia.

 

[Flashback]

Has anyone used the wizard mc in Europe in particular Itay?

thanks
laura ​

Yep and yep and no problems whatsoever.