Cash or Card? Countries where you still need cash.

[SYD]

Just been caught out in a pub in Bavaria. Cash only.
Luckily, I had a few Euros in my manbag.

Mentioned recently up thread that parts of Germany still love cash - especially bars.

 

[Flashback]

Just been caught out in a pub in Bavaria. Cash only.
Luckily, I had a few Euros in my manbag.

Very common in Germany.

 

[Chicken]

Just been caught out in a pub in Bavaria. Cash only.
Luckily, I had a few Euros in my manbag.

Yeah, the Germans and their data protection, which is why there is no Google street view for Germany, and they still like to use cash.

I made this mistake last year. Thought I would just land at ICN and withdraw cash from the ATM like I do in most other countries.

However, it was a late night arrival and by the time I was through immigration, it was close to 11pm.

You won't be able to by Namane card either as their self service kiosks would be closed at that time, but you could book the express train to Seoul directly on Airport Railroad web site, so this would have gotten you into Seoul. This is more expensive than the all stop train and light rail, but it will take you into the city.

 

[Chicken]

I used the Revolut app to create a throwaway digital Visa card to use exclusively with the Kakao Taxi app

Which takes us back to the thread title.

Kakao Taxi takes foreign cards.
Grandma takes foreign cards.
EV chargers don't take foreign cards.
None of the major transport cards (Tmoney Cashbee) take foreign cards.

The most important things don't take foreign cards, everything else do. Nuts.

 

[lovestotravel]

I never thought CBA had good rates for FX but for a trip to Fiji soon a reasonable difference

$2,020 AUD
Travelex will give me $2,600.00 FJD
CBA will give me $=2,845.00 FJD

Quick look at the EU and US and CBA loses out

 

[lovestotravel]

As I place the CBA order, it's supplied and fulfilled by Travelex...

 

[Lynda2475]

There are ATMs at the exit to the NAD terminal (Westpac and some local banks). Id confirm the ATM rates if you have a debit/credit card with no foreign transaction fees as could be cheaper again.

Noting that you are unlikely to need cash in Fiji unless you are going to remote non tourist villages.

Hotels/resort accommodation can be pre-paid or paid via card; as can tours and taxis. I didnt come across any restaurants that didnt take card, and that included local ones recommended by resort staff that dont target tourists.

I also found that in many cases you could book boat trips and tours via Aussie websites and be charged in AUD (with no DCC mark-up) avoiding fees.

 

[SYD]

I never thought CBA had good rates for FX but for a trip to Fiji soon a reasonable difference

$2,020 AUD
Travelex will give me $2,600.00 FJD
CBA will give me $=2,845.00 FJD

Quick look at the EU and US and CBA loses out

A no fee debit card would give you over FJ$3k from an ATM (putting aside any withdrawal limits) or just using as card payment.

About A$115 equivalent difference.

 

[lovestotravel]

A no fee debit card would give you over FJ$3k from an ATM (putting aside any withdrawal limits) or just using as card payment.

About A$115 equivalent difference.

Yes - Sadly I don't have one of those at the moment, but will try that on the EU trip in December

I think I'll get the ING Orange, unless any other suggestions ?

Post automatically merged: Oct 23, 2024

There are ATMs at the exit to the NAD terminal (Westpac and some local banks). Id confirm the ATM rates if you have a debit/credit card with no foreign transaction fees as could be cheaper again.

Yes thanks, also the FX shop there gives a pretty good rate as well - About 1.44 at the moment, CBA was 1.42 and Travelex 1.28....

 

[Chicken]

I think I'll get the ING Orange, unless any other suggestions ?

No, not ING, they have monthly hoops for you to jump thru in order to get free forex.

Get uBank (actually don't because of passkey), or Suncorp, or refer AFF guide.

 

[DejaBrew]

I think I'll get the ING Orange, unless any other suggestions ?

Ubank
Macquarie
Suncorp

Agree with @Chicken that ING is far less appealing these days with their continual erosion of benefits.

 

[Lynda2475]

A no fee debit card would give you over FJ$3k from an ATM (putting aside any withdrawal limits) or just using as card payment.

I cant imagine needing $3k cash in Fiji. The only thing likely to cost anywhere near that much is airfares or hotel and they typically prefer you pay either re-pay or pay via card.

 

[SYD]

Ubank
Macquarie
Suncorp

Agree with @Chicken that ING is far less appealing these days with their continual erosion of benefits.

Macquarie is definitely worth looking at and should be free. Can be opened online in a matter of minutes

SYD+1 just open some accounts (we’re already customers via Super). Although we both already have ING (highest ongoing Saver interest) and UBank (also good interest). There was some additional benefits with MacBank.

Like most, you get a transaction acc (which ought to be fee free to use ATMs OS - apart from any local machine fee, plus zero international transaction fee* on debit purchases and ATM cash. Plus a linked high interest account (if you want). MacBank has an introductory offer of 5.5% (equal to ING).

But what I didn’t know is the transaction account also has decent interest compared with the other’s that have zero% int on their transaction accounts.

*VISA/MC do have a small 0.3% to 0.5% fee built in - so you’ll see a slight difference to the spot rate on Google/XE.

 

[Lynda2475]

But what I didn’t know is the transaction account also has decent interest compared with the other’s that have zero% int on their transaction accounts.

I rate Macquarie as the best debit card for travelling as it has no account fees, fee free overseas transactions, a great app that allows you to authenticate without mobile data and most importantly zero hurdles (no requirement to make regular despots, no penalties for making withdrawals).

Up until now the transaction account has earned the same 5.0% rate as the linked savings account (5.5% for new customers for 3 months). This is about to change with the transaction account dropping to 2.75% next month.

But that is still more than the 0-0.01% most other transactional accounts pay. And the app/web allows you to instantly transfer money between the savings and transaction account as needed.

When travelling I tend to keep a small balance (what I think I need to spend that day) in the transaction account in case card is lost and just top up from savings each night for the following days plans.

 

[lovestotravel]

I cant imagine needing $3k cash in Fiji. The only thing likely to cost anywhere near that much is airfares or hotel and they typically prefer you pay either re-pay or pay via card.

I'll probably need a bit more actually, it's a 10 day trip.

Food and non-alcoholic drinks are included at both resorts, but other drinks/snacks do add up sadly. It's quite easy to spend $300 per day on coughtails for 2 people.

Then the excursions/boat tours etc which can be up to $500 or more for a few hours/day.

 

[SYD]

Up until now the transaction account has earned the same 5.0% rate as the linked savings account (5.5% for new customers for 3 months). This is about to change with the transaction account dropping to 2.75% next month.

But that is still more than the 0-0.1% most other transactional accounts pay.

It’s actually 2.75% more than the other short list contenders!

That to me is the main winner.

Otherwise, UBank is probably next best. $500 in a month for bonus interest is nothing. I think implementing “Passkey” is actually better now than a OTP by SMS.

And the app/web allows you to instantly transfer money between the savings and transaction account as needed.

The others do this.

 

[Chicken]

I think implementing “Passkey” is actually better now than a OTP by SMS

Yes in theory, no in real life. Say it's a good idea to the people who can't log in and get their money out.

 

[Lynda2475]

other drinks/snacks do add up sadly. It's quite easy to spend $300 per day on coughtails for 2 people.

Then the excursions/boat tours etc which can be up to $500 or more for a few hours/day.

Yes but all of those things can be paid for with a card; cash isnt the only option.

 

[Lynda2475]

The others do this.

Yes but many of them also penalize you by not paying interest on the savings account for that month because you made a withdrawal (or the balance was lower at end of month than start of month).

I have other debit cards too; but Macquarie's IMO is the best of the lot with no penalties for spending your own money.

 

[SYD]

Yes but many of them also penalize you by not paying interest on the savings account for that month because you made a withdrawal (or the balance was lower at end of month than start of month).

Not UBank.

ING saver account has a requirement to increase the Saver balance but you can still move money in an out. Yes, it’s taken the shine off ING.

I have other debit cards too; but Macquarie's IMO is the best of the lot with no penalties for spending your own money.

That’s what I said earlier.

Anyway, there’s another thread for this specific topic.