Latest information about 28 degrees card

[karen blancfield]

We’ve used this card for years and still think it is really good. But we can’t find accurate information about whether you can preload then withdraw cash, without it being treated as a cash advance. Their website doesn’t address the issue. Anyone had actual experience that’s recent? Posts here all seem a bit old. Thanks.

 

[Scr77]

You can definitely preload and redraw OS. It’s no longer OS commission free though. I think it was the standard 3%, reasonable IMO.

 

[serfty]

But we can’t find accurate information about whether you can preload then withdraw cash, without it being treated as a cash advance.

You can't preload this card, it is a credit card.

You can have a positive balance.

For cash advances overseas there are better options.

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

28° Reference Information Sadly No more free cash advances with this product:( A cash advance fee is to be introduced from 1 Jan 2014 - this includes both international and domestic Oz withdrawals. No more free cash advances - FAQs - 28 Degrees MasterCard Introduction of a Cash Advance Fee...

www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au

 

[cove]

They tend to stop the card working if you load more cash into the card than the credit limit. Less than the credit limit works ok.

 

[Scr77]

I paid this card $200 into positive balanced and withdrew at an ATM in Singapore 3 weeks ago without any problems. For me, this was simple and far cheaper than finding SGD in Australia.

I wouldn’t go out of my way to get this card. But it may be a reasonable option for those who already hold it. I haven’t chased other options, as nowadays you don’t need cash like you use to.

 

[karen blancfield]

You can't preload this card, it is a credit card.

You can have a positive balance.

For cash advances overseas there are better options.

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

28° Reference Information Sadly No more free cash advances with this product:( A cash advance fee is to be introduced from 1 Jan 2014 - this includes both international and domestic Oz withdrawals. No more free cash advances - FAQs - 28 Degrees MasterCard Introduction of a Cash Advance Fee...

www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au

See how confusing even these replies are today..... yes you can, no you can’t! We never use it for anything but a credit card. Will continue just this way as it’s always worked really well for us, including on our latest trip where they got us a refund for the car that didn’t arrive to pick us up at Gatwick last month.

 

[tgh]

Running into credit limit issues on the road , I tried to overpay and it would not let me.

 

[Scr77]

Running into credit limit issues on the road , I tried to overpay and it would not let me.

Can’t overpay via their online direct debit payment system. Just do a BPay from your regular bank account instead. There is a fee for BPay. 95cents IIRC

 

[cove]

Yes stay under your credit limit with credit funds and it will work ok.

 

[serfty]

See how confusing even these replies are today..... yes you can, no you can’t! We never use it for anything but a credit card. ...

I guess the mention of cash & preload in your first post confused things.

In the past it was a great way of getting foreign currency while overseas.

You can still use it for overseas purchases at one of the best exchange rates around as there are no forex fees.

On January 1st 2014 they began charging a fee for cash withdrawals.

So while it was once an inexpensive way of getting cash while overseas - not any more.

 

[oz_mark]

See how confusing even these replies are today..... yes you can, no you can’t! We never use it for anything but a credit card.

If you are preloading cash, and using that then you are not using the card as a credit card. That is, you are not using the product as it intended. Which is why you won't find anything official on their website about it.

As far as I know, using a scheme linked transaction account affords the same protections as using a credit card,

 

[cove]

Mrscove uses the 28 degrees card to pay some regular London bills she gets and she keeps the card in credit despite it being a credit card. If that card got hacked it would be a smaller issue than a big limit credit card.

 

[Buzzard]

For withdrawing cash from overseas atm's I use my Citibank debit card.
Great exchange rate and never paid a fee. I do make sure to use a bank ATM rather than a private one.

 

[cove]

My Citibank debit got closed by non use but Mrscove uses hers in the US.

 

[serfty]

My Citibank debit got closed by non use but Mrscove uses hers in the US.

If not too long ago, you can reopen it with a call. If going periods of non use, I just transfer a few dollars in and then out to keep the 'wheels greased'.

 

[cove]

I dont need it as I have a US Bank account and US credit cards but Citi debit is a winner with fair exchange rates.

 

[theblank]

But we can’t find accurate information about whether you can preload then withdraw cash, without it being treated as a cash advance. Their website doesn’t address the issue.

The PDS addresses the issue clearly.

There is *almost* NO credit card in australia that you can preload with credit and use to withdraw cash from ATMS, without costing you cash advance fees, or the other fees. Its wasting your time considering this scenario.

 

[karen blancfield]

The PDS addresses the issue clearly.

There is *almost* NO credit card in australia that you can preload with credit and use to withdraw cash from ATMS, without costing you cash advance fees, or the other fees. Its wasting your time considering this scenario.

The elderly friends who asked the question of us are likely to go overseas only once more, shortly, and they have decided they will just put cash into 28 degrees and wear the fees for taking cash out. Their choice. They are reluctant to add a third card to their collection, given their age and circumstances.

Not something we ever do or advise but I was interested to hear the views of regular travelers such as ourselves. I think the topic is well and truly covered now thanks.

 

[mel-world]

For withdrawing cash from overseas atm's I use my Citibank debit card.
Great exchange rate and never paid a fee. I do make sure to use a bank ATM rather than a private one.

I do exactly the same - Citibank Debit for ATM withdrawals and 28 Degrees for everything else - good exchange rate and no fees. On a recent trip to the US, Citibank even absorbed the third party ATM fee a couple of times.

28 Degrees contacted me during the trip re my card activity but once I answered a few automated questions on a call back, there was no further follow-up or disruption for the remainder of the trip. It paid everything from expensive hotels, Uber and train tickets to (expensive) coffees using Samsung Pay.

 

[Buzzard]

Another card I use overseas is my Coles MasterCard. Same deal as the 28 Degrees, owned by the same bank.