Which debit card is best overseas?

[pottsy]

Thanks so much for all your thoughts everyone, very much appreciated.
Re: credit card, I have heard (on another forum) about 28 degrees and am seriously considering it. My only hesitation is that I currently use Citibank signature credit card (here and overseas) to gain QFF points?

 

[liamg]

I just got a UBank USaver Ultra card and plan to keep it in my travel wallet and use it only when I'm abroad. Funds were transferred from NAB into the account almost instantaneously so it's easy to manage.

Transaction Account - ubank

Our Spend account is an an award-winning transaction account for everyday banking. No monthly fees.

www.ubank.com.au

 

[hachoo]

I use Citibank Plus however recently using it in the UK i found funds didn't clear very quickly and the app is clunky (more obvious as I'm more reliant on it overseas).

Have an ING acc however the criteria to get the benefits means you have to preempt your travel to do the transfer and 5 minimum transactions the month prior. Macquarie also refunds fees and have a good app too if you're looking into transaction accounts.

Bankwest world or 28deg for a CC is decent if I'm not churning cards which have travel benefits.

 

[pottsy]

Use Citibank Plus. Absolutely no complaints.

Why is this topic in the Qantas sub-forum though??

Apologies, if I put it on the wrong forum, my initial question included the QFF debit travel money card, which I have definitely decided against, thanks to all the advice.

 

[marki]

Apologies, if I put it on the wrong forum, my initial question included the QFF debit travel money card, which I have definitely decided against, thanks to all the advice.

The only reason I would agree to use a QFF travel money card is the special promos and points that come attached. Only then does it seem half bad.

 

[MaxwellSmart]

I use citibank and hsbc without an issue.

 

[MikeG]

I just signed up with HSBC - customer service is unbelievably good. Very happy. Also on track to get by $100 cashback for funding 3 subsequent months, and also getting 2% cashback on all <$100 purchases on the card. Not bad for a FREE card. Only fees I'll pay are $10 funding charges in foreign currency, which in the end I'll ave more than $10 on FX rates.

M

 

[Blacksheep]

I don't think it has to be your salary they just want a min $1,000.00 per month however I wonder if you can just do that the month prior to travel and that would be enough to qualify for the refund on atm fees which overseas. Rinse and repeat the next time you go overseas.



I believe there's an AFFer who goes to the self service checkout at a supermarket does a multi transaction for payment.....five times with the same ING card.

Yup, that'll be me buying 5 bottles of water and paying them individually....

 

[cwd]

Yup, that'll be me buying 5 bottles of water and paying them individually....

No need to buy more than 1.

 

[RooFlyer]

Thanks so much for all your thoughts everyone, very much appreciated.
Re: credit card, I have heard (on another forum) about 28 degrees and am seriously considering it. My only hesitation is that I currently use Citibank signature credit card (here and overseas) to gain QFF points?

Sure - its a trade off - you get QFF points, but you pay for them in higher fees etc.

 

[SeaWolf]

Macquarie also refunds fees and have a good app too if you're looking into transaction accounts.

Unfortunately Macquarie only refunds the ATM fees domestically. If you use an overseas ATM that charges a fee they won't rebate that. So it's not quite as good as the ING account, although the Macquarie one doesn't require any monthly hoops to jump through.

Transaction account

An everyday digital bank account that works worldwide, with market-leading security and no Macquarie fees.

www.macquarie.com

Free access to any rediATM and enjoy a refund on fees incurred at all other ATMs in Australia. We don’t charge fees to use ATMs overseas. You may be charged a fee by international ATM operators.

 

[hachoo]

Unfortunately Macquarie only refunds the ATM fees domestically. If you use an overseas ATM that charges a fee they won't rebate that. So it's not quite as good as the ING account, although the Macquarie one doesn't require any monthly hoops to jump through.

Ah yes, oversight on my part. Depending on the location indeed. I was in the UK and most major bank ATMs have free withdrawals there. ING does give you that flexibility though.

 

[BNEFlyer]

I used Citibank Debit for years, then went to U Bank (to get an interest rate bonus on savings) but their requirement to always have money in one account is annoying so I switched to Macquarie. Same as other cards, no currency conversion or ATM withdrawal fees and the app is very good. It provides instant conversions so you can keep track of how much things cost in the local currency.

 

[chodo]

I recently canned my 28 Degrees card after 13 years (from when it was the Wizard card), because of their ridiculous 0.95c fee for paying it off with BPAY.

I have the uBank debit card because it's attached to my savings account, but haven't yet used it abroad,

Got an email yesterday from Citibank (I have their debit card that I use overseas) saying there's been changes to the fees and charges. Had a scan through but couldn't work out what would apply to me. Has anybody else received this?

 

[lazblue]

Have been using the Citibank Debit Card up until recently which has been great... but now use my UBank debit card since they started offering free overseas withdrawals. Seems like more banks are waiving overseas transaction fees... I recently saw that CUA now has an account that "refunds international ATM withdrawal fees".

 

[SeaWolf]

I recently saw that CUA now has an account that "refunds international ATM withdrawal fees".

I think the CUA product has launched in the last few days. I saw a poster advertising it this morning and I've just had a bit of a look through. The T&Cs are not quite as good as ING in that I don't think it refunds the fees charged by the ATM itself, just the fees charged by CUA. You also have to jump through similar hoops, but during the month, rather than the month prior. You can get the rebates on the first day of the subsequent month if you've done that.

A CUA fee rebate will be applied to your Everyday Snap Account on the first day of the next calendar month for all CUA Visa Debit International Transaction Fees, CUA Overseas ATM Cash Withdrawal Fees and CUA Overdrawn Fees debited during the current calendar month only if the following criteria are met: A. there is a deposit of at least $2,000 from a non-CUA bank account to your Everyday Snap Account prior to the last day of the current calendar month, and B. at least 5 Visa Debit card purchase transactions (card present and non-card present transactions but excluding ATM withdrawals, balance enquiries, Bank@Post transaction, cash advances and EFTPOS cash out only transactions) are made on your Everyday Snap Account and are processed and not at pending status prior to the last day of the current calendar month. International non-CUA fees may apply.

To my mind you'd be better off with the Macquarie account which offers the same benefits without the hoops.

 

[RAM]

**O/T**, except, maybe you haven't been through Japan yet.
They say Japan is still a cash as in cash notes used country.
Maybe they will accept cards more so, after the RWC/Olympics.
With all this HK based troubles not seeming to go away, maybe I might go via SIN to NRT/HND, or go via MEL/SYD to NRT/HND.

Never let that get in the way of a determined 20yr female.

My daughter used (really ABUSED) her supplementary 28 Degrees (no annual fee, no exchange fee BUT no insurance & no points) in Jan 2019 in Japan on a ski & sightseeing trip.

12 pages of transactions later (ranging from equivalent of AUD 1.50 to much worse) suggest there is next to no problem only using a credit card in at least Tokyo and rural Japan around skiing areas.

She reported never being refused with her credit card and despite only taking 20,000 Yen with her for 15 days - she came back with 15,400 odd. Just about only used it when someone else paid for lunch while she minded seats.

Perhaps a 40, 50, 60+ white male MAY have a harder time....

 

[Cruiser Elite]

I wish there was a ‘seriously coughking hilarious’ smilie

 

[jpp42]

It really depends on what kind of Japan vacation you're going on. Shopping in Tokyo and going to ski areas that cater primarily to Westerners, rarely leaving the resort hotel or the ski field? Sure, credit card all the way. Visiting rural towns and staying in ryokans? You'd better have some yen, and you'll find the only international ATM to get those yen will be in the post office (open only during office hours!). Japan is a place of contradictions sometimes... that adds to the fun.

 

[Alwa]

For me Citibank Plus (Debit Card) has worked very well in all my travels and their rates are very good.