Cash Machines (ATM) - Balances

[r2304]

Quick question which I'm hoping won't be too difficult for anybody who's been regularly :-

Is it possible to get a balance from the cash (ATM) machines anywhere around Disneyland Paris using a UK debit card (specifically the Nationwide one)?

Bascially, I have got one of the Nationwide cards which I just use for use abroad. I transferred some money to it on Wednesday night which means the 3 working days window for the money to arrive in my account will be Monday, which is the day we travel. Although I can check my account in the morning, if the money isn't showing then I will need to check whilst we are there.

We'll be taking cash for the first day or so and at worst case can use my normal bank debit card, but I'd like to know if I will be able to find out my Nationwide balance whilst over there.

 

[ruthiebabie]

Not sure about DLRP but I've the same card just for holidays and just had a bit of an argument with them as despite having no overdraft on the account it let me go overdrawn whilst using the card in Spain as it doesn't relay back in real time to the UK so it lets you continue to draw cash out.

They said that I should use internet banking and check the balance online before making a withdrawal!! But that isn't always possible.

 

[r2304]

That's the other option I've got (checking my online banking) but wanted to avoid that because of the excessive roaming charges (unless I can find some free/reasonably priced wifi access)

I think checking my balance on the ATM would be much better for many reasons. I'm just expecting that it won't offer that facility to UK cards. Hopefully I'm wrong?

 

[ruthiebabie]

I'm thinking it won't let you check as its not a UK machine so not linked direct to the UK network.

 

[cookie334]

I can't help you with the Nationwide one, but my Bank of Scotland one I couldn't get a balance.

Also, again this may be different with Nationwide, but the internet banking wouldn't have worked for me with the Bank of Scotland as none of the payments I made came off until we were back home, think it takes a full week for payments to be received and processed. Usually my payments will come off the balance available even if it hasn't been paid yet so that I can't spend more money than I have, but this wasn't the case for us.

HTH a little even though it's different banks.

 

[PinkPig]

You just need to keep track of how much you're spending - it really isn't too tricky to keep receipts (and get a receipt from a cash machine) and add them up when you want to check how much money is left. As people have said there's no reliable way of getting an up-to-date balance.

 

[r2304]

For the benefit of anybody who reads this thread in the future, I thought I'd update it. I wasn't able to get a balance with my Nationwide card.

Thanks for the comments posted but it wasn't a case of me needing to keep a running total. I had transferred some money and wasn't sure when it would clear so needed to check my balance to confirm when the money was available. As it happened, it cleared the morning we were travelling so I was able to confirm it via my internet banking before travelling and therefore didn't need a balance from the ATM's anyway.

 

[BRobson]

Thanks for the update