Travel card which one?

[Babysaurs]

Hi heading to the us in march then maybe again in sept/oct wanting to exchange some cash now for US dollars before it gets much lower
Which card do you use what's best with less fees etc?

 

[minneylovesmicky]

We got the comm bank one, no fees to load cash, $15.00 card fee to start with, free if card holder is a student.

We loaded it up back when it was 0.89, thought it was going to bottom out before we went, didn't think it would go this low.

This link has the fees involoved
https://www.commbank.com.au/personal/international/travel-money-card/fees-charges.html

This is a calculator to help you work out how much you will get, it is at $0.76 today...OMG!!

https://service.commbank.com.au/tools/foreign-exchange-calculator/foreign-exchange-calculator.aspx

 

[Princess Jes]

I'll second the CBA card.
They give you two incase one stops working (which it did... 2 nights in on a 22 night trip)
Had to call CBA from universal to deactivate, was no drama.
I don't think we had an issue anywhere with it.

 

[jevs]

Another one that uses CBA no issues with using it

 

[lffam]

I'll second the CBA card.
They give you two incase one stops working (which it did... 2 nights in on a 22 night trip)
Had to call CBA from universal to deactivate, was no drama.
I don't think we had an issue anywhere with it.

So you cant have both in operation at once from the one account? ie one for me and one for wife?

 

[minneylovesmicky]

So you cant have both in operation at once from the one account? ie one for me and one for wife?

Yes they are both linked to the one account, activated and active at the same time.

I checked ours the other week, to make sure they worked, just got a balance at our local comm bank ATM, both worked fine.

You can also set up phone alerts, so it will send you a balance at the end of each day or week, what ever you select

 

[lffam]

Yes they are both linked to the one account, activated and active at the same time.

I checked ours the other week, to make sure they worked, just got a balance at our local comm bank ATM, both worked fine.

You can also set up phone alerts, so it will send you a balance at the end of each day or week, what ever you select

oh great thanks, that's useful. The Velocity one you have to pay to get a another linked card

 

[minneylovesmicky]

oh great thanks, that's useful. The Velocity one you have to pay to get a another linked card

They certainly know to get more money from you.

With the comm bank one, you get two right away over the counter, you deposit you money on it right away and cash shows up within 45 minutes, a txt gets sent to your mobile phone to let you know it is there.

You set up net bank, if you don't already bank with them, and set it all up there, shows what cash you have in your selected currency.

 

[lffam]

They certainly know to get more money from you. With the comm bank one, you get two right away over the counter, you deposit you money on it right away and cash shows up within 45 minutes, a txt gets sent to your mobile phone to let you know it is there. You set up net bank, if you don't already bank with them, and set it all up there, shows what cash you have in wha currency.

I would have normally used our 28 Degrees card which has a great FX rate and no fees, but I want to start buying some currency over the coming months to to hedge my bets. Ive read quite a number of different reports about where teh AUD is heading and the only thing I know for sure, is that no one really knows!

 

[LisaAJ]

I'm using the CommBank one now (in Orlando). I've used it with no dramas everywhere except at Hertz. You can't use it for car hire apparently. I've used our normal credit card for that but apparently I can change it over to the travel car when we return with the car.

 

[minneylovesmicky]

I would have normally used our 28 Degrees card which has a great FX rate and no fees, but I want to start buying some currency over the coming months to to hedge my bets. Ive read quite a number of different reports about where teh AUD is heading and the only thing I know for sure, is that no one really knows!

Originally I was just going to put all my money on my Debit card and just use that, not worry about conversion rates and what our $$$ was to the US$$$, I was just going to wing it, I just didn't want to have to worry about that part.

Then one morning last yr, I woke up with this terrible overwhelming fear our $$ was going to bottom out and I would be left with hardly any money whilst on holidays. So we went down and put all our cash onto the Comm bank travel card, we got it for $0.89, it is now at $0.77. PHEW!!!

With the two different rates, it is a difference of well over $1000 for us.


So glad I listened to my gut feeling and changed it when I did.



Moral of the story - go with your gut feeling, don't listen to others who tell you "you will be right, as everything is paid for"

 

[LisaAJ]

With the two different rates, it is a difference of well over $1000 for us. So glad I listened to my gut feeling and changed it when I did. Moral of the story - go with your gut feeling, don't listen to others who tell you "you will be right, as everything is paid for"

I did the same, except I changed most of our $$ over at $0.97!!! I worked out I saved $4,500 by doing it then!!! Our trip was planned so far in advance I could take advantage of the good rates luckily!