Travel Eftpos Cards

[Meemoo]

Can anyone recommend a good card that takes less fees. Can you use these like a regular atm card or are you charged each time you withdraw? Trying to work out if I am better off using my AMX credit card plus take cash or load money onto a travel card.

 

[PrincessInOz]

Meemoo - They get you with fees whichever way you go. In the end, we went with the one offered by our bank. We could keep track of it online and it made for easy money transfer and exchange.
When we travel, we withdraw money as cash from the ATMs in as large an amount as possible. You get charged withdrawal fees and rather than take out small amounts, we maximise the amount when we can.
We do use it as a debit card from time to time.....but only if we have a large enough transaction.

We take a combination of cash and travel card. I used to take AMEX Travellers' Cheques because I could get them replaced in case of theft or if I lost them. I don't do so anymore because the Travel Card is easier and because more retailers make it harder to cash Traveller's Cheques now.

Good luck with you research and money splits.

 

[ColinA]

With a debit card check if you have fraud protection. Using a credit card is protected. We had fraud after our last trip to WDW using my DW card at MCO airport, 3 amounts. All were refunded. The airport was the only place she used it.

Common story about airports, never any problems from disney

 

[PrincessInOz]

With a debit card check if you have fraud protection. Using a credit card is protected. We had fraud after our last trip to WDW using my DW card at MCO airport, 3 amounts. All were refunded. The airport was the only place she used it.

Common story about airports, never any problems from disney

DH used a credit card to pay the accommodation bill on one of our trips at WDW. It was the only place we used that credit card. No where else. 2 months later, the bank contacted us. 'Someone' was using that credit card in Vegas. We had to get a new card issued, dispute the payment (it was a couple of thousand dollars worth) and it took us 2 - 3 months to sort it all out.

 

[ColinA]

Yep, it happens unfortunately. We check our accounts daily.

The question I was asking was does the debit card have the same protection.

 

[PrincessInOz]

Yep, it happens unfortunately. We check our accounts daily.

The question I was asking was does the debit card have the same protection.

Sadly, I don't think it does. We do keep it for 95% ATM withdrawal only.

 

[Mum from oz]

We've always used a travel card as I like the fact you can lock in the exchange rate and once it is in USD it means there is no conversion fee per transaction. We generally take a $1k or so in cash and then load the rest onto the card. We don't generally withdraw too much from ATMs to avoid fees. We just use credit on the cards for nearly everything and just withdraw at grocery stores and Walmart etc when we're running low on cash.

 

[bswift]

Previously I've used the CommBank travel card but for my next trip I'm using the Velocity Global Wallet that comes with being a Velocity/Virgin member.

I don't have a Choice membership so I can't read this whole article but it seems like the Velocity card and the Qantas card are the best because they don't have reloading fees and the ATM fees are lower. I also compared the currency exchange rate at the time and Velocity was often slightly better than the CommBank card. I haven't used it in stores yet but I've had no problems online. You can also load the card with AUS$ and use it here, which earns you Velocity points (1 for $2 in Australia and 1 for $1 spent overseas). After my trip I plan on still using it either online or in-stores here so I'm not fussed about the card inactivity fee.

In terms of fraud protection, I did have someone hack my CommBank card and they alerted me and refunded me the money. Also, I do recall a few instances where I couldn't use my CommBank card in the US but I can't recall what they were. I do remember a few stores being suspicious of the fact that they don't have your name on them (they like to check IDs for credit cards over there, they probably targeted me since I'm early 20s though). The Velocity card does have my name on the other side (it doubles as the Velocity membership card) so hopefully I don't have any issues this time.

 

[Meemoo]

I have been shopping around a little, reading all the terms and conditions and fees and charges for some of the travel cards. Seems like they all have their good and bad so far. The Post Office one doesn't seem too bad, they don't charge an issue fee. Commbank charge $15 per card and the withdrawal fee was a little higher too. I do have a Virgin Velocity Card (somewhere ) might check out what they offer too. I should have gone for it yesterday when the $ peaked but I have wasted so much time not making up my mind!

 

[orion2185]

Previously I've used the CommBank travel card but for my next trip I'm using the Velocity Global Wallet that comes with being a Velocity/Virgin member.

I don't have a Choice membership so I can't read this whole article but it seems like the Velocity card and the Qantas card are the best because they don't have reloading fees and the ATM fees are lower. I also compared the currency exchange rate at the time and Velocity was often slightly better than the CommBank card. I haven't used it in stores yet but I've had no problems online. You can also load the card with AUS$ and use it here, which earns you Velocity points (1 for $2 in Australia and 1 for $1 spent overseas). After my trip I plan on still using it either online or in-stores here so I'm not fussed about the card inactivity fee.

In terms of fraud protection, I did have someone hack my CommBank card and they alerted me and refunded me the money. Also, I do recall a few instances where I couldn't use my CommBank card in the US but I can't recall what they were. I do remember a few stores being suspicious of the fact that they don't have your name on them (they like to check IDs for credit cards over there, they probably targeted me since I'm early 20s though). The Velocity card does have my name on the other side (it doubles as the Velocity membership card) so hopefully I don't have any issues this time.

We have the velocity global wallet card and activated it

Where can we find the current exchange rate?
Don't see it listed anywhere on the website
Looks like you have to submit how much you want to convert and get a quote. As that's the only option we find on the website.

Any ideas what the current exchange rate is or how we find out what it is?

Like the idea of using the card and earning velocity points. A bit better that adding the 3% overseas fee from the virgin credit card. As those fees can really add up if using the card.

Also like the prepaid global wallet for paying off cruise. As we can lock in the exchange rate when it's good. Rather than trying to pay with credit card only find out the charge gets processed later and the exchange rate drops. Had this happen numerous times

 

[losfp]

I did a bit of reading around and a common combo that I've got is to use a Citibank debit Visa card attached to a Citibank Plus account. You use it to withdraw cash fee-free worldwide. You then combine it with a 28 degrees mastercard, which does not charge forex or conversion fees. I use it to do online shopping at overseas sites as well.

I'll be bringing both, plus my regular mastercard purely as an emergency backup.

I used the CBA travel card last trip, but upon looking into alternatives this time, discovered that their fees and exchange rates are not exciting...

 

[bswift]

We have the velocity global wallet card and activated it

Where can we find the current exchange rate?
Don't see it listed anywhere on the website
Looks like you have to submit how much you want to convert and get a quote. As that's the only option we find on the website.

Any ideas what the current exchange rate is or how we find out what it is?

Like the idea of using the card and earning velocity points. A bit better that adding the 3% overseas fee from the virgin credit card. As those fees can really add up if using the card.

Also like the prepaid global wallet for paying off cruise. As we can lock in the exchange rate when it's good. Rather than trying to pay with credit card only find out the charge gets processed later and the exchange rate drops. Had this happen numerous times

I haven't seen the exchange rate listed anywhere other than the quote feature. It's .7694 at the moment, was .77something this morning.

 

[Aussie Wendy]

We have the Post Office travel card, fees are better than C'wealth card but we have used both over time. We use the 28D Mastercard as they don't charge a conversion fee (and use it for overseas and local for purchases online from home too) but they do charge if you take out cash overseas so we draw cash out in larger sums when we we need it. We haven't yet investigated the loyalty flyer cards and probably should. We don't like putting/leaving a lot of money on any of the travel cards and see them more as unfortunate necessity - that being said we have bought foreign currency well in advance to lock in favourable exchange rates.

 

[travelwith4kids]

We applied for the 28 degrees mastercard for our trip after much research (and discovering that our banks visa has hefty OS purchase fees).
We have used it to pay for most of our trip to the US and it is great, no fees what so ever and the exchange is mostly (from what I can tell) the same as the XE at the time of purchase. Only thing is its no good for withdrawing cash and we intend to open a citibank plus account with a little spending money to withdraw over there when/if our cash that we ordered from the post office runs out. We intend to mostly just put everything on the CC though.

 

[orion2185]

Have read allot of people like and use the 28 degrees mastercard.

however, we have found that allot of places still don't accept mastercard (outside Australia)
and find the power of Visa is still the go to for just about every place

certainly looks like the 28 degree card is the "go to" card for online shopping or paying off your cruise
however, interested to see how this new "digital goods" tax changes online buying ...at least we have a bit of time before that kicks in