Which debit card is best overseas?

[pottsy]

Would appreciate advice please?
I am fed up with my credit union charging me for making overseas withdrawals & the bother of pre-loaded travel cards...........time for a change.
SO which is the best debit card to use overseas? 'Think' I have narrowed it down to these two?:

Citibank Plus debitcard OR ing Everyday Orange debitcard ?

Be very grateful for anyone's thoughts!

 

[BriarFlyer]

I've had the Citibank card for quite a few years and trips, and it's never let me down. I've not used ING so can't comment.

 

[Fergo747]

I'm same as BriarFlyer. Citibank has been great for me - no transaction fees and conversion at a generally reasonable spot rate. Easy app to use to check balance etc too. I only use this card on o/s trips

 

[Maisy33]

I used my ING in the US with no problems. The app on my phone is easy to navigate.

 

[VPS]

I've used Citibank without any issues but I'm going to try the Transferwise card next trip.

 

[jb747]

ING works very well. They refund any charges (assuming you meet a couple of very simple conditions).

 

[Lynda2475]

The ING conditions are simple if they are you primary bank i.e. where your salary is deposited but a total pain if you main bank is someone else.

 

[jb747]

I know someone who opened an account with them. Set up an automatic transfer from his normal bank, and slowly moved his holiday money there. Used the card for a few coffee purchases per month. And then used it o/s. Closed the account on his return.

 

[Dr Ralph]

Cash.

 

[jb747]

Cash.

You carry cash for your entire holiday?

 

[Dr Ralph]

You carry cash for your entire holiday?

Pretty much. Ive never withdrawn cash from an OS ATM.

 

[Cruiser Elite]

Ralphy didn’t You post you spent couple months in USA last year? Do you drive around with a boot full of cash or do you live like a pauper whilst you are there?

 

[Dr Ralph]

Ralphy didn’t You post you spent couple months in USA last year? Do you drive around with a boot full of cash or do you live like a pauper whilst you are there?

Approx 4 months in the US in 2017, some trips in 2018 and around 6 weeks over a couple of trips so far this year. I carry sufficient cash and use a credit card, where needed or required (for example upon check in to a hotel or upon collecting a hire car), and have few concerns (although on a recent trip an immigration official seemed concerned with the amount of cash I had - even though it was under the declarable limit of US $10,000).

I don't even know if my Cth. bank ATM card would work in an OS ATM. I've never tried it and expect never to use it.

I carry large bills, which are very easy to break at places like Walmart, and don't take up that much space.

The credit card is also useful in case of emergency. And I travel with several - just in case!

I will add that when in the US it's usual for all of my main expenses, such as accommodation and car hire to be prepaid (but you still need to use a credit card upon collecting a hire car or checking into a hotel). I've also gotten into the habit of travelling with quite a few gift cards already pre-purchased (many at a discount to face value) for shopping at places like Macy's, Walmart and Cabelas and food places like Panda Express, Cheesecake factory and Red Lobster.

 

[Cruiser Elite]

Hang on hang on - wasn’t it only couple days ago you were posting you pay cash for everything - now you use CC?

 

[cwd]

I know someone who opened an account with them. Set up an automatic transfer from his normal bank, and slowly moved his holiday money there. Used the card for a few coffee purchases per month. And then used it o/s. Closed the account on his return.

You can even just transfer money out to another bank, then immediately transfer it back in. Also, self-serve checkouts at supermarkets are a great way to break a purchase up into a number of smaller transactions of an amount of your choosing....

Agreed that if you can satisfy the ING criteria, it's the better option than the Citibank card, as you don't need to worry about whether the ATM is going to charge you a fee.

 

[Dr Ralph]

Hang on hang on - wasn’t it only couple days ago you were posting you pay cash for everything - now you use CC?

Good luck hiring a car or checking into a hotel without a credit card.

But you seem resolved to pull apart or challenge everything I post and I'm in no mood to play that game with you, so I won't comment further.

But I'm sure that wont stop you.

 

[Lynda2475]

Also i wouldnt get just one card - always need a back-up.

I travel with credit cards for hotel guarantees etc, but mostly use my Citibank Plus Debit or Macquarie Bank debit card for ATM if I need cash or for purchases in store or online while travelling. One debit card on me, the other in the room safe or hidden somewhere in my room.

I was able to find fee free atms (or citibank atms so no fee) everywhere I've been in the last 2 years.

Spain was a bit of struggle as by default most ATMs want to charge a fee - but persist until you find one that doesn't, or just use card for all your purchases.

In Singapore and New York citibank branches and ATMs are plentiful. In north east of the USA, ATMs in Duane Reade and 7 eleven and a bunch of other convenience stores also tend to be provided by citibank so no fees when use debit card.

In the UK, Portugal and Croatia - ATMs attached to banks don't charge a fee for cash withdrawal.

 

[Cruiser Elite]

Good luck hiring a car or checking into a hotel without a credit card.

But you seem resolved to pull apart or challenge everything I post and I'm in no mood to play that game with you, so I won't comment further.

Ralphy no need to ‘pull apart or challenge everything you post’ - you put it there in black and white for the world to see - just sayin’.

 

[Myztikal_]

ING for primary and Citibank as my backup.

Also throw in a 28 degrees as my credit card

 

[tgh]

We seem to scrape through many/most countries with no cash at all , but we have to be constructive getting into pay loos…
Good 'ol 28degrees does the deed for us… but it's a credit card so I am o/t and out…..