buying euros
 

I will be traveling to Ireland in just 2 weeks. I just called my Credit Union about using my atm card to get euros only to find out that it can't be used overseas. I used it in Italy in 2007 and it worked. The CU said it was due to fraud. So, now what do I do to get euros?

1. Ask for a waver, which they probably will not issue.
2. Open another bank account at another bank and deposit cash in your checking account. Then use that at atm's overseas.
2. Buy Euro here and take with you. Figure what you will need, add at least 15% and get that much. If you have overages, you can sell them back to the bank you bought them at. I get Euro from my credit union at the daily rate. For me, that is a great deal. I usually take at least 2000E with me, and if needed, I have a atm card and a credit card to use for large purchases-train tickets, planes, hotels, etc.

I would call them back to be sure you have gotten the right answer. I hope you have a credit card.

If the person you spoke to is correct, which I also wonder about, you still have plenty of time to open a new account in a bank that will allow you to use an ATM overseas. However, ALL banks now require you to notify them of your travel plans before you go, or they often decline your card even when you are using it correctly!

PS I would love to know where you bank, jk! All of the banks here in Boston had TERRIBLE exchange rates plus big service fees to buy euros here which made pre-buying euros a very bad deal.

Pay for whatever you can with a credit card. Open a checking account in a bank and get a debit card - but first make sure they are part of the major networks. I would not want to carry more than 200 or 300 euros at once. And buying ther - either her or there - is like throwing about 10% of your moneyout the window.

Hey fluff,

If my bank told me that I couldn't use my ATM card overseas, I would change banks.

At the least, I would open an account with a bank that would let me use my ATM card overseas and use that for my trip.

Buying Euro in the US will cost you about 10% over the ATM charge.

((I))

I find it very hard to believe that your atm can't be used overseas. Look on the back of it and see what logos are there - if they are the usual ones - Cirrhus, Plus... - there is no reason you can't use it.

<<I get Euro from my credit union at the daily rate. For me, that is a great deal. I usually take at least 2000E with me>>

I would bet dollars to donuts that your first sentence is far from the truth - or that you don't understand what "daily rate" means. As to the second, carrying 2000 euros in cash is incredibly risky and inadvisable.

I concur---you have bad info I think.

And, never " buy" euros---anytime you exchange currencies I will assure you it will cost you 8% or more. Use the ATM.

My credit Union credit card has blocked 9 areas in the States, but this can be waived by telling it that we are traveling in that area. I would be surprised if the same thing would not hold true for the ATM card. I'm with Ira on this one: change banks if the ATM card will not work in Ireland, and let them know that this is why you are leaving the credit union.

I also agree with Ira and Michael on this. I would first go back and ask for clarification of their policy from a manager. I can't help but think that the person who told you this did not know what he/she was saying or that you misunderstood what they were saying.

If this credit union, in fact, will not allow you to use your debit card overseas, then it's time to change credit unions. There are plenty of credit unions that don't have a problem with this and they are the ones that deserve your business.

Buying a lot of euros to take with your is unwise from a safety standard and a financial standard.

The OP is leaving in 2 weeks - unlikely they will get an ATM card mailed to them in time.

And FWIW, my bank ( a small community bank ) also will not allow ATM withdrawals out of the US.

DebitNM, how do you get Euros?

We opened an account at Citibank to have a back-up debit account and they overnighted a card to my husband at no charge. I had signed up a few days earlier than he did and my card arrived by regular mail in < 6 days, so 2 weeks sounds like plenty of time to me.

If you go to a normal bank you can open an account (assuming you use cash or a certified check) and have an ATM card and access to the money the next day. (Obviously they won;t do this with a regular check - esp if out of state).

I wouldn't presume that information is false, I've read about Australian cards not being able to be used in Europe on Fodors, if I recall correctly. I think I have read about credit cards being blocked, but the same issue might apply to ATM cards. It is certainly not impossible. I lot of banks don't really care if they are inconveniencing people who travel abroad.

This is actually a good question, what would you do if you didn't have an ATM card to use abroad? I remember the old days, I used TCs and actually bought some currency in the US at a travel exchange bureau. I live in a big city, though, where that is possible. I did pay a bigger markup than an ATM card would have, sure, but you had to do that.

I think the OP should find out the markup on the bank getting some euro for them (if the CU will do that, I have never used a small CU as my only bank), and if that fails, finding a foreign exchange service in the city. Where I live, it is Travelex and any site that is not the airport gives better rates, of course. Even then, I wouldn't want to carry money for my entire trip that way, but that depends. It is possible if you make sure you use a credit card for most things abroad and you aren't going to be gone that long.

A Pre Pay card might be an option, Visa and Mastercard both offer cards you can put money on for use globally. These are generally issued by a diversity of companies and might need a little homework to find the most cost effective and who is able to get a card to you asap.

The OP is talking about an ATM card. Some others are talking about a debit card. They are not the same thing. An ATM card is only good to get cash from, well, ATMs. You can use a debit card to get money from ATMs. And you can also use it like a credit card EXCEPT the money comes out of your account immediately. It doesn't have the protection that a credit card has. Your account could be emptied before you know your card is gone. You'll get the money back eventually but what if you're on a trip?

At our local credit union, only the debit card (and the credit card) will work abroad.

The prepaid cards that Tony2phones mentions usually have so much overhead of their own: charges to load the card, charges to use the card, plus conversion fees, that you're paying a lot just to use your own money.

To mamcalice -

We opened bank accounts at another bank that provides us with free ATM withdrawals with no fees. We keep a small amount in it unless we are traveling. We also use their chip credit card.

Andrewsfcu.org. But you won't get it in time for this trip.

<<A Pre Pay card might be an option, Visa and Mastercard both offer cards you can put money on for use globally. These are generally issued by a diversity of companies and might need a little homework to find the most cost effective and who is able to get a card to you asap.>>

Yes, it's an option, but possibly the WORST option. Don't do this. You pay for the card, you get a totally lousy exchange rate, and then you pay again to re-load if you need to and again for any of your own money that you don't use. Horrible idea.