...I don't understand why fmpden prefers debit cards to credit cards. .....

Mimar - where did I post that? Don't make up stuff. We do prefer to use cash most of the time so we will use a debit card at a bank owned ATM frequently to obtain cash but for no other purpose.

Michael, clausar is is a Greek who lives in Athens, so his "guide of the current situation" is current as of today. :-)

Mimar's remark "I don't understand why fmpden prefers debit cards to credit cards" -- well, Mimar, it means that you may be in a different income bracket, and use "upscale" credit cards which give Special Treatment to their holders, because said holders spend a Very Large Amount annually ... or pay an extra annual fee for Special Treatment. These premium cards aren't called plain vanilla "Visa Cards" or Mastercards ... but have a fancy prefix such as PLatinum, or Diamond Visa or Elite or some such. These cards charge no transaction fees abroad.

At home, if you pay your bill in full every month, there is no fee for using an "ordinary" Visa/Mastercard from any of the Biggie banks like Wells Fargo, Chase, Citibank etc. However, if you use that CC for purchases abroad -- even if you pay the entire bill in full monthly -- these biggie banks exact an extra fee of 3% on the amount of purchase. So if you use the card for a hotel bill of $600, it will show up as $618 EVEN IF you pay in full the day the bill arrives. That $18 may not mean much to some people, but in Greece, that's a major dinner, WITH a liter of wine!.

If your cc is from a Credit union or other smaller banks, there is no such fee. Also, Credit Unions and certain smaller banks also issue ATM cards that have no transaction or % fee. I heard somewhere that Citibank may now be offering a special "travel credit card" -- but you have to ASk about it in order to get it.

sorry, this is not true. I have two credit cards with zero foreign currency transaction fees and they cost me nothing. One is a Capital One Mastercard and the other is a AAA Visa (administered by B of A). And both give me points/cash back. I'm sure there must be some others, but that's just two right there. Capital One is one of the biggest banks around and so is Bank of America.

These are not remotely "upscale" cards.

I never use a debit card (except for ATM cash withdrawals), I don't understand why anyone does, seems foolish to me when you can pay one bill a month and not have to be tracking your bank acct balance and you get perks for it. I think consumer protections are greater, also. The only reason I understand is people with such poor credit they can't get any credit card, or can only get one with a very tiny limit.

However, fmpden didn't really say that, anyway, just for cash.

I was not referring to online banks... just to bricks & mortar banks, so I did not except Capital one, my apologies. An AAA visa card managed by. Bank America may not have transaction fee (does it also eliminate the 3% fee?) thru a deal arranged between AAA & the bank; however in order to get such a card, you have to pay for a AAA membership. (Not to mention having to own a car, which I do not).

One of my CCs has no transaction charges, the 1% Visa foreign transaction fee is waived, and I get 1.5% back on every purchase. Needless to say, that is the one I normally use. I don't like to use my debit card except for ATM withdrawals.

My debit card, issued by the same bank, passes on the 1% Visa foreign transaction fee but has no other ATM charges. Obviously, when given the choice I would rather get 1.5% back than pay 1%. I still use the debit card for ATM withdrawals, but if more and more Greek merchants are accepting credit cards I won't need as much cash in future.

The biggest reason not to use a debit card as a substitute for a credit card resides with the possibility of the card account being hacked. If your credit card account is hacked, a couple of phone calls to your bank, the bogus charges are removed, a new card issued with a new number and life goes on. With a debit card, actual money has come out of your account and while, at least in the United States, you will probably get your money back until the whole matter is investigated your checks may turn to rubber and you will need new checks and the like. If you have to use a debit card because of problems with credit, for example, do not use the card of the bank which you consider your primary account. Open up an internet account or credit union account and use it only for travel purposes; transfer in money as you may need it.

Sorry, fmpden, I misread your post.

xyz, that is exactly how I use one of my Credit Union accounts ... I just put my travel funds in there -- I have CC's and another ATM card at a Different Credit Union, as back-up only. I also don't use these cards for any online transactions (ie, purchases at a company like Target which was hacked), and they have very difficult passwords so hacking them would be very unlikely.

I'm trying to imagine the OP walking around with $20k cash in his pocket. The reason I say $20k, is because the rumor is that his wife plans to buy a nice little diamond tennis bracelet while in Rome.

I suggest cards, always. You never know if you are going to have enough cash on you for an impulsive purchase.

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