Hi Alan
Is Capitol One a debit card?

Just checked- it appears Capitol One is a credit card. If you use a Credit Card in an ATM machine they consider it a loan and although you may not be charged ATM or exchange rates fees my guess is you will probably be charged as if you have taken out a loan against your credit card and those fees can be anywhere from 12% to 25%.

but...(sorry) I would use a credit card such as Capitol One for direct purchases with the merchant (that may be a big savings).

capital one is a full service bank - so it has both credit cards <b>AND</b> debit cards on its money market and other accounts.

Then in that case, if Capitol One can be used in any ATM machine in Paris and London with no charge to you, competitive exchange rates, and no conversion fees it is certainly worth checking out too.

BTW, You might want to check what your credit card &quot;foreign currency transaction fee&quot; is. Most bank issued Visa cards charge 3% for every charge made in a foreign country. My insurance company issued Visa only charges 1%. Guess which one I'll be taking to Europe.

To compare different bank cards see http://www.bankrate.com/brm/news/cc/20050624b1.asp

Henry

nd5524, I certainly consider brevity to be admirable but the questions you have asked so far are brief to the extreme. Try asking your questions with a little more detail.

Anyway, you should find this article from moneycentral will answer many of your questions (and some you didn't know you had).
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20 tips for using plastic on vacation

Smart use of your credit and ATM card can make your trip easier. Here is what you need to know to protect yourself and avoid costly glitches.

http://preview.tinyurl.com/pzhp4
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Enjoy your trip.

I assume nd5524 is an American. Try your local credit union. We've used our credit union ATM/debit card all over Europe with no use charges, just a 1% conversion fee.

nd5524
make sure you only use your ATM with the correct bank.

A question: Does any ATM machine not charge a use fee?
nd5524: Have you sat down with your local banker and asked these questions?
Suggestion: Take a notebook along. Make a record of all your financial transactions. Do it at the time of the transaction not days later. Next..calculate your costs.
Over many years of observation it is apparent that few travelers know the difference between a credit card and a debit/check card and much less of buy and sell rates.

Yes! If you use your own bank's ATM machine.

I have a Bank of America debit card that I have used for traveling in Europe with no difficulties. That said, I do pay the $5 foreign transaction fee because I don't take time to look around for 'partner banks' just use whatever machine is most convenient. It is still the best way to go imo.

I also carry some euro I bought ahead from my home bank (yes there is a service fee and bad exchange rate), some USD (for emergencies), 2 credit cards.

Preloaded &quot;TravelMoney&quot; is the worst possible as far as fees and problems. I would take Travelers Checks before using one (if you need yet another source to feel secure).

In Italy I've never used a bank ATM that charged a fee for use. And since my bank card (HSBC) adds no fee for uinsg any ATM, in or out of system, my final rate is pretty good--usually within 1-2% of the actual exchange rate. I can't speak for London or Paris, although in London I actually used an HSBC ATM.

&quot;<i>Does any ATM machine not charge a use fee? </i>&quot;

Banks in western Europe don't charge a fee to use their ATMs. The fee comes from the cardholders own US bank. (non-bank affiliated machines like in convenience shops and casinos do charge fees though)

One of the best things about being a cardholder in France is that the euro zone authorities decided that bank fees should be the same as in one's home country throughout the entire euro zone. Since France has no fee for using an ATM and generally no fees for any operation that one can do over the internet, not only is it free to use any ATM in the euro zone but it is also free of any charge to make a bank transfer or a credit card payment anywhere in the zone.