VISA gift cards in Italy?
 

Has anyone had any experience with using a VISA gift card in Italy?

My DD is going on a school trip and I was wanting to send her with one of these cards so she doens't have to carry alot of euros.

From what I understand the school trip that went to Turkey and Greece the year before could not use them.

So just curious if anyone has been able to use them in Italy.

Thank you..

Kim

I would open up a checking account in her name and get her a debit card. It would be so much easier. Also, if she lost it, it would be less money to worry about. You could deposit into the account as needed. It usually only takes a day to reflect the deposit.

I don't know the real answer to this, but i have had problems with them here in the US, SOme stores they work fine others not.

You might want to consider setting up a separate joint checking acccount for you and her at your bank. then get heran ATM card on it. With your name on it you could monitor balances etc. if she needed more $ you could deposit more.

Thanks for both your responses. Unfortunatley the school officials have told us they can not use anything with a PIN. No real reason given but the only things they said we could not use was travellers cheques and debit cards.

Thanks again

I suspect they've had experience on previous trips where groups of students have queued to get money from an ATM and it's been very disruptive. I can imagine a group of 20 burning a lot of time finding and using an ATM, especially if some of the students had difficulty. I've waited in line at an ATM and waited 5min or more for someone to figure it out and complete (or not) the transaction. Imagine that x20 or more students.

I don't know the details of a visa gift card, but wouldn't that also have a PIN to get cash from an ATM? From what I've read it's simply a limited, bad (cost wise) version of a debit card. You aren't debiting against a bank account, but rather against a prepaid deposit.

From the school's perspective these would seem to be the same thing, so I don't think a visa gift card solves her problem. What DOES the school recommend students do for cash?

Open a joint checking account at a credit union with her since she is underage and get her an ATM only card (different from debit card). The school is just being stupid about the PIN since the Visa money card will have a PIN and will have to be used at ATM's. Visa money cards are a rip-off. They charge to load, give a lousy exchange rate and charge to use.

Are you sure you want to let your child travel with a school that knows so little about travel?

Actually I went and checked out the gift card yesterday and they told me there is no PIN nor do they sign for anything...it is strickly a front loaded card.

The school wants them to only use cash. I am just afraid of her having alot of cash and in a currency she knows nothing about. Also I wanted her to have a emergency fund on that card.

Did they tell you there was no PIN for purchases or no PIN to get cash? Big difference. Very big difference. And are "they" (whoever told you this info) well informed. My guess is NOT.

One gets cash from an ATM (Bancomat in Italy) and I can't see how she could simply put a card in and get cash without a PIN.

If there is no PIN she <u>cannot use it to get cash</u>. Only for purchases and I suspect the cards would work sometimes, not others. It could be a serious problem if the card doesn't work.

Has the school had this rule on previous trips or is this a first "fit it" for problems that happened before. Sounds like they are making things up as they go along.

J62's post made me think -- perhaps they are confusing "chip & PIN" credit cards w/ regular, run-of-the-mill ATM/debit cards.

Still seems they don't know much about finances in Europe . . . .

I would go back to the school and tell them that it is your experience that the most cost-effective and safe way for your daughter to get cash would be with an ATM card drawing on her travel bank account. See what their reaction/explanation is. You'll be able to understand if they are reacting to the tedious waiting times mentioned by J62 or just misinformed. I'd also check if it's a "rule" or a "recommendation" to do so.

>>>Actually I went and checked out the gift card yesterday and they told me there is no PIN nor do they sign for anything...it is strickly a front loaded card.<<<

Not so. I went to an ATM in Italy with a person from Australia that had one of those VISA money cards. She had to enter a PIN to use it. The transaction did not complete and she was upset about it because she said she would be charged for the attempt of using it. She had lots of problems with the VISA money card.

If the VISA money card can also be used as a credit card without the use of PIN, then your daughter will have problems if she loses it or it's stolen and someone starts charging on it.

Your child's school really doesn't know what they are talking about. I would get my child the ATM card. The school won't know whether she is swiping a VISA money card or an ATM card when she gets cash since both will require PINs. How silly of them.

ATMs are ubiquitous in all cities in Italy.

If this were my daughter, this is what I would do, regardless of what the school advised. I would not debate with the school on this, nor inform them either.

I would send my DD with an ATM or ATM/debit card linked to a bank account that was in my name or both of ours. The account would have limited $ just for the trip.

I'd also send her with 200 euro (mix of bills) for 1st few days spending money so she didn't have to worry about an ATM upon arrival. If it cost me $20 to get the euros before departure I wouldn't care.

She could replenish her cash at her leisure, when the group is no longer in hurry up / all linked at the hip mode.

I would also send her with a cell phone all set to go for Italy. I'd buy (already have) a quad band phone on ebay (i.e. Moto V190 or something else) for about $20, get a SIM card over the internet so I'd have the number before she left.

I find many of your responses have nothing to do with my question. I did not ask for other alternatives I want her to have the gift card for purchases...NOT CASH ADVANCES!!!!!!!

I find many of these responses are uncalled for and you are treating me like a idiot and questioning my parental skills as in "Are you sure you want to let your child travel with a school that knows so little about travel?" They are using a company that has done all the travel for DD's high school since at least 2002 when my DS went to the school with no problems and alot of happy travellers.

I also think I tend to believe the info I was given at the bank about no PIN. Not only was I verbally told, it is in the little brochure about the card. You just swipe it like a gift card you would get for any store.

They are basising the requests on what they experienced in the past.

I am not sure why someone can't come here and as a question with being talked down to.

For those with good intentions and tried to answer my questions I thank you very much for taking the time to help me.

Huh!!?? No one said anything about YOU. We were all saying the school was giving you bum info.

But now that you mention it -- you did say "<i><B>The school wants them to only use cash.</B></i>" So - we all naturally assumed you were talking about getting CASH w/ the gift card.

People were trying to give you useful advice.

So we shouldn't point out your information is wrong? Do you not get that there is a big difference in getting cash from a card (PIN required) and using it to charge a purchase in a store? Do you understand that many places in Europe will want cash only? It's likely most of the places she will want to buy something will be cash only. Even many B&B's and restaurants in Europe are cash only.

>>>They are using a company that has done all the travel for DD's high school since at least 2002 when my DS went to the school with no problems and alot of happy travellers.<<<

Very funny. Like that company has your childs best interests at heart. They want to make money off of you and they can do this by selling you a VISA money card. Do you really think they aren't getting a kick-back if you link through their site to buy one? I'm very familiar with student travel (
ACIS, CHA, EF, Explorica, Passports, etc.) companies and all the little kick-backs they do to make money (VISA money cards, travel insurance, purchases in certain stores). You do know the teacher is getting $$$$ and a free trip for taking the kids don't you?

There have been many threads on this website about these VISA money cards and how they are a bad idea with bad exchange rates. You asked about experience, but what you really want is approval.

Visa Travelmoney Card
The Visa TravelMoney Card is sold in the United States by the American Automobile Association, National City, Travelex, US Bank, and other vendors (including at least two supermarket chains). Fees typically vary from US $4.95 to $9.95. You can order a second card for $2.00. There may also be an activation fee of $4.95, and you'll normally pay for shipping.

TravelMoney is available in various preloaded amounts, depending on where you're buying it. (Some vendors have minimums as low as $25 and maximum loads of $5,000 or $10,000.). Normally, you can reload the card at the vendor's Web site or by calling a toll-free number, with reload fees that can range from several dollars to $15.

Using the Travelmoney card is like using a credit or check card, and you can withdraw money from any ATM that displays the Visa logo. When we last checked, the fee per withdrawal was $2.50 in the U.S. or $2.00 in other countries. Warning: If you withdraw cash or make purchases in a currency other than the one on the card, you're hit with an eye-popping conversion fee of 7%. (You may even get hit with the 7% charge if you make a purchase in U.S. dollars outside of the United States.)

I missed the part about wanting the Visa Debit card for purchases, not to get cash. Thank you for clarifying. Mea culpa. Have a nice day.

janis - How do you think they can get cash unless they use the card to get it? Where will the cash come from? I've taken groups of kids on these types of trips and the majority of their purchases will be from little stands that will not have any card capabilities.

It seems all you want is validation for what is a VERY bad idea. I would wager that MANY of the purchases the kids will want to make on this trip will NOT be able to be made with that overpriced VISA card. I've taken students on trips to Europe. What they typically want to buy are cheap items from places that will want cash only. But since you don't seem to be willing to accept the advice of many veteran travelers here, go ahead and send her with it and see how things turn out. Check on the whereabouts of your nearest Western Union office.

Well said, StCirq. I have not travelled as much as you have but I sure know that it is not uncommon in Italy for businesses to only accept cash, especially when the amount due is not a large amount. And I don't know for sure about Visa Gift Cards as I have never and would never use one but in Italy unlike in the US businesses can require the amount of purchase to be a certain amount before they will accept a credit card.

KimBowers: You asked for information and got honest answers from experienced people trying to help you. No need to take it as an attack on your integrity or parenting skills.

kybourbon: "<i>janis - How do you think they can get cash unless they use the card to get it? Where will the cash come from?</i>"

Did I say something that was confusing? Probably :)

First off I posted that w/o a PIN she cannot get cash. Even underlined it. Then after the OP reamed us a collective new one, I explained to her why we all assumed she meant using the card to get cash - by quoting her own words.

In case there is any misunderstanding -- <blue><B>you cannot get cash w/ a visa gift card w/o a PIN, and a visa gift card may or may not work for purchases.</blue></B>

Now I think the OP needs to rely on the school for advice since she thinks 1) we don't know anything, 2) aren't being helpful, and 3) are mean sons-a-guns . . . .

The gift card are USELESS! Your daughter is going to get to Europe with no cash, but that's OK. We don't know anything on here. She will have a bunch of nice cards that she can't use to buy anything because GIFT CARDS don't work in Europe. There's a reason the other students had trouble with them in other countries!!!!!

If it were me I would ask the school if THEY plan to make the students whole when the CASH is taken? Honestly, If they are only allowing cash then they should be willing to accept that risk!



However, I have a feeling that considering your response to folks on here.... you may not be communicating well with the school either.

Since you already KNOW everything, why are you asking. Your screaming hissy fit above makes you look like an IDIOT! SORRY!

I would not let my child take a lot of cash. I would not give him/her a "Gift card" that's useless. I would give him/her a debit card and tell the school that unless they are willing to reimburse the child for any lost/stolten cash to suck it up.

I took a group with a tour company and the company had no such rules, something tells me this is the school not the tour company.

Hells Bells.
This is a typical Fodors exchange, Kim.
You ask a question.
Someone gives a reply to that question, after re-interpreting the question.
You clarify your question.
Someone else answers a different question.
You clarify again.
Someone else answers something else, and throws in a few free insults as well.

Sorry.

Oh, and for what it's worth, we used Visa Debit cards, loaded in Australia with Euro. Costs $11 to buy the card, there is NO FEE on the initial value load, and then for subsequent loads there is a 1.1% (yep, that's one point one percent) fee on the loaded value. ATM's in Italy charged a 2 Euro fee per withdrawal, and when we paid merchants by Visa card, there were no additional fees. The exchange rate when loading the card is the same as the XE.Com mid market rate, less 2.5% approximately.

Peter: She asked a question(s) - but exactly what isn't clear.

Does she want to use the gift card for cash -- well it can't be done w/o a PIN.

But she says there can't be a PIN. Okaaaay. Then she says she wants the card just for purchases. But then she says the schools insists on <u>cash only</u>.

We tell her the gift cards are not accepted everywhere for purchases, and she says we are not being helpful (?)

So - you tell us which questions the OP asked that weren't answered . . . . .

It's comments like this:
Your child's school really doesn't know what they are talking about. I would get my child the ATM card. The school won't know whether she is swiping a VISA money card or an ATM card when she gets cash since both will require PINs. How silly of them.

that I find a bit strange.

"<i>that I find a bit strange.</i>"

Why? If the OP's posts are accurate, the school obviously doesn't know what they are talking about. (or just maybe, there was misunderstanding between the OP and the school)

janisj- For some reason Australians use the VISA money cards (see my post where the person couldn't get hers to work). I don't know if they don't have access to ATM cards or if VISA doesn't charge them as much to use/exchange. I know any American Fodorite's that have posted on this board about buying/using them had a purchase fee, a load fee, a markup of 7-10% exchange rate, a fee at the ATM to use the card. I'm not sure why an American product would give a better rate to be in Australia unless they have some laws/caps on such things.

>>>ATM's in Italy charged a 2 Euro fee per withdrawal<<<

Peter - ATM's aren't charging you that fee, VISA money card is.

<i>For those with good intentions and tried to answer my questions I thank you very much for taking the time to help me.</i>

You are quite welcome. My suggestion is to open a joint checking account with your daughter at your bank. Start her off with the amount you think she needs. She can contact you if she really needs more and you can make a deposit for here in the US. She can use her new ATM card at any machine in Europe and only carry around as much cash as she/you are comfortable with (40 Euros?).

This is the simplest, easiest, and safest solution. I see no negatives or downsides to this approach (other than the hour or so for you and DD to go to bank to open the account).

This is exactly what I did for my son his junior year of HS on his class trip to Spain.

kybourbon: From her other threads, I think the OP lives in Canada. Does anyone know if there are different rules/costs for visa gift cards purchased north of the border?

Peter, I wouldn't say the OP "clarified" anything. She got more confusing as she continued to post, and her original post wasn't clear to begin with, with regard to whether she wanted to get cash with the card or use it for purchases. And no matter what she posted, it's a bad idea. You don't seem to understand yourself who's charging you what with that card. For example, no ATM in Italy ever charged you for a withdrawal.

It has been misstated by CarolA that no Visa Gift Card is usable abroad - you CAN buy one for use internationally. But that doesn't make it a good idea. Read the "Foreign Transactions" paragraph in the link below. It essentially says they can charge you whatever exchange rate catches their fancy. Add that to the fact that they charge you for the card, charge you for withdrawals, and don't give you back anything you might have left on the card at the end of your travels, and we're still talking RIP-OFF. Plus, small merchants in Italy won't take them, so you see where we're coming from? We're talking about a KID going to Italy and probably wanting to buy souvenirs and food and such for a few euros here and there - the VISA card's just not going to work in this situation.

https://www.deluxe-card.com/index.cf...d=lp-ft-termsL

Such passion! I only see people trying to help, while somewhat diplomatically pointing out some flaws in a plan. All good if our goal is to maximize the pleasure she will have on the trip, no?

Agree that travelers cheques are not the way to go. Somewhat confused by the "no PIN" rule

The OP has stated that they had issues using the VISA card the year before. Posters here have confirmed that yes, it will be the same for Italy, and offered alternatives.

Financially, it is not a good product. For merchant acceptance, it is not a good product.

The easiest, IMHO, is to give her some euros before she gooes, say 100. This "gets her going". Whenever she sees an ATM machine, she gets a few hundred more. It would seem reasonable that every couple of days, she will be near a machine where she could stop (and not be part of a crowd) to get some more.

This is the simplest and lowest risk (which I think the OP is looking for). Yes, maybe you could get a VISA card, but if it does not work out, what are her options? Call home, borrow money? Having an ATM card (or two) will not be risky. It works, people here do it everyday.

Interesting that the Australian version seems...reasonable. But, as stated above, it may not match what the traveller may be using it for.

It also says in t T&Cs that StCirq linked to that it cannot be used for cash. So all in all a bad idea for a school trip.

How much money are the likely to need? Do they have to pay for meals for instance or is it just pocket money to buy the odd drink and souvenir?

I think the OP is long gone.....