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going to multiple european countries - how to get cash? Rogers WE, Amex or Debit?

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  • Jun 16th, 2018 1:34 am
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Jun 12th, 2018 11:53 pm
drecca [OP]
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May 12, 2017
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Jun 12th, 2018 11:53 pm

going to multiple european countries - how to get cash? Rogers WE, Amex or Debit?

So I'l be heading to a bunch of european countries, a lot with their own currencies

So should I get the cash now before leaving? I don't want to carry a ton of cash on me

So what would be the best way to get cash in the various countries? ATM? Using Rogers WE, Amex Plat or HSBC debit?

Thanks!
35 replies
Jun 13th, 2018 12:07 am
Kiraly
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Jun 13th, 2018 12:07 am

Best way in what way? Secure and most convenient? Withdraw from chequing account. Best exchange rate? Bring Canadian cash and exchange at a bricks-and-mortar kiosk when you get there.

Combination of the two?

Try MOGO prepaid Visa. $3 ATM fee plus Visa's ~0.4% markup.
Rogers WE: $5 ATM fee plus 2.5% conversion fee plus Visa's ~0.4% markup.
Do NOT use a Canadian-issued American Express card in Europe.
+4
Jun 13th, 2018 2:23 am
komal
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Jun 13th, 2018 2:23 am

Get a Scotiabank or tangerine account before you go so you get ATM alliance access, no atm fee, only the foreign exchange fee at participating bank atms
+1
Jun 13th, 2018 2:35 am
plans4canada
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Apr 19, 2017
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Jun 13th, 2018 2:35 am

Anything similar to Amazon Visa where you could pre-pay then go to ANY atm and withdraw cash in the local currency while only paying 1% in fee from Amazon Visa?

I remember going to Greece, withdrew $900CAD equivalent in Euro and my fee was ~9$.

Any of Scotia Passport Visa or Rogers WE is equivalent to that? Altough if I'm not mistaken (correct me if I'm wrong), Rogers WE is actually bad because this will be treated as cash advance so you won't get the 4% in foreign transaction.

So that means only Scotia Passport Visa? Brim is a total failure.
Jun 13th, 2018 3:05 am
EdisonL299
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Apr 24, 2017
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Jun 13th, 2018 3:05 am

plans4canada wrote: ↑ Anything similar to Amazon Visa where you could pre-pay then go to ANY atm and withdraw cash in the local currency while only paying 1% in fee from Amazon Visa?

I remember going to Greece, withdrew $900CAD equivalent in Euro and my fee was ~9$.

Any of Scotia Passport Visa or Rogers WE is equivalent to that? Altough if I'm not mistaken (correct me if I'm wrong), Rogers WE is actually bad because this will be treated as cash advance so you won't get the 4% in foreign transaction.

So that means only Scotia Passport Visa? Brim is a total failure.
Home Trust Preferred VISA.
Amex Cobalt - MBNA RWE - Brim WE
Amex Platinum - Bonvoy Brilliant Amex - CIBC Aeroplan VIP
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Jun 13th, 2018 9:08 am
Kiraly
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Jun 13th, 2018 9:08 am

EdisonL299 wrote: ↑ Home Trust Preferred VISA.
Fee is 1.5%, with a $5.50 minimum. Nothing comes to close to what the Chase Amazon Visa could do for foreign ATM withdrawals. The best I can find is MOGO prepaid Visa, $3 flat fee, no further surcharge. Don't forget that the foreign ATM will likely charge you a fee too.
Get a Scotiabank or tangerine account before you go so you get ATM alliance access, no atm fee, only the foreign exchange fee at participating bank atms
That may or may not be worth it depending on where the OP is going. Many European countries (Netherlands, Belgium, Portugal, all Nordic countries, Hungary, Czechia, Austria, Switzerland, etc etc) have no Global Alliance ATMs at all. In fact the list of European countries that do have Global Alliance ATMs is smaller than the list that don't.
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Jun 13th, 2018 9:47 am
bubak
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Jun 13th, 2018 9:47 am

Kiraly wrote: ↑ Do NOT use a Canadian-issued American Express card in Europe.
What's wrong with amex in Europe?
Jun 13th, 2018 9:54 am
titaniumtux
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Jun 13th, 2018 9:54 am

bubak wrote: ↑ What's wrong with amex in Europe?
2.5% FTF. They convert currency to USD first, then to CAD. But 2.5% FTF charged once. Not worth it, since there are better options and AmEx has the lesser merchant acceptance.
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Jun 13th, 2018 11:29 am
Mr Bean
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Jun 13th, 2018 11:29 am

I am going to Asia and this is my plan in that order for cash advances -

1) Mogo - $3, 0 FX
2) Home Trust Visa - $5.5 min, 1.5%, 0 FX
3) Tangerine debit - $2, 2.5% FX

For direct credit card purchases, first choice will be Home Trust Visa followed by Mogo.

I dont have Rogers card.
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+1
Jun 13th, 2018 6:26 pm
RoninTech
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Jun 13th, 2018 6:26 pm

Kiraly wrote: ↑ Nothing comes to close to what the Chase Amazon Visa could do for foreign ATM withdrawals. The best I can find is MOGO prepaid Visa, $3 flat fee, no further surcharge. Don't forget that the foreign ATM will likely charge you a fee too.
Wow! Wouldn't that make MOGO VISA better than the old Amazon Canada VISA for cash advance ATM withdrawals ($3 vs. the AC $5 minimum)? If so it sounds like I've found a replacement for my old Amazon card for cash from ATM's.
Jun 13th, 2018 11:23 pm
iamthebest
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Jun 13th, 2018 11:23 pm

I see this kind of questions very often.

I don't get for people who has credit cards, why they don't use them.
I've been traveling very often around the world and the reallity is that almost everywhere credit cards are accepted. At least you go to very small town maybe... but tourist places, main cities, etc almost all can be paid by CC specially the most expensive stuff like airplane tickets, hotels and restaurants.

You don't need "ton of cash", just withdraw $1,000 USD before leaving home and for the rest use your credit card directly.
Last edited by iamthebest on Jun 14th, 2018 12:45 am, edited 2 times in total.
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Jun 14th, 2018 12:02 am
plans4canada
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Jun 14th, 2018 12:02 am

Kiraly wrote: ↑ Fee is 1.5%, with a $5.50 minimum. Nothing comes to close to what the Chase Amazon Visa could do for foreign ATM withdrawals. The best I can find is MOGO prepaid Visa, $3 flat fee, no further surcharge. Don't forget that the foreign ATM will likely charge you a fee too.



That may or may not be worth it depending on where the OP is going. Many European countries (Netherlands, Belgium, Portugal, all Nordic countries, Hungary, Czechia, Austria, Switzerland, etc etc) have no Global Alliance ATMs at all. In fact the list of European countries that do have Global Alliance ATMs is smaller than the list that don't.
How much is the Scotiabank Passport?

I think Mogo was pre-paid wasn't it? And I believe their application was too intrusive according to RFD thread http://forums.redflagdeals.com/mogo-pre ... e-2119959/

To reload the card you have to give your login info (number/password) to mogo for your bank account. That's crazy. Unless OP is wrong?
Jun 14th, 2018 12:36 am
User455957
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Jun 14th, 2018 12:36 am

iamthebest wrote: ↑ I see this kind of questions very often.

I don't get for people who has credit cards, why they don't use them.
I've been traveling very often around the world and the reallity is that almost everywhere credit cards are accepted. At least you go to very small town maybe... but tourist places, main cities, etc almost all can be paid by CC specially the most expensive stuff like airpline tickets, hotels and restaurants.

You don't need "ton of cash", just withdraw $1,000 USD and for the rest use your credit card directly.
This. I use CC's in Europe just like I do in Canada. If you don't carry around 1000$ in Canada, why would you in Europe or the UK?
Jun 14th, 2018 12:44 am
foreigncontent
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Jun 14th, 2018 12:44 am

User455957 wrote: ↑ This. I use CC's in Europe just like I do in Canada. If you don't carry around 1000$ in Canada, why would you in Europe or the UK?
because the last 5 places I stayed in France did not take CC, and neither will most of the ones when I reach Spain
Jun 14th, 2018 12:46 am
iamthebest
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Jun 14th, 2018 12:46 am

foreigncontent wrote: ↑ because the last 5 places I stayed in France did not take CC, and neither will most of the ones when I reach Spain
Places you mean hotels?
Jun 14th, 2018 12:47 am
aznrsx1979
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May 11, 2008
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Jun 14th, 2018 12:47 am

Just came back from Europe (UK, Ireland and France) for a month.
I usually don't like carrying a lot of cash with me so I only brought with me 300 euros and 300 pounds and came back with 125 euros and 130 pounds.
Most of my spending was by credit card (Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite) and never had issues except at one 24 hr gas station in Dublin.
I could have probably gotten away with spending more on the card and brought less cash with me.
Jun 14th, 2018 12:56 am
User455957
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Jun 14th, 2018 12:56 am

foreigncontent wrote: ↑ because the last 5 places I stayed in France did not take CC, and neither will most of the ones when I reach Spain
You must of hit the only 5 places in France that didn't accept credit cards because most places I went to accepted CC. Spain as well
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Jun 14th, 2018 1:08 am
aznrsx1979
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Vancouver

Jun 14th, 2018 1:08 am

plans4canada wrote: ↑ How much is the Scotiabank Passport?
For the Scotia Passport, my understanding is that it's a $3.50 fee at any ABM in Canada or any Global ATM Alliance Bank ABM outside of Canada
Or a $7.50 fee at any other ABM outside of Canada.
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Jun 14th, 2018 1:21 am
Kiraly
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Jun 14th, 2018 1:21 am

plans4canada wrote: ↑ I think Mogo was pre-paid wasn't it? And I believe their application was too intrusive according to RFD thread http://forums.redflagdeals.com/mogo-pre ... e-2119959/

To reload the card you have to give your login info (number/password) to mogo for your bank account. That's crazy.
Yes. I balked at that at first. But I linked my bank account, ordered the card, unlinked the account, and then immediately changed my online banking's password. There's no need to re-link the bank account again after ordering the card.

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