Foreign Exchange Tricks/Scams

[buggins0402]

In the US its the "pre-paid" debit card that is our "cash passport", but as usual the banks/merchants here screw it up by putting fees and restrictions on using them.

 

https://www.chase.com/debit-reloadable-cards/liquid-prepaid-card

 

LOL...I'm going to Vietnam, Cambodia, Malaysia, Hong Kong and Korea next year...I doubt that Chase will load VN Dongs, Malaysian Ringgets, Cambodian Reils, HK $, and Korean Won. Even if they could...it would be at horrible X rates.

[Philob]

LOL...I'm going to Vietnam, Cambodia, Malaysia, Hong Kong and Korea next year...I doubt that Chase will load VN Dongs, Malaysian Ringgets, Cambodian Reils, HK $, and Korean Won. Even if they could...it would be at horrible X rates.

 

Plus all the "fleas" they attach to it ;)

[slidergirl]

For my friends to The North: interview some of your local community Credit Unions to see if they offer currency exchange service and any fees associated. When I was buying a house up there, our broker referred us to a neighborhood CU to open up an account with a minimum balance - they did all of our cross-border money transfers of money for our transaction at a very, very small commission. Now, this CU was in Canmore and they dealt with foreign transactions all the time for If they can do something like that, they may be willing to do other services. Sometimes, small CUs will do more than those big banks to service their clients.

 

But, personally, if I was going somewhere where I owned no currency, I still just "bite the bullet" and buy about $100US worth of that currency from wherever prior to departing. The fee for $100 will be a drop in the bucket for the advantage of hitting the ground running at my destination, get that taxi/train/bus, get to the hotel, and find a good cup of coffee! I always find a Bancomat on the way back to the hotel.

Edited July 24, 2016 by slidergirl

[iancal]

We also buy a little currency but never from our bank. We go to a local fx store. Was surprised to see folks from our local bank buy there as well instead of at the bank where they work. They claim the fx store rates are better than their bank employee rates.

 

Yes, credit unions/caisse populaires are very popular where we live. Our daughter and SIL moved their business and personal accounts/loans over from the bank and have been surprised/pleased at the savings.

Edited July 24, 2016 by iancal

[LHT28]

For my friends to The North: interview some of your local community Credit Unions to see if they offer currency exchange service and any fees associated. When I was buying a house up there, our broker referred us to a neighborhood CU to open up an account with a minimum balance - they did all of our cross-border money transfers of money for our transaction at a very, very small commission. Now, this CU was in Canmore and they dealt with foreign transactions all the time for If they can do something like that, they may be willing to do other services. Sometimes, small CUs will do more than those big banks to service their clients.

 

But, personally, if I was going somewhere where I owned no currency, I still just "bite the bullet" and buy about $100US worth of that currency from wherever prior to departing. The fee for $100 will be a drop in the bucket for the advantage of hitting the ground running at my destination, get that taxi/train/bus, get to the hotel, and find a good cup of coffee! I always find a Bancomat on the way back to the hotel.

 

I have not paid an extra fee... maybe a slight difference in the exchange rate from what the Bank of Canada rate is but unless you are buying $100,000. worth you are not going to get the bank rate anyway

 

we also can buy currency at the mall at an exchange booth rates are close to the same as the bank

 

I have never had to order foreign currency & pay a fee to get it delivered like some banks/CU in the USA

[buggins0402]

I have not paid an extra fee... maybe a slight difference in the exchange rate from what the Bank of Canada rate is but unless you are buying $100,000. worth you are not going to get the bank rate anyway

 

we also can buy currency at the mall at an exchange booth rates are close to the same as the bank

 

I have never had to order foreign currency & pay a fee to get it delivered like some banks/CU in the USA

 

This is a really good idea for those of us close to the Canadian border. Thanks for the idea!! Gives me a reason to go to Windsor, which has the best Italian restaurants in the area.