What are the best credit cards you've found for use around the world?
I'm American citizen looking for a no transaction fee, no ATM fee credit card for use in round the world trip. I've heard of the Wizard card, but I think that's only for Aussies and issued from an Australian bank.
Thanks everyone
Sorry can't help for USA but can confirm the Wizard Card for us Aussies.
No fees at ATMs O/S and if you load the card with cash before departure no fees for cash advances as it is your own money your withdrawing.
It needs to be a Visa backed credit card.... We get a lot of foreign shoppers at the store I am working at for the summer. (In Hawaii) Will take any countrys creditcard as long as it is a visa one.
taranaki - You're in the U.S. right? I'm planning for long-term travel out of the U.S. and I've read elsewhere that Matercard is accepted at more locations around the world than VISA(i.e. SE Asia).
Regardless, I'm interested in a provider that doesn't charge international transaction fees, ATM fees, or, like the Wizard Card, does not charge fees for cash withdrawals when you "pre-charge" the card with a positive credit balance.
Are you looking for a Credit Card or a Debit Card?? A debit card works like a checking account, you load up your account with money and instead of writing checks you use an ATM or pay bills with the card. With a credit card you're borrowing money to be paid back later with interest
If you are looking for a debit card to take cash out of ATMs worldwide. Take a look at the Charles Schwab Checking Account (it's the card I use). No ATM fees worldwide plus they have a decent interest rate for your checking account. One of the better deals around for Americans.
This has been discussed before on thorntree, if you do a search you'll find plenty of good info
Do NOT rely on a MasterCard!! take Visa!!! i have travelled extensively all over the world, and fortunately i carry both cards. At home i use the M/C, but I have found there are countries where it is not accepted, or you have to go to great lengths to find a bank that will deal with it! Use your debit, as mentioned above. M/C is definitely not popular in central and s. america! Sometimes even your Visa is not acceptable, so make sure you always carry some real cash in euros or u.s. banknotes... and even tho travellers cheques are no longer popular, they can be insurance in an emergency.
In Mali, i was told i could pay for my onward ticket to Senegal by Visa. I was leaving Africa, and had little cash left of any kind. I had used up my dollars, euros and travellers cheques.. but when i got to the airline office, they said NO to Visa, cash only! I had enough for my ticket, but my travelling companion was out of cash. they sent us to the bank next door that had a bank machine. It didn't take Visa or M/C or debit. I went to the desk and requested an advance on my Visa (i have done this before in other african banks). Bank lady went away for ten minutes and came back and told me my account was overdrawn. It wasn't. I have a high, unachievable (for me) limit. I then had a major meltdown (in verbose, scatalogical English) , much to the amazement/amusement of the bank guards and various customers
We managed to scrape together enough money to cover our tickets....and then he went on a search of Bamako for a machine that would accept a Visa card for enough money to pay me back, and cover the rest of our time in w. africa. It took some time, but fortunately he was successful...but it could have been a disaster...
I actually had enough cash for myself, but couldn't abandon my fellow canayjun travelling companion...even tho we had only met on the plane that morning!! ...that's the way it goes sometimes!!
Shortly before heading out on a major trip, my bank (TD Canada Trust) advised me that if I maintained a particular minimum balance, there would be no withdrawal fee using ATM's
I had no difficulty with the card in Thailand and Sri Lanka, little difficulty finding a bank in China that would accept the card, and considerable difficulty in India.
Lotusland2, that is incorrect. TD may not charge you a TRANSACTION fee for using an ATM but they most definitely charge you an EXCHANGE fee.
This' no withdrawal fee' nonsense is something a lot of banks use to fool the naive into thinking there is no exchange charged. There most definitely is.
Cascade, check the sticky on the RTW branch. Start at the end of the thread (it's long and been there a while) for the most recent comments. I believe the best anyone has found for the US is an account that only costs you 1% on transactions.
No Canadian accounts are that good by the way lotusland2 and the best account for a traveller to have is the UK's Nationwide Building Society Flex account. No transaction fees, no exchange fees and they eat the 1% that Visa charges the bank for use of their system. You need to be a resident to open an account though.