How to pay abroad without fees?

How can I avoid transaction fees abroad?

Right, so, ditch those fees, easy peasy. My Schwab card? Zero forex fees. Love it. Been using it in, like, Spain and Portugal, saved a bunch. Seriously.

Then there’s my Charles Schwab High Yield Investor Checking account… Free ATM withdrawals worldwide! Reimburses the pesky ATM fees. Game changer. Took out cash in, um, Italy, no problem. Just watch out for the ATM’s own fees – sometimes they still get ya.

Exchanging cash beforehand… yeahh, did that once, felt like a drug deal in a back alley in Prague. No, thanks. Rates were terrible too.

Forget foreign ATMs unless they’re partner banks. Super annoying finding those, honestly. Stick to your bank’s network.

Partner banks… yeah, call your bank, sometimes they have deals. Like, Bank of America with, what was it… BNP Paribas? Something like that. In France. Helpful sometimes.

• Get a no forex fee credit card. Schwab, Capital One Venture X, loads out there. Do your research!
• No forex fee bank account. Schwab checking is great for ATM reimbursements.
• Don’t even bother exchanging cash beforehand. Bad rates, rip-off central. Plus, who wants to carry wads of cash? So nineties.
• Foreign ATMs are a trap. Unless they are partner banks, skip ’em. Seriously.
• Ask your bank about partner ATM networks. Saves you those ATM fees.

How do I pay without foreign transaction fee?

Night… quiet. Thinking about money. Foreign transaction fees… ugh. Remember that trip to Spain, 2023? So many little charges. Ate into my budget. Should have used more cash.

Cash… Simpler, really. Just felt… freer. Less to track later. Exchanged dollars at my bank before I left. Chase. Got a decent rate. Could have shopped around more, I suppose.

• Cash avoids all foreign transaction fees.
• Exchange currency before your trip.
• Check with your bank or credit union for exchange rates.
• Consider currency exchange stores.
• Some ATMs abroad offer better rates than exchanging cash. Risky, though. Stuck with that currency if plans change. Lost my debit card once… nightmare.
• Travel cards are an option. Prepaid. Load them with dollars. Still, I like the feel of cash. Something tangible.

Remember that little cafe in Seville. Paid cash. No worries. Just the taste of strong coffee and sweet bread. Wish I could go back.

How to avoid international transfer fees?

So, you want to ditch those pesky international transfer fees, huh? Like a pickpocket in reverse, right? I totally get it. My own bank account weeps softly every time I even think about converting currency.

• Be a rate hawk: Hunt down the best exchange rates. Banks? Oh, they love their fine print. Read it. Live it. Breathe it. Become the fine print whisperer.

• Foreign account? Yes, please: Consider opening a foreign currency account. Think of it as a tiny fortress protecting you from fee invaders. It’s like having a secret handshake with the global economy.

• Prepaid debit cards: Look into prepaid debit cards. Load it, use it, forget about it. Well, maybe not forget about it. That wouldn’t be ideal. Imagine forgetting you have money? Yikes.

• Transfer services are life: Use transfer services. PayPal? Wise? Remitly? They’re all vying for your attention (and your money), so shop around! It’s like dating, but with fewer awkward silences. Except maybe when your transfer doesn’t go through.

Deep Thoughts (and Deeper Pockets):

What’s with all the fees anyway? They’re basically the financial equivalent of finding a rogue sock in the laundry. You know it shouldn’t be there. It annoys you.

Seriously, though, banks have operating costs. International transfers involve navigating different banking systems and regulations. It’s less “one button” and more “hundreds of tiny cogs whirring.” But that doesn’t mean you have to accept it lying down.

I sent money to my cousin in Madrid for his birthday last week. It was either that or try to mail him a giant inflatable flamingo. I’m thinking I made the right choice.

Which bank doesnt charge foreign transaction fees?

Okay, foreign transaction fees, ugh! So, Capital One doesn’t charge them. Seriously, saved me when I went to that tiny cafe in Rome last summer, July 2024 it was.

Like, I almost used my Chase card, and bam! Fee city. So annoying. Capital One just… worked.

Wise and Revolut are also good. But yeah, Rome. Good times, no sneaky fees.

Oh, and my friend uses his Apple Card, apparently that’s another one that doesn’t charge. Wish I knew that before lugging my wallet around Italy.

The Cafe was called “Il Piccolo Paradiso”. Amazing espresso and the guy there, Marco, was super nice. Wish I could go back.

Is it better to use cash or credit card in a foreign country?

Ugh, that trip to Rome in June 2023… Total chaos!

Cash and card saved my butt. Cash is essential.

I remember scrambling for euros for a tiny gelateria near the Trevi Fountain. Card wasn’t accepted, and I was dying for that pistachio gelato. I needed it, you know?

But, then, buying that ridiculous, overpriced leather jacket near the Spanish Steps? Credit card all the way. Thank God for the Chase Sapphire Preferred, no foreign fees. That’s important, right?

• Cash:
  • Tipping (especially in restaurants – waiters expect it!)
  • Small shops and markets (street vendors, stuff like that).
  • Emergencies (lost wallet? taxi needed?)
• Credit Card:
  • Large purchases (hotels, fancy meals, leather jackets, lol)
  • Build credit (important for me)
  • Travel rewards

Basically, I always kept 100-200 euros cash on me. Felt safer. But everything else on the card, racking up those points for my next Italian adventure! And, seriously, check for those foreign fees. They’re killers.