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I despise businesses that don't take credit/debit cards almost as much as I do the companies that make the cards. If it's some taqueria that's keeping things o

I despise businesses that don't take credit/debit cards almost as much as I do the companies that make the cards. If it's some taqueria that's keeping things off the books, I'm fine with that. But if it's some pretentious place that I'm paying $9 for a sandwich and I have to go to an ATM and pay another $4 to withdraw a $20, then that just makes me not want to patronize the place.

andreyf 17y ago
Between the two banks that charge me, I usually pay $5 for a "foreign bank" withdrawal. God, that annoys me.
henrikschroder 17y ago
In civilized countries, we don't pay to withdraw money from an ATM, regardless of which bank we have have. (I would really like to know how that business model works though, if the banks just soak it, or if local businesses can pay a bank to get one)
- dagw 17y ago
  We do when we are in a different civilized country than the one that issued the bank card.
  - furyg3 17y ago
    In NL this isn't the case. I popped over to Belgium yesterday, took out €50 from a Fortis ATM (my bank is ABN Amro), no charge. I was in Istanbul for New Years, using HSBC's ATMS, no charge. When I go back 'home' to visit family (the US), ABN Amro charges me no fees for taking out money at local ATMs. The ATMs themselves (rudely) may charge a fee, but last time I was there there were still some ATMs that had no fees.
  - henrikschroder 17y ago
    I don't pay a fixed fee for making withdrawals in other countries or other currencies, but I pay a slightly higher than average percentage in exchange fees for withdrawals in other currencies. It probably evens out in the end as compared to a fixed fee, but it's nice to be able to make small withdrawals abroad without worry.
yardie 17y ago
You need to get a better bank. I used a credit union that refunded the fees. You did have to remember to keep the ATM receipts (which were usually lost for notes, laundry, blow out the window). The alternative was to use a bank with wider coverage (Citi, BofA) but they make you feel absolutely miserable as a customer.
- jrwoodruff 17y ago
  My current credit union automatically refunds ATM fees, no receipts necessary, up to $30 a month. I think that arrangement is fairly common these days. Go credit unions.

andreyf 17y ago

Between the two banks that charge me, I usually pay $5 for a "foreign bank" withdrawal. God, that annoys me.

henrikschroder 17y ago

In civilized countries, we don't pay to withdraw money from an ATM, regardless of which bank we have have. (I would really like to know how that business model works though, if the banks just soak it, or if local businesses can pay a bank to get one)

dagw 17y ago
We do when we are in a different civilized country than the one that issued the bank card.
- furyg3 17y ago
  In NL this isn't the case. I popped over to Belgium yesterday, took out €50 from a Fortis ATM (my bank is ABN Amro), no charge. I was in Istanbul for New Years, using HSBC's ATMS, no charge. When I go back 'home' to visit family (the US), ABN Amro charges me no fees for taking out money at local ATMs. The ATMs themselves (rudely) may charge a fee, but last time I was there there were still some ATMs that had no fees.
- henrikschroder 17y ago
  I don't pay a fixed fee for making withdrawals in other countries or other currencies, but I pay a slightly higher than average percentage in exchange fees for withdrawals in other currencies. It probably evens out in the end as compared to a fixed fee, but it's nice to be able to make small withdrawals abroad without worry.

yardie 17y ago

You need to get a better bank. I used a credit union that refunded the fees. You did have to remember to keep the ATM receipts (which were usually lost for notes, laundry, blow out the window). The alternative was to use a bank with wider coverage (Citi, BofA) but they make you feel absolutely miserable as a customer.

jrwoodruff 17y ago
My current credit union automatically refunds ATM fees, no receipts necessary, up to $30 a month. I think that arrangement is fairly common these days. Go credit unions.