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I suggest using credit or debit card at a European ATM machine and get local currency there.
Another option would be to use traveler's checks in Europe.
Traveler's checks are pretty much only an American thing.
I have never seen them anywhere in the countries in Europe I've visited, and I know they're not accepted in Sweden.
Stick to credit cards (Mastercard is accepted everywhere I've been, and VISA at most places).
They occasionally use debit cards, but the majority of the purchases is done by using cash.
In Scandinavia (which is also part of Europe) the use of debit cards is more popular than cash. That also includes smaller purchases, like a cofee or a newspaper. The U.S. is much more dependent on cash usage. For instance, when I visited New York last fall I rarely saw a customer using a card when buying something at Starbucks.
In Scandinavia (which is also part of Europe) the use of debit cards is more popular than cash. That also includes smaller purchases, like a cofee or a newspaper. The U.S. is much more dependent on cash usage. For instance, when I visited New York last fall I rarely saw a customer using a card when buying something at Starbucks.
True.
In fact, in Sweden, there has been some discussions on whether paper money is a dying breed. I rarely use it - always use my debit card if I can. (It's tied to my bank account, so it's not a credit card.)
I use cash much more in the US than I do where ever I am in "Europe".
Cards are easier to use - just swap it and no need for calculating what change to get back - and can carry much more money (safely) than if you were to carry same amount in cash.
A card you can always "stop", but once you lose paper money, they're gone.
In Scandinavia (which is also part of Europe) the use of debit cards is more popular than cash. That also includes smaller purchases, like a cofee or a newspaper. The U.S. is much more dependent on cash usage. For instance, when I visited New York last fall I rarely saw a customer using a card when buying something at Starbucks.
Wasn't talking about debit cards. It's not the same. I know so many people who think they got a credit card just because it got that Visa or Mastercard logo on it. Like I said, these logos don't make them Credit Cards.
Wasn't talking about debit cards. It's not the same. I know so many people who think they got a credit card just because it got that Visa or Mastercard logo on it. Like I said, these logos don't make them Credit Cards.
Well, I was referring to what you wrote about the usage of debit cards in Europe.
Visa is a usually a debit card but a credit version is also avaliable. In Norway, MasterCard is exclusively issued as a credit card.
I've lived in the same town in southern Portugal for most of a decade, so I decided to ask some of the local merchants that I know about credit cards. The town makes the major part of its business on tourism, by the way - English, German and other continental Europeans, and American students who come over from Spain, only a few non-student Americans.
Here are the answers;
boat supplies and fishing gear - no credit cards, cash or debit cards
restaurant on main square, serves full meals and snacks, mainly tourist business - no credit cards, cash or debit cards
luggage shop in main business area - no credit cards, cash or debit cards
large stationary and office supplies store - no credit cards, cash or debit cards
large tourist restaurant on main street - prefers cash or debit, reluctantly takes credit cards, but not American ones
similar restaurant across the street, but more upscale - sign saying debit cards and cash only (sign only in English)
large, informal restaurant on main square, heavy tourist trade - no credit cards, cash or debit cards
I was in a furniture store in another neighborhood, a place that sells somewhat upscale imported furniture but to the local market. I asked if they took credit cards - no, cash or debit cards only.
The objections were twofold: rather have the cash in hand and no possible hassles with bad credit cards - especially foreign ones, did not want to pay the charges connected with credit cards.
I go to Lisbon several times a year, and stay in a hotel that gets many tourists because of its central location and relatively affordable rates. It does get quite a few non-student Americans. Many of the Europeans pay with cash, but some use plastic; however, I don't know whether it is a credit card. The hotel demands a credit card to be shown upon registration and they record the number. Americans do use credit cards, but they seem to have frequent objections and problems at checkout time...I have no idea if any of this has to do with the credit card or simpy misundertandings. I register with a U.S. passport but pay with a local debit card, and I have never had a problem concerning the bill.
I did live in Cyprus for awhile, and by preference I paid with a debit card. I do recall being ask several times when I produced plastic: "Is that a debit card?" And it was accepted. I am guessing that the question meant, no credit cards accepted.
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We lived Europe a long time also in the 80's and 90's.
This was our experience then, and I doubt if it has changed.
We had a bank account, and were given a *Debit Card*.
It was called *Eurocard*. The best card we ever got, and it was accepted everywhere we went. Nice thing was that because it was an *Eurocard*, we did not have to worry about exchange rates. It was charged to our bank account at the daily rate, the same day. We could go to any ATM machine and could withdraw *local currency* cash at any time. We were never refused the use of that card, anywhere, as long as the *Eurocard Sign* was in their window. No sign, no card usage.
Now the interesting part.
We also had a credit line open at the same bank, and that allowed us to *charge* more than we might have had in *cash value* at that bank.
There was no interest charged if we spend more than we had in our *checking account*, as long as my next paycheck covered the charges.
If the charges were more than the cash value of my *checking account*, after my pay check was deposited, we automatically received a *loan*, and we then were charged a monthly payment to start paying off that loan.
This only happened once because of a rather large purchase. We went to the bank the next week, transferred funds from our savings account to our checking to cover the charges, and the *loan* was removed from my account.
Thus ....
It looks like the Eurocard (then), was a *Debit Card*. But .....
We could also use it as a Credit Card .....
The US is our homebase, and here was the strange thing, for me at least. Growing up in Europe, I was used to *cash in hand* only. No checks, no credit cards. So when I went to the US, and got married, I was amazed at my wife *paying for everything* with a check, and I mean everything ....
So after 15 years after we marry, we move to Europe and she asks the bank for checks ...
She gets 10 checks, and looks at me with this look on her face which was *priceless* .... The size of those checks was NOT something you would keep in your back pocket .....
She got used to paying with cash really fast.
I think, what makes it easy to handle finances in Europe (then) is the fact that even at that time, *early 80's*, we could have the bank pay our monthly utility bills *automatically*, which was NOT possible in the US at that time.
So why need a large wad of checks at your disposal when the bank pays ALL your bills ? Even paying some private person, was NOT handled with a *check*, but with a *transfer* (in Germany - Ueberweisung).
So in the end, *at home*, we used cash for local purchases. Bills were paid by the bank and all we got was a monthly statement of all the transactions.
During travel, professional or pleasure (in Europe), we used the Eurocard, where ever we found the *sign* in the window, for personal expenses, or cash after we withdrew local currency cash from an ATM.
When solely for business, we used the (company provided) Eurocard, in Europe, or American Express, when Stateside. Very few recognised the Eurocard.
irman: that's EXACTLY right!! Hope that everyone understands it now !
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