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Looking for another low fee ATM card as a back up card

Can anyone suggest some low fee ATM cards from major banks that I can use as a back up? I am leery about the one I have from my credit union. They tell me they will charge me 2.99% every day until the amount drawn is paid. It would be considered as a cash advance until paid. Someone else from the company said it wouldn't be a cash advance unless the bill wasn't paid when due. I am getting conflicting information. Considering that I am spending well over a month in Europe I don't like this . Any suggestions? This would be a back up ATM card to my Schwab ATM card.

Posted by
27917 posts

Something is getting confused here. An ATM withdrawal simply gives you money out of your own account. It is not a cash advance, and there is no bill to pay, so it's not possible for you to pay the (nonexistent) bill late and incur interest charges or late-payment penalties.

At least some Capital One bank accounts allow no-fee ATM withdrawals. I have a Capital One ATM card that I use as a back-up.

I think I received a mailed advertisement from TD Bank last year, promising no-fee ATM withdrawals, but I don't have personal experience with that company.

Posted by
6788 posts

It sounds like someone (either you or them) have misunderstood. What you're describing sounds like using a Visa credit card to get cash - and that's something you should never do unless you're in a jam.

Ask them again. Make sure you are both talking about your credit union-issued ATM Debit card. That simply withdraws cash from your account at the credit union. There should never be any "cash advance" fee at all -- it's your money you're withdrawing.

Most credit unions will change a small foreign transaction fee for this; I have multiple credit unions, the foreign transaction fees they charge are from 1% to 2%. One shared with me that they charge nothing, but Visa (who handles the transfers) always charge 1%, they just pass that along.

Posted by
7991 posts

I can only add that what you are saying makes no sense. If you are making a withdrawal from your checking account, you are not borrowing, nothing to pay back, you are using your own money.

If it is a credit card, then yes, sounds like a cash advance. That may be OK as a back-up, I have never had an issue with my Schwab card...so no need for back-up.

Posted by
81 posts

That's good to know about Schwab. It looks as though I am headed to the credit union tomorrow to sort things out. I still fel like I need a back up just in case something happens.

Posted by
4031 posts

I needed a backup for my Schwab card once. On my last night of one European trip, I needed cash to pay for dinner and a cab the following morning. The ATM in Krakow I chose had a card slot that my slightly-warped Schwab card could make it through to get into the machine but could not make it through to get out of the machine. So, the machine ate it... resulting in me using my fee-heavy BB&T debit card once in Europe.

Posted by
3522 posts

It helps to know what country you live in and bank in as there are major differences between even the US and Canada banking regulations. We will assume you are in the US.

The 2.99% daily rate for withdrawing using a debit card seems to be if you overdraw your account using your debit card. I can't think of any bank that would charge a daily interest fee for regular ATM withdrawals. How do ATM cash withdrawals with your Debit card cost you now when you do them around home? Did they mean you would get charged a single fee of 2.99% for the foreign exchange cost?

A good back up bank account is the Capital One 360. This specific Capital One account charges fees for nothing. They even absorb the 1% Visa or MasterCard network fee so all you pay is the posted rate of exchange you find on Google. You can do everything including opening the account online and they allow free bank transfers into your account to fund your withdrawals. (This is the account I have and have been very happy with it.) Charles Schwab also offers a no fee debit card.

Posted by
952 posts

Fidelity is a good financial institution to get an account too. Definitely have a talk with your credit union, they are confused.

Posted by
21 posts

I also have the Capital One 360 card. It worked very well last fall in Europe and it works at home too (just another debit account). You want to make sure you transfer your money into it a few days before you actually need it as it might take some time to transfer (at least mine did). I used it like a debit card at stores and restaurants and also as an ATM card. You never incur fees for using it and the money stays in there indefinitely until you use it or transfer back out (great for that next trip!). I do not have a credit union to use and my regular bank charges fees that I didn't want to keep track of. I would recommend looking into it. It is all online and easy to set up.

Posted by
1299 posts

Without knowing where you live, it is hard to know who to recommend. We have a debit card from BECU (Boeing Credit Union but you don't have to work for Boeing). We pay zero fee on the transaction and they reimburse us for any charge the ATM machine we are using may charge us. (It doesn't say they are going to charge us, but apparently the do charge. This trip it was 79 cents a transaction which was put back in our account).

Posted by
81 posts

I live in Indianapolis and we don't have any Boeing Credit Unions here. I have this figured out now. Thank you for all of your input!

Posted by
44 posts

I second Shawn's recommendation of a Capital One 360 ATM card. I used one in France last fall without any problem. Before the trip, I transferred money into the account and while in France I used it as my primary ATM card. Therefore, I did not have to use the ATM card attached to my credit union account.