Credit card vs. debit card

Concur, use debit card only to obtain local currency at a bank owned ATM. Use a credit credit for routine charges BUT make sure they always charge you in the local currency. Our preference is to pay cash for nearly everything and rarely charge anything. But others prefer to charge nearly everything. Personal choice.

I think of it this way: A debit card is for obtaining cash from ATMs (not for making purchases). A credit card is for making larger purchases (hotel bills, etc.) Many smaller establishments do not take credit cards, so you will need some cash. Since you don't say how you intend to use it, I would suggest you take both. I actually carry two of each - my main, no-fee debit card from a credit union, and my 1% debit card from an online bank, a no-fee credit card, and a 3% credit card (only for emergencies).

Chuck, I agree with Nancy's suggestion. Use debit / ATM cards to obtain cash and credit cards for larger items such as hotel bills. I would highly recommend having at least two ATM cards, in case the primary card malfunctions (I've had that happen). Note that travel funds must usually be in a chequing account with a four number PIN. DON'T forget to notify your Bank(s) and credit card firms that you'll be travelling so they don't "freeze" them when they detect transaction activity in Europe. I always take at least two ATM cards and at least two credit cards, along with some Euro cash for "travel funds" until I get settled and have time to visit an ATM. Happy travels!

Well, there's something to be said for peace of mind for the perhaps overly cautious among us, of whom I am one. I may be the only poster on this forum who does this: I use only a credit card for all my ATM transactions in Europe. That credit card is issued by a credit union and, while not "chipped". has a pin number for cash advances from the ATMs. I usually "withdraw" about $200-300 every two or three days for meals and other walking-around money, including small purchases in stores. I then keep that currency (along with credit cards, ID, etc) in a money belt and only $10-20 in pocket for ready expenditure. using a credit union credit card minimizes the "bank" charges for cash advances, which I consider just the cost of doing pleasure. I know that many, perhaps most debit cards ultimately offer protection against financial mishaps (loss, theft, etc). but not only do I feel more comfortable with the federal protections that come with credit cards, I really prefer having my credit card exposed than my checking account; additionally, because I principally use my commercial bank's bill payer service (it's free), I can easily arrange for payment of my bills through that service during my travels. I just have to be sure that my regulal inome deposits and scheduled bill payments are in synchmwith each other. This sysyem has worked well for six years, and the bank charges for use of my credit cards is modest, compared to the overall cost of a trip to Europe. I must be wholly alone in using this approach but it works for me.

Jim probably is the only poster here who does what he does. Any time you use a credit card in an ATM, you immediately begin accruing finance charges (no grace period for ATM transactions), and at a higher rate than your usual finance charge rate. There are a lot of credit union and bank options for cards with low or no fees. I see no advantage to incurring finance charges unnecessarily. Being able to pay your bills online has nothing to do with it. I do that, too - but I don't withdraw money from an ATM with a credit card.

The risk of having someone being able to hack into your checking account merely by using your debit card at ATM's is miniscule. Occasionally you hear of thieves placing skimmers on ATM machines to steal the card data and PIN (both in the US and Europe). But if you know what to look for, that is an easy check to be sure there is no skimmer on the machine. I've anecdotally heard of a handful of credit unions and such that offer low cash advance rates or even give a grace period on cash advances. But the VAST majority of credit cards have VERY high cash advance rates. Frankly, unless you are in that tiny minority, you'd be better off taking US dollars and exchanging them than getting cash advances. Using a debit card for purchases IS more of a risk, as any time you give someone your card info they can steal it. Happens all the time for both credit and debit cards. So most of us here recommend against using debit cards for purchases while in Europe since it is more of a hassle to deal with from overseas. If a credit card is compromised, you don't lose access to your checking funds and can always use the debit card for cash or point of sale backup.