Santander zero Credit card, use abroad

premierfella

5.7 You should not make payments that place the Account in credit. If you do, we may still restrict the use of the Card and the Account to the amount of your credit limit

The only action I take in response to a term such as this is to ensure that:
a) I am happy for the credit funds to be returned to the account they came from if the CC company decides to return them;
b) Have other sources of cash when I am abroad (usually at least one debit and one other credit card).
Restricting the use of the card to the actual credit limit rather than credit limit plus any credit funds is fairly common and not unreasonable.

ericonabike

5.7 You should not make payments that place the Account in credit. If you do, we may still restrict the use of the Card and the Account to the amount of your credit limit

Doesn't sound too serious a sanction? I've asked a similar question about a Nationwide creidt card and been advised that they may freeze the account, return the excess etc. But here Santander only seem to be saying that they will simply ignore the credit amount and only allow you to withdraw up to your credit limit, which seems fine to me. Good fun playing the Holiday Money game isn't it?

MrChips

I do this frequently and it has never caused any problems. I wouldn't push it too far by loading thousands on it, but a couple of hundred quid should be fine. If they ask just say it is in lieu of a recent transaction that has yet to hit the card.

Then there will be no fees at all for withdrawing money overseas - unless you withdraw more than you have preloaded - in which case nip to an internet cafe and preload it some more

Even if you don't want to preload the card, if you pay it off as soon as you come back from your trip the amount of interest should be minimal. 27.9% per annum equates to only 0.5% per week approximately.

bobblehead_2

IT IS AS A CON.

IT IS NOT FREE TO USE AT ATMS.

I live in Peru you will be charged.
I withdrew $20 and got a $4 charge.

Santader said
I asked what Zero meant.
"you wont be charged for cash withdrawels at the ATM"
"I got charged $4"
"You wont be charged by santander to use the card, if the ATM charges you that is down to the ATM"
"If you use Santander ATM's you wont be charged"
"how many in Peru" I asked
"none"

all banks overseas will charge you. This is a CON on a corporate scale. How they get away with it I don't know.
I got no warning about the charge on the screen, I speak Spanish.
There is nothing Zero about the Zero card.

IT IS A CON

chattychappy

The world is bigger than Peru.

Some ATMs apply local charges, some don't. Just like in the UK. You don't have to use a Santander ATM to avoid a charge. In fact I've never used a Santander ATM!

I've used Zero to withdraw cash without a fee in the following places:

UK, Canada, France, Germany, Switzerland, USA, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macao, Thailand

The reality is that ATMs in many countries do charge. Nothing you can do about that. The reality is, if you weren't using Zero you'd most certainly be paying this charge plus a loading and other charges on top.

Hax

bobblehead: Why are you blaming Santander's Zero card when you yourself have said that the ATM provider made the charge?

Degenerate

chattychappy wrote: »

UK, Canada, France, Germany, Switzerland, USA, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macao, Thailand

I've used it in Hungary, Austria, Germany and the Netherlands. Never been charged a fee.

confused_kid

Degenerate wrote: »

I've used it in Hungary, Austria, Germany and the Netherlands. Never been charged a fee.

Hi, question if I may, have you had any occasions where you've inserted your zero credit card to withdraw cash and the ATM has statetd it will charge you? (Abroad not in UK).

I have a Santander Zero Credit card and am going on a round trip to Las Vegas, USA | Sydney, AUS | Hong Kong, CHI | Koh Samui, Thailans....idea is to use Zero everywhere we go, and some cash (not alot) only as a backup, maybe more cash for Koh Samui seeing as its a little remote compared to the other destinations.

It will be comforting to know that there are no (or little fees) if withdrawing cash. I guess its not a massive deal as I could probably get onto internet banking and make payments to incurr as little of teh 27%~ APR as possible.

chattychappy

Yes, I've had that. In some cases I've accepted the fee and sometimes I haven't. It depends if I know of an ATM elsewhere nearby that doesn't charge.

The fees vary - but frankly I've never seen them as high as pubs/shops in the UK, though I am mostly in Asia where things are cheaper. Typical fees have been £1 to £3 (in local equivalent).

Do try and take other backups apart from a bit of cash. Santander can get blocked.

confused_kid

Thanks chattychappy,

I do have other credit cards which i use as my regular cards which I will take with me, together with my debit card...but I will use santander as my primary card, and will call up customer services to let them know my intentions and travel plans...i know this doesn't guarantee anything but i'll do what I can.

Was that fee in the ATMs a flat fee or a % of the amount you withdrew? or does it differ based on ATM/Country?

thanks again. :beer: