Tips on Spanish ATM fees?

purplestar133

I have made it to Lanzarote and have used the Clarity cc to withdraw cash for the first time ever! It asked if I wanted to use their conversion rate and I thought back to this thread... I said 'without conversion'. That was right wasn't it? No matter how I try, I find that message confusing. I was expecting it as I'd read this thread, but I was still doubting whether I'd done the right thing.

zagfles

purplestar133 wrote: »

I have made it to Lanzarote and have used the Clarity cc to withdraw cash for the first time ever! It asked if I wanted to use their conversion rate and I thought back to this thread... I said 'without conversion'. That was right wasn't it? No matter how I try, I find that message confusing. I was expecting it as I'd read this thread, but I was still doubting whether I'd done the right thing.

Check the receipt and make sure there's no mention of GBP on it. Then you know you've got it right.

callum9999

purplestar133 wrote: »

I have made it to Lanzarote and have used the Clarity cc to withdraw cash for the first time ever! It asked if I wanted to use their conversion rate and I thought back to this thread... I said 'without conversion'. That was right wasn't it? No matter how I try, I find that message confusing. I was expecting it as I'd read this thread, but I was still doubting whether I'd done the right thing.

Without conversion means they won't convert the amount to GBP. I'm not sure what's so confusing about it?

purplestar133

zagfles wrote: »

Check the receipt and make sure there's no mention of GBP on it. Then you know you've got it right.

It just says EUR.

PBA

The ATMs that offer DCC are doing it on the bank's own rate, not the interbank rate, so even if they offer 0% markup it's still a poor option. Also I stopped paying by card in shops in Spain, it's not worth the hassle of getting them to let you pay in Euros as they always seem to press the GBP button by default. Much easier to use ATMs which give you the options and let you press the buttons yourself!

Edit: Just to add, I always check my online banking to compare the amount I've been charged in GBP for the withdrawal compared to what the ATM offered. It's always been much better letting my bank process it, never had a case where the overseas bank would have offered a better deal.

purplestar133

PBA wrote: »

The ATMs that offer DCC are doing it on the bank's own rate, not the interbank rate, so even if they offer 0% markup it's still a poor option. Also I stopped paying by card in shops in Spain, it's not worth the hassle of getting them to let you pay in Euros as they always seem to press the GBP button by default. Much easier to use ATMs which give you the options and let you press the buttons yourself!

Edit: Just to add, I always check my online banking to compare the amount I've been charged in GBP for the withdrawal compared to what the ATM offered. It's always been much better letting my bank process it, never had a case where the overseas bank would have offered a better deal.

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Thanks. The wording confuses me. The transaction has to be converted to GBP because the money in my bank account is in GBP, so it feels odd saying 'don't convert it'. I suppose I need to think that it will be converted automatically by my bank, and that I don't want the bank that owns the ATM to convert it.

I still stand by my claim that the message displayed is not clear. It makes it sound as if it is beneficial to you to do the conversion with them. Then again, I know banks are not in the business of helping their customers.

littlevet1

Hi all

Sorry to resurrect an old thread. I have searched and can't find anything more recent.

I want to know if it is still the case that Spanish ATMs will not charge a fee to withdraw cash using a Halifax clarity card? Can someone give me names of specific banks where this is the case?

Thanks in advance

NiftyDigits

littlevet1 wrote: »

Hi all

Sorry to resurrect an old thread. I have searched and can't find anything more recent.

I want to know if it is still the case that Spanish ATMs will not charge a fee to withdraw cash using a Halifax clarity card? Can someone give me names of specific banks where this is the case?

Thanks in advance

No fee. Just don't let the ATM do the FX conversion for you.

littlevet1

Thanks, is this every bank? I tried one ATM (sabadell, I think) and it wanted to charge me €1.80

NiftyDigits

littlevet1 wrote: »

Thanks, is this every bank? I tried one ATM (sabadell, I think) and it wanted to charge me €1.80

I've noticed that there are new charges for domestic cards; http://www.euroweeklynews.com/3.0.15/finance/136241-new-spanish-atm-charges

Don't know if it affects International cards.