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ATM foreign currency charges

I’ve always got foreign currency at an ATM using one of the recommended cards. It’s always been the cheapest way to do it.

I’m currently in Fuerteventura and all the ATMs I’ve tried either want to do the currency conversion or charge you a fee.

It looks like the days of cheap foreign currency are over.

☹️

Comments

  • Browntoa
    Browntoa Posts: 49,612 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    Yes , Santander and other Spanish banks have started ATM fees
    Ex forum ambassador

    Long term forum member
  • zagfles
    zagfles Posts: 21,548 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Chutzpah Haggler
    Look for Bankia or Euronet - last time I was in Spain a few months ago they didn't charge.
  • zagfles
    zagfles Posts: 21,548 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Chutzpah Haggler
    And see this thread for recent experience from Fuerteventura


    https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/5941125/atms-in-barcelona
  • Voyager2002
    Voyager2002 Posts: 16,349 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    Is it still possible to withdraw cash inside the bank over the counter?
  • jaybeetoo
    jaybeetoo Posts: 1,396 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    Santander wanted to charge for over the counter too.

    I was in Barcelona in early October and didn’t have this problem so it must be a recent change unless I picked the right ATMs by luck.
  • Get a Santander current account and meet the basic condition of paying in a minimum £500 monthly - no fees at Santander branded ATMs in Spain (including the Balearics), and Canaries.

    You can use it as your regular UK bank account if you so wish, or transfer the £500 out immediately to another account, and use the Santander card only for holidays as above.
  • londoninvestor
    londoninvestor Posts: 1,351 Forumite
    Sixth Anniversary Combo Breaker
    edited 27 January 2019 at 8:27PM
    Get a Santander current account and meet the basic condition of paying in a minimum £500 monthly - no fees at Santander branded ATMs in Spain (including the Balearics), and Canaries.

    You can use it as your regular UK bank account if you so wish, or transfer the £500 out immediately to another account, and use the Santander card only for holidays as above.

    Or the Santander Zero Credit Card:
    https://www.santander.co.uk/personal/credit-cards/zero-credit-card

    That gives you fee-free withdrawals from Santander ATMs elsewhere too (the USA for example) - but note you'll incur a little bit of interest between the time you withdraw and the time you pay off your balance.
  • eDicky
    eDicky Posts: 6,835 Forumite
    Ninth Anniversary 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    If you are departing from Gatwick, Stansted or Southend airports you can withdraw euros (and some other currencies) with your fee-free MasterCards from a MoneyCorp multicurrency ATM, making sure that you select 'Without Conversion' to avoid their own diabolical exchange rate. If the option is not shown with your particular card, cancel and retrieve it.

    Most credit cards can be used without fee (except Tandem which charges a domestic cash withdrawal fee), Starling, Monzo, Loot. Don't try Revolut, and it's not possible at ATMs other than MoneyCorp.
    Evolution, not revolution
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