For expats: atm reimbursements while overseas

[Anonymous]

Kind of a specific question, but I think there are enough expats reading dcurbanmoms that hopefully someone will pipe up.
I live overseas. We are on travel orders. We use USAA for banking and sometimes use the atms here. We aren't getting even close to what we should get back in atm fees though while we used to get it all back in the US. Is there any recourse? Like in the month of april, I'm finding that we had transaction/foreign exchange fees of $19, but only got $10 of it back. Multiply that by 12 months and we're going to be wasting a lot on just fees....

[Anonymous]

Just take cash out once or twice a month.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Just take cash out once or twice a month.

This. And use credit cards with no exchange fees.

[Anonymous]

Or open an account in your city?

[Anonymous]

We live overseas. We have a local bank account and use TransferWise to move money from our account in the US to the account here for our cash expenses and the bills we pay by bank transfer.

[Anonymous]

Schwab, Fidelity have good ATM reimbursement

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Kind of a specific question, but I think there are enough expats reading dcurbanmoms that hopefully someone will pipe up.
I live overseas. We are on travel orders. We use USAA for banking and sometimes use the atms here. We aren't getting even close to what we should get back in atm fees though while we used to get it all back in the US. Is there any recourse? Like in the month of april, I'm finding that we had transaction/foreign exchange fees of $19, but only got $10 of it back. Multiply that by 12 months and we're going to be wasting a lot on just fees....

Why should you be reimbursed for being foolish. We are back in DC for now, but DHs job has always brought us to different places for a few years. We always open a bank account in said country and keep enough in there for living expenses.

Are you new to travel?

[Anonymous]

USAA reimburses all ATM charges no matter what bank you use here in the states. Not sure what their policy is overseas. If you qualify for membership, it might be worth asking.

[Anonymous]

Open a Schwab checking account. No ATM fees anywhere in the world, including the US. 100% reimbursement

[Anonymous]

Long-time expat here. Open bank account in local country. Transfer money to it. Use local bnak card and ATM card.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Kind of a specific question, but I think there are enough expats reading dcurbanmoms that hopefully someone will pipe up.
I live overseas. We are on travel orders. We use USAA for banking and sometimes use the atms here. We aren't getting even close to what we should get back in atm fees though while we used to get it all back in the US. Is there any recourse? Like in the month of april, I'm finding that we had transaction/foreign exchange fees of $19, but only got $10 of it back. Multiply that by 12 months and we're going to be wasting a lot on just fees....

Why should you be reimbursed for being foolish. We are back in DC for now, but DHs job has always brought us to different places for a few years. We always open a bank account in said country and keep enough in there for living expenses.

Are you new to travel?

NP here. This was not a kind way to respond to an honest question. So what if they are or are not new to travel?

[Anonymous]

I have lived in several different countries as a child and adult, and saw my parents open local bank accounts in each country, so I did the same.

Most countries do not allow you to open a bank account if you are not a resident, so this is a good opportunity to open one while you're living there. Keep it for life, and use it to transfer money. It has proved useful for my father and I.