Using a Prepaid Visa Debit Card While in Japan

dimmak84 on 27/03/2017 - 18:30

Hi guys I'm going to japan next week and am just wondering if anyone here has any suggestion on using a prepaid overseas visa debit card?

I'm with ANZ and am thinking of using their travel card but my friend suggested I use Citibank because they have cheaper rates everytime I withdraw money using the travel card. Also there's the Aus post multi-currency cash passport with zero commission fees.

Just wondering which one is cheaper and which option will definitely allow me to access my money just in case an ATM machine in Japan doesn't accept say my Aus post multi-currency cash passport card.

Also love to hear what are other options ppl use whiling traveling to Japan. Thanks!

Travel

Comments

  • indium on 27/03/2017 - 18:34
    +3

    The last time I went to Japan I used citibank card and just used it as though I was back home in Australia. Handy to pay for things (eg. at 7/11) as they just swipe the card (also avoid receiving 1 yen coins) and would also withdraw cash from 7/11 whenever I needed a top up (no fees). I keep an ING card as a backup ($2.5 atm withdrawal fee)

    • dimmak84 on 27/03/2017 - 18:46

      Thanks but with citibank I would have to setup n account with them. Would they be more or less the same as the ANZ travel card which charges me like 216 yen everytime I try to withdraw money from ATMs?

      • indium on 27/03/2017 - 18:58

        No charges/fees at all but takes around 2 weeks to receive card from memory.

  • Randxyz123 on 27/03/2017 - 18:54

    You don't have time to get a Citibank account.

    I'd recommend going with the ANZ card.

  • Thetoe1 on 27/03/2017 - 18:58

    Bring oz cash and exchange over there if your only going to Tokyo, ul get a far better rate. Heres one i used in Shinjuku http://samurai-exchange.com/shinjuku/index.php?Rate

  • Kangal on 27/03/2017 - 22:37

    Cash is King.
    When I travelled, I took about $1,000-worth Yen with me… and got ripped off like AU$160 in conversion fees in Australia.
    Then I needed some more there, and taking out money from ANZ proved to be even more expensive.

    You should instead:
    - Convert some Australian cash into Japanese Yen here.
    Something like a decent $300, just to help get you going.
    - Once you touch down, you should be able to find cash conversion places in Japan.
    The rates are (alot) more competitive, and you could take out $1,000/whatever you need without being ripped off.

  • jjjaar on 28/03/2017 - 08:29
    +1

    Citibank card is how I've travelled to Japan twice. They no longer have Citibank banks in Japan, but have been taken over by Prestia and SMBC, and these ATMs work fee free.

    I didn't struggle to find ATMs that wouldn't charge fees. All ATMs I used work in English too, so you'll know if there is a fee.

    • nightelves on 28/03/2017 - 12:41

      How readily available are these atm and can you confirm when you last did a withdraw and was not charged a fee? I'm going to Japan in May so hoping this is still the case.

      • jjjaar on 28/03/2017 - 14:35

        I was there 14 months ago in Jan 2016.

        I had one of the SMBC ATMs about 700m from my hotel, so I just went to it whenever I needed cash.

        You can check the locations here: https://www.smbctb.co.jp/en/banking/branch_atm/search/index.… . If there is one near where you are staying, you will be fine.

      • carwashhair on 29/03/2017 - 09:23
        +1

        Was there last October, going back again in two weeks. No ATM or bank fee for using citibank card at sevenbank (i.e. 7-Eleven) and Japanpost ATM's. And thanks jjjaar for the Prestia/SMBC tip!

        • nightelves on 29/03/2017 - 09:24

          wow incredible. That is very useful indeed to know.

        • carwashhair on 29/03/2017 - 09:27

          @nightelves: And was editing to say that these ATM's in urban areas are pretty readily available, less so in country areas (I've read that Japanpost ATM's may even be closed at night/weekends in very rural areas). Look for Sevenbank ATM's around train stations as well, not just in 7-elevens - and same with Japanpost ones.

        • jjjaar on 29/03/2017 - 14:22

          Never tried 7/11 but was always 100% on Prestia/SMBC, so never needed to.

          Agree with your comments below on the rural areas. Best to take enough cash for time away from cities.

  • cheapskate00 on 28/03/2017 - 14:55

    I exchanged about $1000 at Travel Money OZ in Elizabeth St.

    They provide competitive rates in the CBD. Also talking to the girl at the counter and asking for better rates was helpful for me.

    • dimmak84 on 30/03/2017 - 09:52

      Hmmmm I just checked travel money oz online and their rates are like 1000 AUD = 78779 Yen. ANZ is doing 81222

      • cheapskate00 on 30/03/2017 - 10:33

        Interesting! I'll check with ANZ next time. Thanks.

      • bluedufflecoat on 08/04/2017 - 17:23

        I just found these guys: http://everforex.com/en/

        83258

        Someone also mentioned Kvb kunlun. I can't find an online rate for them but apparently their aud/usd rate was even better on the day.

  • Mehrad on 29/03/2017 - 10:26

    American Express FX4You online money order had fantastic rates.
    1. Order online
    2. Choose where you wanna collect your JPY cash.
    3. BPay the $AUD
    4. You'll receive a message in a day and go collect.

    We are also using Citibank and so far used it mostly to withdraw cash with the moment of withdrawal or purchase rate which uses Visa rates. One of the best rates.

    There are many ways to skin a cat but this is how I researched and did it.
    www.finder.com gives you heaps of info.

  • 4KGrubby on 30/03/2017 - 01:13

    A friend of mine recommended the citibank but through my procrastination i never ended up seeing about it.
    I ended up going for the NAB traveller card (prepaid Mastercard) it was so easy to get and apply for , i am not a NAB customer. I am a CBA customer and when they insisted i had to pay $15 just for their travel card i began comparing and the NAB won in everything…
    $0 initial fee and load
    $0 reload fee (can be done at a branch or online - BPAY internet banking from any bank)
    $0 atm withdrawal fee from NAB (atm must have mastercard logo and some independant ATMs may charge their own fee, but every ATM i withdrew from in italy i wasn't charged any fee ever)
    We even payed for stuff at restaurants and shops that accepted mastercard with no extra fee added
    The only cons as far as i know are:
    - $3.75 domestic ATM withdrawal fee (when you are back in australia and wish to withdraw the unused funds on the card)
    - obviously the small loss with the less-than-ideal currency conversion rates when you are converting your inital load from AUD to YEN and vise-versa

    I literally walked into a NAB branch an hour before they closed, on THE DAY BEFORE MY FLIGHT (not a joke, im not proud to admit that, but its the truth) and i had the card in my hand all loaded with EUR and ready to go, and like i said i was not a NAB customer. You can register your card online to view transaction history on the go and it was all really simple. I'd highly recommend.
    It was my first time using a travel card for money whilst overseas, and honestly i would love to be proven wrong when i say the NAB travel card is one of the best out there in terms of fees etc. But like i said, i haven't tried all of them, and i'd love to hear of a better/easier card to use next time, but its definitely worth a look if you haven't already :)

    • indium on 30/03/2017 - 08:19

      Sounds like a good option for OP. I had a look at the traveller card and the exchange fee is 4% whereas if you do open a citibank account for next time then there will be no exchange fee and you won't have to preload into certain currency, the money stays in bank account as AUD so once you return home it is easy to transfer back out at no cost.

    • Mehrad on 30/03/2017 - 10:31

      One major upside for going with CommBank travel card ,if you're a CommBank customer would be the ability to transfer money from any of your CommBank accounts into the travel card instantly.

      This way you could have the Citibank loaded with Aussie dollars for the whole trip worth (so no losing on JPY BUY and losing on JPY SELL). Any time you buy or withdraw money you get the Visa buy exchange rate of that moment and that's it. In the meanwhile travel card would make a good backup so you could transfer money instantly into it if you run out of money which would take 2 to 3 days in a transfer between two banks.

      All in all, it's really a personal preference and pros and cons on any option to go for.

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