Best Card/Account for Daughter Going to Canada as University Student

LTroposa on 27/05/2017 - 20:58

My 20yo daughter is going for 4 months to Canada.
While there she will need to pay expenses and have cash.
She has the money to finance everything but obviously if she uses her Westpac debit card she will be totally slammed with bad exchange rates and fees.
She has no regular employment and no credit card so I'm uncertain if she could a credit card?

Any suggestions welcome?

I thought of an HSBC multi currency account but there mus be better options.

Thanks

Financial

Comments

  • Findo on 27/05/2017 - 21:01
    +1

    If you trust her, you could open a new credit card and add her as an additional cardholder

    • Troposa on 27/05/2017 - 21:08

      Thanks
      More than happy to make her additional card holder but I still have the exchange rate issue.

  • Fusakin on 27/05/2017 - 21:14
    +13

    You should look into opening a Citibank Plus account. See this for more options: https://www.ozbargain.com.au/wiki/cards_with_no_overseas_tra…

    • Colombian on 28/05/2017 - 00:05

      Citibank Plus account does not have free ATMs in Canada AFAIK. I had to use my 28 Degrees for everything and tried not to spend the little cash I had the last time I was there in Dec 2015.

      • jjjaar on 28/05/2017 - 00:16
        +1

        I used my Citibank in Canada at TD bank for a month and did not pay a thing.

        • Colombian on 28/05/2017 - 00:24

          Good to know thanks.

        • Marcsie on 28/05/2017 - 05:20

          I am in Vancouver right now, they charged me CAD $3 every time I withdraw money from ATM with my Citibank Plus Debit Card ,

        • jjjaar on 28/05/2017 - 09:58

          @Marcsie: hmm that's annoying. It worked not long ago for me. Have you tried every other banks ATMs?

        • Colombian on 28/05/2017 - 10:49

          @jjjaar: That is the problem, the info is so confusing on CITI website that at the end of the day you are not sure what to believe..

        • Marcsie on 28/05/2017 - 10:50

          @jjjaar: I tried to find Citibank in the downtown Vancouver, but couldn't find any, so just withdrawed money from TD Canada Trust as I need cash for my next destination Cuba.

        • jjjaar on 28/05/2017 - 17:12
          +1

          @Marcsie: but it was the bank that charged you, not Citi?

        • Doggiie on 28/05/2017 - 18:42
          -1

          @Colombian: Citibank says they (as in Citibank) will not charge you fees, they do not mention that the ATM vendor won't. Cheeky.

        • Marcsie on 05/06/2017 - 08:12

          @jjjaar: I am Citibank customer so they won't charge me if I am using their ATM :)

        • Baysew on 05/06/2017 - 08:52
          +1

          @Doggiie:

          Citibank says they (as in Citibank) will not charge you fees, they do not mention that the ATM vendor won't. Cheeky.

          You are wrong:

          Citibank Australia does not charge Citibank Plus everyday account holders a fee when they withdraw funds from an international ATM or use their Citibank Debit Card to make in-store purchases overseas. Customers may be charged by the third party provider, which Citibank Australia does not control.

          Citibank Plus

        • Doggiie on 05/06/2017 - 22:08

          @Baysew: How am I wrong? I said that Citibank themselves will not, however they don't claim that the ATM vendor won't.

        • Baysew on 06/06/2017 - 08:50

          @Doggiie:

          You stated that

          they do not mention that the ATM vendor won't

          Citibank state

          Customers may be charged

          I have quoted what Citibank say direct from their webpage, where does your source of what Citibank say come from?

        • Doggiie on 06/06/2017 - 10:31

          @Baysew: They do not mention ATM vendors won't.

          Citibank does not mention that 3rd party ATM vendors will not charge the customer. < Double negative

          Basically

          Customers may be charged

      • KitchenSink on 28/05/2017 - 01:42

        Vancity ATMs are fee free according to Whirlpool. Not too sure if thats up to date

  • Kangal on 27/05/2017 - 23:35

    Can she just take a grand with her in cash?
    And once she arrives, she might be able to get Canadian Card, and she could just wire some funds from her Aussie account to her Canadian one.
    It might avoid constant fees, and be more convenient for her.

  • citygal on 28/05/2017 - 02:09
    +2

    Citibank Plus Account
    Macquarie Transaction Account

  • Troposa on 28/05/2017 - 08:01
    +1

    Thanks everybody for your comments I'm sure we will save because of it.

    Cheers

  • blackorange on 05/06/2017 - 20:07

    All the major banks in Canadia have newcomer packages as well as ones for students. Compare the available ones and she may well be able to get one fee free for the time she is there. Then you can withdraw from an Australian account and deposit into Canadian account.

    I had a Citibank account and found TD the best bank to withdraw from (free + $800 limit). I also went with their newcomer package as they offered free cheques. Scotiabank, RBC and BMO all had $2-3 ATM fees and lower limits.

    Canadian banking is extremely archaic compared to Australia (I was based in Toronto). Rent had to be paid in pre dated pre signed cheques, electricity bills couldn't be paid by credit card, etc etc. PM if you want more details

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