Wow!! Leche, you are a MEMBER in HIGH standing around here!
You ACTUALLY searched the message board BEFORE asking your question. I thank you. I thank you. I'm down on my knees now, thanking you. hehehe...
As laduque says, your ATM/DEBIT card WILL work in Spain. Taking a new card is a good idea too...or at least taking two cards if you and your travel partner has the same account, but carries his/her own copy of the card.
As I wrote above in my 6-17-00 posting before my October 2000 trip, that I was taking travelers checks on my trip - which I did - but I did not cash a SINGLE one! I used my ATM/DEBIT (with Visa symbol) card exclusively. My card is on the CIRRUS system which is what Caja Madrid and, I believe, Banco de Santander (there are many other banks as well). Whenever possible, as laduque suggests, use the INDOOR bank machines for safety's sake.
As for transaction fees, your question is perfect timing because I have been meaning to post this on the board somewhere.
In the current Mar/Apr '01 issue of
Arthur Frommer's Budget Travel magazine, to which I subscribe, there was a GREAT article about avoiding surcharge fees with your credit cards.
The article refers to the use of credit cards for purchases abroad, but does not mention the use of debit cards and their charges.
They suggest that long before going on your trip you get yourself one of the Visa or Mastercards from one of the "hero banks", the few companies which have resisted the 2% surcharge imposed on purchases abroad for a conversion charge.
The banks are: Amalgamated Bank of Chicago, AmTrust Bank of Boca Raton FL, Capital One Bank of Richmond VA, First Internet Bank of Indiana of Indianapolis, First Union National Bank in Charlotte NC, Key Bank in Cleveland OH, MBNA of Wilmington DE, Metropolitan Bank and Trust of Mayfireld Heights OH, Ocean Bank of Miami, Ohio Savings Bank of Cleveland OH, USAA Savings Bank of Las Vegas NV, and Washington Mutual Bank of Wilmington DE. (sorry, but I didn't post their phone number above -- please search them on the internet if interested)
The article ALSO says you can avoid these surcharges by using a credit card from one of the many Credit Union if you happen to belon to one. They say not a single credit union chargest a fee for foreign purchases.
As I wrote above, the article doesn't talk about debit card withdrawls so ask your credit union or the bank from which you may have gotten your credit card above, and ask them if they impose an immediate charge for cash advances from ATM machines (most do, but maybe not from one of these banks for credit unions).
Hope this helps someone! I'll certainly consider getting a Visa/Debit card from my credit union before returning to Spain!
Saludos, MadridMan
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