TIPS

[arxcards]

1 hour ago, NSWP said:

lyle i do not have credit card, just anz visa debit, use it here and used it overseas in atm and purchases, no problems. being old school i always carry a couple of hundred cash.

 

sorry for typing, but last week had a big fall and smashed left shoulder and arm.am left handed. was in hosp and a lot of pain.

Take care Les. I hope you mend well.

[MicCanberra]

6 minutes ago, arxcards said:

How is the online services on this Mic - can you do online banking with this account while overseas? Looking ahead, that looks like the biggest limitation for my current visa debit due to rather stringent multi-factor authorisation options. Going to be away for 3 months next year, and it would be nice to pay our bills easily from the balcony.

It is all done through an app, so if you have internet, then it should work.

[arxcards]

6 minutes ago, MicCanberra said:

It is all done through an app, so if you have internet, then it should work.

Thanks. I will look a bit deeper. I have an app for my current online banking, but it is IP sensitive and will request MFA if they think it is a risky transaction. Great for security, but a pain to be getting sms verification codes overseas.

[OzKiwiJJ]

Just now, NSWP said:

lyle i do not have credit card, just anz visa debit, use it here and used it overseas in atm and purchases, no problems. being old school i always carry a couple of hundred cash.

 

sorry for typing, but last week had a big fall and smashed left shoulder and arm.am left handed. was in hosp and a lot of pain.

Oh no! I'm really sorry to hear that, Les. Wishing you all the best for a speedy recovery with no lingering after-effects. Take care, mate. 😘

[OzKiwiJJ]

Just now, arxcards said:

Thanks. I will look a bit deeper. I have an app for my current online banking, but it is IP sensitive and will request MFA if they think it is a risky transaction. Great for security, but a pain to be getting sms verification codes overseas.

Does your phone allow WiFi Calling? We'd had problems overseas last year with our old phones but so far it seem to be working on Coral Princess with our new phones. Fingers crossed it will stay that way for the whole cruise.

 

We tend to just use the debit card we have specifically for overseas travel to just withdraw cash when needed, and use a credit card for everything else. However we have been warned not to use credit cards in Cape Town. Hopefully we can safely get some cash there otherwise I won't be able to buy a fridge magnet!

[ilikeanswers]

3 hours ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

A lot of small businesses took a financial hit when most people stopped paying in cash during Covid so I can understand why they have added the charge. I don't like it though. 

 

I would understand if this business was mainly cash but from my observations going there for many years card was the predominant form of payment already so I was surprised that now they started charging a fee. 

[ilikeanswers]

1 hour ago, arxcards said:

How is the online services on this Mic - can you do online banking with this account while overseas? Looking ahead, that looks like the biggest limitation for my current visa debit due to rather stringent multi-factor authorisation options. Going to be away for 3 months next year, and it would be nice to pay our bills easily from the balcony.

 

One thing you can do is set up direct debit for bills during your travel period if you want to try and avoid MFA. 

[arxcards]

1 hour ago, ilikeanswers said:

 

One thing you can do is set up direct debit for bills during your travel period if you want to try and avoid MFA. 

Thanks. I am sure it will be right on the night, and I had been thinking about the Ubank option for a bit. Yes, especially for bills ticking over at home and we mostly have DDs and Bpay set up for them already. I am mostly wanting to be assured of easily transferring from a debit card to zero the credit card from spending incurred during travel, which would include 2x credit card cycles. 

[arxcards]

1 hour ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

Does your phone allow WiFi Calling? We'd had problems overseas last year with our old phones but so far it seem to be working on Coral Princess with our new phones. Fingers crossed it will stay that way for the whole cruise.

 

We tend to just use the debit card we have specifically for overseas travel to just withdraw cash when needed, and use a credit card for everything else. However we have been warned not to use credit cards in Cape Town. Hopefully we can safely get some cash there otherwise I won't be able to buy a fridge magnet!

WiFi calling might be an option.

[valantine80]

22 minutes ago, arxcards said:

Thanks. I am sure it will be right on the night, and I had been thinking about the Ubank option for a bit. Yes, especially for bills ticking over at home and we mostly have DDs and Bpay set up for them already. I am mostly wanting to be assured of easily transferring from a debit card to zero the credit card from spending incurred during travel, which would include 2x credit card cycles. 

We have the monthly balance on our credit cards direct debited from bank accounts. One of the cards is not connected with the bank that is used to pay the closing balance. This may be an option for you. Cam always reverse the arrangement when you return if you want.

[Sparky74]

There’s an old jock which asks:

What’s the difference between an Australian and a canoe?

Canoes sometimes tip. 🤣

 

I didn’t say it was a good joke. 🤷‍♂️

[possum52]

16 hours ago, NSWP said:

lyle i do not have credit card, just anz visa debit, use it here and used it overseas in atm and purchases, no problems. being old school i always carry a couple of hundred cash.

 

sorry for typing, but last week had a big fall and smashed left shoulder and arm.am left handed. was in hosp and a lot of pain.

Sorry to hear about your all and injuries Les. Hope you are recovering well and the pain is under control. 

[resordanis]

17 hours ago, NSWP said:

lyle i do not have credit card, just anz visa debit, use it here and used it overseas in atm and purchases, no problems. being old school i always carry a couple of hundred cash.

 

sorry for typing, but last week had a big fall and smashed left shoulder and arm.am left handed. was in hosp and a lot of pain.

So sorry to hear this. Take care.

[Yaya_in_Oz]

18 hours ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

 However we have been warned not to use credit cards in Cape Town. Hopefully we can safely get some cash there otherwise I won't be able to buy a fridge magnet!

Whats the problem with using a CC in Cape Town? I hadn't heard of anything. I usually tap and go and never let the card out of my sight.

I got a great eyecatching fridge magnet last time I was in Cape town. It says 466/64, Nelson Mandela's prison number.

[Bubbeh]

On 5/10/2024 at 1:09 PM, NSWP said:

sorry for typing, but last week had a big fall and smashed left shoulder and arm.am left handed. was in hosp and a lot of pain.

Every good wish for a speedy recovery.

Edited May 11 by Bubbeh

[Bubbeh]

21 hours ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

Hopefully we can safely get some cash there otherwise I won't be able to buy a fridge magnet!

Totally understand the compulsion.  One day the front door of my alternative fridge is going to give up the ghost and just fall off it's so overweighted.

[Bubbeh]

9 hours ago, Sparky74 said:

There’s an old jock which asks:

What’s the difference between an Australian and a canoe?

Canoes sometimes tip. 🤣

 

I didn’t say it was a good joke. 🤷‍♂️

 

I heard it slightly different to that:

What's the difference between an Australian and a Canadian canoe?

Doesn't matter how hard you try, you just can't get them to tip.

 

My mantra and I'll stick to it here if not in the overseas.

[OzKiwiJJ]

44 minutes ago, Yaya_in_Oz said:

Whats the problem with using a CC in Cape Town? I hadn't heard of anything. I usually tap and go and never let the card out of my sight.

I got a great eyecatching fridge magnet last time I was in Cape town. It says 466/64, Nelson Mandela's prison number.

I'm not sure but one of the sommeliers used to work there and said "don't use credit cards or you'll get scammed". He was very emphatic about it.

[cruiser3775]

16 hours ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

Whats the problem with using a CC in Cape Town?

It is mostly to do with using a card at an ATM to withdraw money, but there is also the problem of fake credit card readers which actually scan your card and capture your PIN. Always keeping it in your sight is not enough to thwart this.

 

www.news24.com/news24/community-newspaper/peoples-post/atm-scammers-targeting-tourists-nabbed-in-cape-town-cbd-20240319

 

Edited May 12 by cruiser3775

[arxcards]

Yes, skimming devices.

Not just Cape Town, although it appears to be a significant problem there. Bobs up in Australia from time to time.

[MicCanberra]

Skimming can happen in any tourist area around the world. It can be a real issue.

[Yaya_in_Oz]

2 hours ago, cruiser3775 said:

It is mostly to do with using a card at an ATM to withdraw money, but there is also the problem of fake credit card readers which actually scan your card and capture your PIN. Always keeping it in your sight is not enough to thwart this.

 

www.news24.com/news24/community-newspaper/peoples-post/atm-scammers-targeting-tourists-nabbed-in-cape-town-cbd-20240319

 

Thanks, I hadn't seen that article. Having been before I'll mainly being hanging around the waterfront which has a security presence anyway. I just use the tap and go as I think its safer than putting your card in a machine and manage my settings not allowing certain transactions and keep the amount transacted low. If I suddenly see something expensive I can increase those limits if I want to purchase it but first I have a dialogue with myself about buying more stuff when I have way too much stuff already! 😆

[Yaya_in_Oz]

2 hours ago, arxcards said:

Yes, skimming devices.

Not just Cape Town, although it appears to be a significant problem there. Bobs up in Australia from time to time.

Yes, this was what I didn't quite understand. I thought skimming pretty much happened anywhere and just so long as you take as much care as possible, thats all you can do.

[Mareblu]

On 5/10/2024 at 6:09 AM, NSWP said:

lyle i do not have credit card, just anz visa debit, use it here and used it overseas in atm and purchases, no problems. being old school i always carry a couple of hundred cash.

 

sorry for typing, but last week had a big fall and smashed left shoulder and arm.am left handed. was in hosp and a lot of pain.

Oh Les, so very sorry to learn of your accident.  I hadn’t visited this thread for a while.  Mario joins me in sending healing wishes for the best possible recovery, which as all three of us know takes a tad longer these days.  So wonderful, at times like these, that you have your daughter close by.   I know you’ll be receiving good care, and it’s as well you’re no longer living alone, but in a community.  Take care and follow the medical advice, which we know you would certainly do.  We’re looking forward to catching up on our return and if and when you feel up to it.

 

[Bubbeh]

21 hours ago, MicCanberra said:

Skimming can happen in any tourist area around the world. It can be a real issue.

I've heard a million justifications for why this occurs and how hard it is for some people in  third world countries to make ends meet.  I remain unconvinced, to my mind these various scammers are the scum of the earth.  Not to put too fine a point on it.

Edited May 13 by Bubbeh