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Watch out for Credit Card fees when travelling to Canada



 
 
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  #1  
Old July 27th, 2008, 05:03 PM posted to alt.rec.camping,alt.rv,alt.travel.canada,rec.outdoors.rv-travel,rec.travel.usa-canada
Rtavi
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 3
Default Watch out for Credit Card fees when travelling to Canada

We just got back from a 2 month trip to East Coast and Canada.-- Beautiful
and loved it despite $1.59/Liter for diesel!
I have always been told to use a credit card when out of the US since you
get the benefit of paying in Canada Dollars which are running at about $.95
US then the credit card company converts your charge to $US. As far as this
goes, it is true and I saved about $25 when the transactions were posted.
What I was not aware of was that CITI card charges a "Foreign Transaction
Fee" on every purchase. This totaled up to a charge of over $100 US. It's
my fault for not reading all the fine print but this didn't happen 7 years
ago when I was using an ATT card in Canada. I just wanted to let you guys
to be aware of this. I should have done what I did with some of my cash on
hand which was to go to a Royal Bank of Canada and have them change $100 US
to Canadian for a $3 fee so that I would have pocket money.(btw Canadian
money is pretty) that would have been cheaper .
Anyway we had a great trip and I wanted to save you guys some cash. Don't
be a dummy like me!


  #2  
Old July 27th, 2008, 05:35 PM posted to alt.rec.camping,alt.rv,alt.travel.canada,rec.outdoors.rv-travel,rec.travel.usa-canada
Dennis[_2_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 1
Default Watch out for Credit Card fees when travelling to Canada

Yep, and it didn't cost CITI one penny more to do the Canadian transactions.


"Rtavi" wrote in message
...
We just got back from a 2 month trip to East Coast and Canada.--
Beautiful and loved it despite $1.59/Liter for diesel!
I have always been told to use a credit card when out of the US since you
get the benefit of paying in Canada Dollars which are running at about
$.95 US then the credit card company converts your charge to $US. As far
as this goes, it is true and I saved about $25 when the transactions were
posted. What I was not aware of was that CITI card charges a "Foreign
Transaction Fee" on every purchase. This totaled up to a charge of over
$100 US. It's my fault for not reading all the fine print but this didn't
happen 7 years ago when I was using an ATT card in Canada. I just wanted
to let you guys to be aware of this. I should have done what I did with
some of my cash on hand which was to go to a Royal Bank of Canada and have
them change $100 US to Canadian for a $3 fee so that I would have pocket
money.(btw Canadian money is pretty) that would have been cheaper .
Anyway we had a great trip and I wanted to save you guys some cash. Don't
be a dummy like me!



  #3  
Old July 27th, 2008, 05:46 PM posted to alt.rec.camping,alt.rv,alt.travel.canada,rec.outdoors.rv-travel,rec.travel.usa-canada
Tom J
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 10
Default Watch out for Credit Card fees when travelling to Canada

Rtavi wrote:

transactions were posted. What I was not aware of was that CITI card
charges a "Foreign Transaction Fee" on every purchase. This totaled
up to a charge of over $100 US. It's my fault for not reading all
the fine print but this didn't happen 7 years ago when I was using
an
ATT card in Canada. I just wanted to let you guys to be aware of
this. I should have done what I did with some of my cash on hand
which was to go to a Royal Bank of Canada and have them change $100
US to Canadian for a $3 fee so that I would have pocket money


I don't think you can get a credit card from anyone anymore that
doesn't charge a fee for Foreign exchange.

Also, the next time you visit Canada, ask if there is a fee before
exchanging cash. I have never paid a fee to exchange cash in Canada.
I have walked out the door of a few banks and gone down the street to
another bank.

Tom J


  #4  
Old July 27th, 2008, 06:23 PM posted to rec.travel.usa-canada
Jochen Kriegerowski[_2_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 122
Default Watch out for Credit Card fees when travelling to Canada

"Rtavi" schrieb

I should have done what I did with some of my cash on hand which was to go
to a Royal Bank of Canada and have them change $100 US to Canadian for a
$3 fee so that I would have pocket money.(btw Canadian money is pretty)
that would have been cheaper .


Probably not: You get a different exchange rate when you buy cash at the
bank.
Buying 100 CAD will cost you more USD than buying an item worth 100 CAD
with your credit card.

Jochen

  #5  
Old July 27th, 2008, 06:43 PM posted to alt.rec.camping,alt.rv,alt.travel.canada,rec.outdoors.rv-travel,rec.travel.usa-canada
Bill B[_3_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 1
Default Watch out for Credit Card fees when travelling to Canada

I convert to Canadian currency at my local bank, there has not been a fee.
They will only convert *paper*, no coin.


"Rtavi" wrote in message
...
We just got back from a 2 month trip to East Coast and Canada.--
Beautiful and loved it despite $1.59/Liter for diesel!
I have always been told to use a credit card when out of the US since you
get the benefit of paying in Canada Dollars which are running at about
$.95 US then the credit card company converts your charge to $US. As far
as this goes, it is true and I saved about $25 when the transactions were
posted. What I was not aware of was that CITI card charges a "Foreign
Transaction Fee" on every purchase. This totaled up to a charge of over
$100 US. It's my fault for not reading all the fine print but this didn't
happen 7 years ago when I was using an ATT card in Canada. I just wanted
to let you guys to be aware of this. I should have done what I did with
some of my cash on hand which was to go to a Royal Bank of Canada and have
them change $100 US to Canadian for a $3 fee so that I would have pocket
money.(btw Canadian money is pretty) that would have been cheaper .
Anyway we had a great trip and I wanted to save you guys some cash. Don't
be a dummy like me!



  #6  
Old July 27th, 2008, 07:59 PM posted to alt.rec.camping,alt.rv,alt.travel.canada,rec.outdoors.rv-travel,rec.travel.usa-canada
Alex[_8_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 1
Default Watch out for Credit Card fees when travelling to Canada

On Sun, 27 Jul 2008 11:03:02 -0500, "Rtavi"
wrote:

We just got back from a 2 month trip to East Coast and Canada.-- Beautiful
and loved it despite $1.59/Liter for diesel!
I have always been told to use a credit card when out of the US since you
get the benefit of paying in Canada Dollars which are running at about $.95
US then the credit card company converts your charge to $US. As far as this
goes, it is true and I saved about $25 when the transactions were posted.
What I was not aware of was that CITI card charges a "Foreign Transaction
Fee" on every purchase. This totaled up to a charge of over $100 US. It's
my fault for not reading all the fine print but this didn't happen 7 years
ago when I was using an ATT card in Canada. I just wanted to let you guys
to be aware of this. I should have done what I did with some of my cash on
hand which was to go to a Royal Bank of Canada and have them change $100 US
to Canadian for a $3 fee so that I would have pocket money.(btw Canadian
money is pretty) that would have been cheaper .
Anyway we had a great trip and I wanted to save you guys some cash. Don't
be a dummy like me!


The following site has a discussion and table listing the fees charged
by many US-issued debit and credit cards:
http://flyerguide.com/wiki/index.php...reign_Exchange

Alex
  #7  
Old July 27th, 2008, 08:22 PM posted to alt.rec.camping,alt.rv,alt.travel.canada,rec.outdoors.rv-travel,rec.travel.usa-canada
CalifBill
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 48
Default Watch out for Credit Card fees when travelling to Canada


"Bill B" wrote in message
. ..
I convert to Canadian currency at my local bank, there has not been a fee.
They will only convert *paper*, no coin.


"Rtavi" wrote in message
...
We just got back from a 2 month trip to East Coast and Canada.--
Beautiful and loved it despite $1.59/Liter for diesel!
I have always been told to use a credit card when out of the US since you
get the benefit of paying in Canada Dollars which are running at about
$.95 US then the credit card company converts your charge to $US. As far
as this goes, it is true and I saved about $25 when the transactions were
posted. What I was not aware of was that CITI card charges a "Foreign
Transaction Fee" on every purchase. This totaled up to a charge of over
$100 US. It's my fault for not reading all the fine print but this
didn't happen 7 years ago when I was using an ATT card in Canada. I just
wanted to let you guys to be aware of this. I should have done what I
did with some of my cash on hand which was to go to a Royal Bank of
Canada and have them change $100 US to Canadian for a $3 fee so that I
would have pocket money.(btw Canadian money is pretty) that would have
been cheaper .
Anyway we had a great trip and I wanted to save you guys some cash.
Don't be a dummy like me!




The fee is built in. There are buy and sell rates. The 3% foreign exchange
fee has always been excessive to me.


  #8  
Old July 27th, 2008, 08:30 PM posted to alt.travel.canada,rec.travel.usa-canada
MI
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 106
Default Watch out for Credit Card fees when travelling to Canada




On 7/27/08 9:35 AM, in article ,
"Dennis" wrote:

Yep, and it didn't cost CITI one penny more to do the Canadian transactions.


"Rtavi" wrote in message
...
We just got back from a 2 month trip to East Coast and Canada.--
Beautiful and loved it despite $1.59/Liter for diesel!
I have always been told to use a credit card when out of the US since you
get the benefit of paying in Canada Dollars which are running at about
$.95 US then the credit card company converts your charge to $US. As far
as this goes, it is true and I saved about $25 when the transactions were
posted. What I was not aware of was that CITI card charges a "Foreign
Transaction Fee" on every purchase. This totaled up to a charge of over
$100 US. It's my fault for not reading all the fine print but this didn't
happen 7 years ago when I was using an ATT card in Canada. I just wanted
to let you guys to be aware of this. I should have done what I did with
some of my cash on hand which was to go to a Royal Bank of Canada and have
them change $100 US to Canadian for a $3 fee so that I would have pocket
money.(btw Canadian money is pretty) that would have been cheaper .
Anyway we had a great trip and I wanted to save you guys some cash. Don't
be a dummy like me!



When I was in Boston, Bank of America soaked me plenty (I think it was
$4.50), but my own bank, Bank of Montreal only charged me $1.50.

--
Martha T2 Canada
1500mg. Metformin, 4mg. Avandia

  #9  
Old July 27th, 2008, 11:18 PM posted to alt.rv,rec.outdoors.rv-travel,rec.travel.usa-canada
Janet Wilder
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 439
Default Watch out for Credit Card fees when travelling to Canada

Alex wrote:

The following site has a discussion and table listing the fees charged
by many US-issued debit and credit cards:
http://flyerguide.com/wiki/index.php...reign_Exchange

Alex


Great site. Thanks, Alex
  #10  
Old July 27th, 2008, 11:55 PM posted to alt.rec.camping,alt.rv,alt.travel.canada,rec.outdoors.rv-travel,rec.travel.usa-canada
Hatunen
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 4,483
Default Watch out for Credit Card fees when travelling to Canada

On Sun, 27 Jul 2008 12:46:05 -0400, "Tom J"
wrote:

Rtavi wrote:

transactions were posted. What I was not aware of was that CITI card
charges a "Foreign Transaction Fee" on every purchase. This totaled
up to a charge of over $100 US. It's my fault for not reading all
the fine print but this didn't happen 7 years ago when I was using
an
ATT card in Canada. I just wanted to let you guys to be aware of
this. I should have done what I did with some of my cash on hand
which was to go to a Royal Bank of Canada and have them change $100
US to Canadian for a $3 fee so that I would have pocket money


I don't think you can get a credit card from anyone anymore that
doesn't charge a fee for Foreign exchange.

Also, the next time you visit Canada, ask if there is a fee before
exchanging cash. I have never paid a fee to exchange cash in Canada.
I have walked out the door of a few banks and gone down the street to
another bank.


Do be prepated with the current "real" exchange rate from a
source like Oanda. Many exchange desks and companies don't charge
a fee, but they get you with a bad exchange rate.

--
************* DAVE HATUNEN ) *************
* Tucson Arizona, out where the cacti grow *
* My typos & mispellings are intentional copyright traps *
 




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