There’s a 3% fee or $10 (whichever is higher) per transaction. Plus whatever atm fees. But that is looking like the best option. We got him a card attached to our credit card account as well. Problem with that is interest starts immediately if you take a cash advance/withdrawal.
www.westernunion.com
It's what I did in Germany. There was a fee but it was smooth.
American Express isnt accepted in most places in Italy.
If he has a debit card he can use ATMs in Italy that don’t charge you. But you have to ask your bank ahead of time or youre f’d . I live in Italy now so i know firsthand how everything works. If not id give him enough money ahead of time because if you don’t speak the language or understand it or are not in a big city where they speak some English, he won’t even be able to pick up the money and some places might not even have enough money on hand to give him and in some cases the places will charge him to pick up money when most won’t charge you. My best advice would be to let him use your credit card and give him some cash as well.
What part of Italy you at?
I live near Rome but im currently in NY visiting family. Amex isn’t accepted much I know from first hand experience.
Will be there this summer!
Why don’t people just use credit cards? I don’t understand this. If you pay them off every month there is no interest and they bear the fraud risk.
True for credit cards. We’re all set with that. But there are occasions he will need cash. Granted those occasions are fewer these days, but just for emergencies….
Italians or tourists? Its better to use credit cards because you get the best exchange rate because their euro is worth more than our dollar. But you need cash too because some places don’t take credit cards. Also some credit cards charge foreign transactions fees for every purchase so make sure you have a card that doesn’t charge foreign transactions fees.
DMing you
I'd just use venmo to the debit card and tell him to withdraw $100 at a time when he hits a bigger city or knows he's heading to a smaller town and may need it. Should be completely fine with credit cards 95% of the time. We're in Croatia leaving for Finland right now and have needed cash only like twice in 7 days so far between here and Oslo.
Assuming they don’t charge ridiculous fees at the atm machines and it actually works. Italy is different. You have to plan ahead.
My Bank of America card charges foreign transactions fees that’s why I don’t use it there.
Sorry, I mispoke. BoA waves usage fees, etc. but may include a foreign transaction fee. It has to be through one of Bank of America’s international partners: https://locators.bankofamerica.com/international.html
