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An Post PostFX™ prepaid MasterCard® currency card

12346

Comments

  • #152
    brian_gall85
    Registered Users Posts: 456 ✭✭brian_gall85


    The best rate will be gotten via your debit card. The rate has changed massively from the last posts in this thread, now £1 = €1.35 at best.


  • #153
    vienne86
    Registered Users Posts: 17,073 ✭✭✭✭vienne86


    Post office gives a decent enough rate if you are just looking bo buy £ in cash.


  • #154
    OldMrBrennan83
    Closed Accounts Posts: 26,658 ✭✭✭✭OldMrBrennan83


    This post has been deleted.


  • #155
    bmm
    Registered Users Posts: 912 ✭✭✭bmm


    borderlinemeath wrote: »
    .... particularly in the case of a car hire, where a company has let you drive away in a car worth tens of thousands, to be secured only by a card with a finite amount preloaded onto it?

    But credit cards have limits too ? Credit limit of 1,000 wont pay for a car !


  • #156
    L1011
    Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 67,523 Mod ✭✭✭✭L1011


    bmm wrote: »
    But credit cards have limits too ? Credit limit of 1,000 wont pay for a car !

    They have a real, identified and credit checked person tied to them though. Prepaid don't - which is why they will never be taken for car hire unless the desk operator is about to fall asleep.


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  • #157
    bizebee
    Registered Users Posts: 83 ✭✭bizebee


    Hi All,

    I am going to America for 3 weeks and i just have a quick question or two which i hope people can help me with :)

    if you have to sign for your purchase as there is no chip and pin option available - and as your name is not on the front of the card - what happens then?
    also I have heard of people being asked credit/debit card and sometimes it getting refused when they say debit? what is the best answer to say ( if asked) with this card?

    Thank you :)


  • #158
    brian_gall85
    Registered Users Posts: 456 ✭✭brian_gall85


    Not sure if they even check half the time, but from my own experience in Vegas last year it's all sign for, not once did I see a chip n pin system.


  • #159
    Golfer50
    Registered Users Posts: 153 ✭✭Golfer50


    brian_gall85 wrote: »
    Not sure if they even check half the time.
    Agreed! In one theatre I was asked to sign. The pen fell out of my hand and hit the screen. The attendant said that's fine - tickets, thank you!!


  • #160
    slave1
    Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 18,651 Mod ✭✭✭✭slave1


    Chip and pin is rare in my experience but where I have seen it e.g. Sam's Club then it was Debit Card only, the AnPost card actually and they would not accept Cr Card chip and pin, mad. Everywhere else is sign and in the supermarkets now you just swipe your card and that's it, don't even need to sign anything, you could just find a card on the ground and walk into Target and get whatever groceries you wanted and they would not check for signature at all

    Myenergi Eddi For Sale in Athlone, Westmeath from slave1 (adverts.ie)



  • #161
    Harcrid
    Registered Users Posts: 1,302 ✭✭✭Harcrid


    Is there a daily ATM withdrawal limit with these cards? Bank of Ireland have a 200 euro daily withdrawal limit in the USA which can be a pain sometimes so I am considering using one of these for the time I am over there rather than my usual BOI Visa debit.


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  • #162
    Yggr of Asgard
    Registered Users Posts: 5,142 ✭✭✭Yggr of Asgard


    Harcrid wrote: »
    Is there a daily ATM withdrawal limit with these cards? Bank of Ireland have a 200 euro daily withdrawal limit in the USA which can be a pain sometimes so I am considering using one of these for the time I am over there rather than my usual BOI Visa debit.

    $800
    * Some ATM operators or merchants may charge a(n) (additional) fee or set their own limits. Please confirm whether any fees or limits apply, before making a withdrawal or purchase.


    according to
    http://www.anpost.ie/AnPost/MainContent/Personal+Customers/Money+Matters/Foreign+Exchange/Choose+the+PostFX+MasterCard+Currency+Card.htm


  • #163
    Harcrid
    Registered Users Posts: 1,302 ✭✭✭Harcrid


    Great thanks!


  • #164
    J1Summer2015
    Registered Users Posts: 15 ✭J1Summer2015


    Hi, can the an post travel card only be topped up from a post office in Ireland or have i any way of doing it in the US? If not, can i top up my AIB account from here?
    Thanks


  • #165
    Heisenberg1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,511 ✭✭✭Heisenberg1


    J1Summer2015 wrote: »
    Hi, can the an post travel card only be topped up from a post office in Ireland or have i any way of doing it in the US? If not, can i top up my AIB account from here?
    Thanks

    No you can only top the card up at the counter at any of the An Post offices and don't forget ID. It can't be topped upped abroad or via a bank account.


  • #166
    TBi
    Registered Users Posts: 1,783 ✭✭✭TBi


    Heisenberg1 wrote: »
    No you can only top the card up at the counter at any of the An Post offices and don't forget ID. It can't be topped upped abroad or via a bank account.

    Bloody thing is useless. I spent more on the thing than i would have spent on fee's if i'd used my normal bank card / credit card.

    Very hard to empty it and any unused money is lost after a year or so.


  • #167
    squonkie
    Registered Users Posts: 31 ✭squonkie


    TBi wrote: »
    Bloody thing is useless. I spent more on the thing than i would have spent on fee's if i'd used my normal bank card / credit card.

    Very hard to empty it and any unused money is lost after a year or so.

    Thats very interesting. I found it invaluable when I go to Vegas. Zero charges for purchases compared to 1.75% for my AIB Visa Debit card. ATM fees are a different matter.

    I also got whatever cash was left on it at my local post office. Just went handed it over with my ID and job done.

    Not being able to top it up is a pain but with planning its a boon for me but it seems its not for everyone.


  • #168
    brian_gall85
    Registered Users Posts: 456 ✭✭brian_gall85


    The rates are poor compared to the standard Visa exchange rates that I would get from my Ulster Bank debit card. Coupled with the costs I don't find it value for money and only really useful versus cash from a safety stand point.


  • #169
    Shaque attack
    Registered Users Posts: 921 ✭✭✭Shaque attack


    brian_gall85 wrote: »
    The rates are poor compared to the standard Visa exchange rates that I would get from my Ulster Bank debit card. Coupled with the costs I don't find it value for money and only really useful versus cash from a safety stand point.
    Can you tell me why you think the rates are poor compared to Visa exchange rates? I am interested specifically in dollars. I looked at AIB so maybe their fees are different.

    Here's the cost I came up with for a $1,000 transaction using fx rates on their websites:

    Visa Debit - withdrawal from ATM in the states - cost 950.76 EUR (assuming 2.5% withdrawal fee and 1% fx commission)
    Visa Debit - purchase from a vendor in the states - cost 934.69 EUR (assuming 1.75% point of sale fee)
    An Post - withdrawal from ATM in the states - cost 926.78 EUR (std rate of $2.50 per withdrawal)
    An Post - purchase from a vendor in the states - cost 924.47 (0 commission)
    AIB FX over the counter - cost 914.62 EUR (1% commission to a max of 6.35)

    So in my view the best thing to do is get cash out at my local branch and then use one of their cards when I'm out there.

    Thoughts? Have I mis-calculated above?


  • #170
    brian_gall85
    Registered Users Posts: 456 ✭✭brian_gall85


    Your rates for AIB seem similar to those charged by Ulster Bank, (they have a 1% usage fee and a 1% ERTF fee - both maximum of €6). I've used the Visa website to calculate the cost, (setting the fee at 2% - not 100% sure that's even correct), but over $1,000 you save about €9.

    With such a small saving, coupled with the need to go and apply for the card as well as having to jump throw hoops to top it up make we disregard it.

    That being said if you want to use it instead of cash I can see some benefits.


  • #171
    Shaque attack
    Registered Users Posts: 921 ✭✭✭Shaque attack


    I think we are on the same wavelength. Don't think I put a max of €6 (they didnt mention a max anywhere) on the cash withdrawal but even with that the fees charged by the banks actually negate the better rate offered by visa.

    The Visa rate would need to be around 2% better than the an post rate which it's not so I actually think you're better off going with the an post card. But yeah the difference isn't massive but I'd rather have the tenner than not!

    It's handy for me that there's a post office beside my workplace but I agree that the hassle with top ups means I wont be using it as my only option when in the states.


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  • #172
    slave1
    Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 18,651 Mod ✭✭✭✭slave1


    We throw around a ton on one of these and use it as a backup in the states, plus there are some retailers that will not accept nonUS credit cards would you believe, Sams Club being the main one so this is something we use there rather than cash.

    Myenergi Eddi For Sale in Athlone, Westmeath from slave1 (adverts.ie)



  • #173
    ncur
    Registered Users Posts: 661 ✭✭✭ncur


    Shaque attack wrote: »
    I think we are on the same wavelength. Don't think I put a max of €6 (they didnt mention a max anywhere) on the cash withdrawal but even with that the fees charged by the banks actually negate the better rate offered by visa.

    The Visa rate would need to be around 2% better than the an post rate which it's not so I actually think you're better off going with the an post card. But yeah the difference isn't massive but I'd rather have the tenner than not!

    It's handy for me that there's a post office beside my workplace but I agree that the hassle with top ups means I wont be using it as my only option when in the states.

    A workaround if you like for the topping up issue is to get 2 cards and leave 1 here and get it topped up for you by family/friends.

    http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=91303369&postcount=113


  • #174
    Yggr of Asgard
    Registered Users Posts: 5,142 ✭✭✭Yggr of Asgard


    And now you can top up the cards online at https://postfx.anpost.ie/ with a visa debit card, maestro card or master debit card.

    No more need to go to the post office to top up, all done online from anywhere in the world, now that is a nice new feature.


  • #175
    Fred Swanson
    Closed Accounts Posts: 21,730 ✭✭✭✭Fred Swanson


    This post has been deleted.


  • #176
    TitianGerm
    Registered Users Posts: 27,776 ✭✭✭✭TitianGerm


    Are these cards any good for buying goods online ? I buy a few bits from Canada and was thinking of picking up An Post Canadian Dollar card to use.

    I just don't want to have my bank card on the site, so thought this might be a little safer.


  • #177
    Delta2113
    Registered Users Posts: 2,659 ✭✭✭Delta2113


    The Revolut prepaid MasterCard seems a far better option at least for the next 12 months - FREE being the operative word. Check out the Revolut thread.


  • #178
    Yggr of Asgard
    Registered Users Posts: 5,142 ✭✭✭Yggr of Asgard


    Delta2113 wrote: »
    The Revolut prepaid MasterCard seems a far better option at least for the next 12 months - FREE being the operative word. Check out the Revolut thread.

    However the revolut card can't do one thing that the AnPost does very well, it can't use a different address than the registered address for AVS.

    With the Anpost card you can define a temporary address (for example parcel motel in the north or your US mailing provider) and hence pass AVS. That is great because it involves no paperwork. You simply go online and add for example Parcel Motel as address.


  • #179
    Yggr of Asgard
    Registered Users Posts: 5,142 ✭✭✭Yggr of Asgard


    emmetkenny wrote: »
    Are these cards any good for buying goods online ? I buy a few bits from Canada and was thinking of picking up An Post Canadian Dollar card to use.

    I just don't want to have my bank card on the site, so thought this might be a little safer.

    Yes you can use them online, however if the merchant demands "Mastercard Secure Code" for transaction than you are out of luck, the card does not do that enhances security feature.


  • #180
    The Ayatolla
    Registered Users Posts: 4,079 ✭✭✭The Ayatolla


    For online top up, does it go on instantly?

    I imagine this will be handy when I'm in Vegas in December being able to top-up on the go or each day without having to guess who much I will spend over the course of a week.


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  • #181
    gotthebug
    Registered Users Posts: 442 ✭✭gotthebug


    Will this work as a credit card for booking into a hotel in America


This discussion has been closed.
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