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General discussionTravel to Germany(60 posts)(60 posts)
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This is my favourite topic
Posted February 19, 2017
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tinyE: I know a little German.
AndI know not only one, but a good amount of large germans!
Posted February 20, 2017
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Irenaeus.: Hi fellow GOG-ers,

A non-gaming question for you all - I am based in the UK, and am being sent to Germany for a few months with work. Do any Germans (or frequent travellers to Germany) have tips on how to use debit cards there? My UK Visa Debit Card seems to be not accepted except at big malls etc - would a pre-paid Maestro card be a good idea? I can't seem to find any in the UK, they're all Mastercard instead.

Thanks in advance for ideas :)
Do you have time to get a Nationwide account with a debit card before you leave, perhaps? When I lived in the UK, I used my Nationwide debit card all the time while abroad (inc. Germany) with no issues whatsoever. Only thing is that there is a tiny charge for paying in a foreign currency - although most of the payment terminals will ask you if you want to pay in EUR or in GBP, so if you select GBP, you're good plus you get a fairly decent Visa exchange rate.
Post edited February 20, 2017 by fables22
Posted February 21, 2017
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Ricky_Bobby: Ah man, I really want to visit Germany.

There are so many motorsport events in Germany I want to see for myself: DTM, ADAC, MotoGP, F1, WRC, Formula E, Blancpain, and so on ... soo many things I want to see, but soo little money in my bank.
You forgot to count one event: AUTOBAHN.
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morolf: Yeah exactly...there are even real bastards who'd like to abolish cash altogether so they can pull off shit like negative interest rates and force people away from saving into consumption...perverse imo.
So people, please use cash, because cash is a symbol of freedom.
YEAH!! MAKE CASH GREAT AGAIN! ^^
Post edited February 21, 2017 by gamefood
Posted February 21, 2017
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Themken: Here cash machines are following the phone booths to dodo land, disappearing fast.
Ugghh, a circumstance which is pretty worth to be refused...
Posted February 21, 2017
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tinyE: I know a little German.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L0lJyDCLYTE
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tinyE:
Untranslatable into German... Funny movie! Also are "The Naked Gun" and "Airplane!" and "Space Balls" and so on. Great Nonsense! :D
Posted February 21, 2017
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fables22: Do you have time to get a Nationwide account with a debit card before you leave, perhaps? When I lived in the UK, I used my Nationwide debit card all the time while abroad (inc. Germany) with no issues whatsoever. Only thing is that there is a tiny charge for paying in a foreign currency - although most of the payment terminals will ask you if you want to pay in EUR or in GBP, so if you select GBP, you're good plus you get a fairly decent Visa exchange rate.
Thanks, that's a good idea - I have a mortgage with Nationwide, so there's no problem setting up a bank account with them.

Someone else at work suggested I open a German bank account with my "normal" bank (HSBC), since they do business in Germany. I should drop by and ask them if this is possible - that way I can just transfer money between accounts via internet banking.
Posted February 22, 2017
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fables22: Do you have time to get a Nationwide account with a debit card before you leave, perhaps? When I lived in the UK, I used my Nationwide debit card all the time while abroad (inc. Germany) with no issues whatsoever. Only thing is that there is a tiny charge for paying in a foreign currency - although most of the payment terminals will ask you if you want to pay in EUR or in GBP, so if you select GBP, you're good plus you get a fairly decent Visa exchange rate.
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Irenaeus.: Thanks, that's a good idea - I have a mortgage with Nationwide, so there's no problem setting up a bank account with them.

Someone else at work suggested I open a German bank account with my "normal" bank (HSBC), since they do business in Germany. I should drop by and ask them if this is possible - that way I can just transfer money between accounts via internet banking.
No problem! I generally found Nationwide super good with things like this, so they might be able to give you a suitable option. Although opening a German bank account would perhaps be the best as you would avoid all the charges and Visa exchanges. Good luck!
Posted February 22, 2017
Just going to echo what the others said here - in Germany, cash really is the one and only payment option which is guaranteed to be accepted everywhere, though you might still want to stick to smaller bank notes for average purchases. A restaurant or supermarket probably won't be able to break down a 500€ bill for you, and anything bigger than 50€ bills can be a bit iffy for small purchases as well. But with a German credit card you should still be fine in most places (if you choose to get one, that is).
Posted February 22, 2017
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Moon-and-Star: Just going to echo what the others said here - in Germany, cash really is the one and only payment option which is guaranteed to be accepted everywhere, though you might still want to stick to smaller bank notes for average purchases. A restaurant or supermarket probably won't be able to break down a 500€ bill for you, and anything bigger than 50€ bills can be a bit iffy for small purchases as well. But with a German credit card you should still be fine in most places (if you choose to get one, that is).
Don't remind me that I hate large euro bills. I was in France for a business trip and my boss gave me a 500 euro note. Nobody wanted to even touch it. Finally I found some currency exchange where someone finally helped me out.
Posted February 22, 2017
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Moon-and-Star: Just going to echo what the others said here - in Germany, cash really is the one and only payment option which is guaranteed to be accepted everywhere, though you might still want to stick to smaller bank notes for average purchases. A restaurant or supermarket probably won't be able to break down a 500€ bill for you, and anything bigger than 50€ bills can be a bit iffy for small purchases as well. But with a German credit card you should still be fine in most places (if you choose to get one, that is).
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blotunga: Don't remind me that I hate large euro bills. I was in France for a business trip and my boss gave me a 500 euro note. Nobody wanted to even touch it. Finally I found some currency exchange where someone finally helped me out.
Well, to be fair, notes this large are regarded with a bit of suspicion in the average shop (unless you're buying something that calls for so much money of course) because people think they might be counterfeit. Banks should be able to break them down into smaller notes for you, though, just ask nicely (and let them confirm it's not counterfeit ;)).
In my experience, the largest bank note you would reasonably use in day-to-day life is the 100€ bill, and even that only when it's called for, e.g. buying groceries for more than 70€ or other expensive purchases. 50€ are the most easily accepted of the "bigger" notes.
Post edited February 22, 2017 by Moon-and-Star
Posted February 22, 2017
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Moon-and-Star: Well, to be fair, notes this large are regarded with a bit of suspicion in the average shop (unless you're buying something that calls for so much money of course) because people think they might be counterfeit. Banks should be able to break them down into smaller notes for you, though, just ask nicely (and let them confirm it's not counterfeit ;)).
In my experience, the largest bank note you would reasonably use in day-to-day life is the 100€ bill, and even that only when it's called for, e.g. buying groceries for more than 70€ or other expensive purchases. 50€ are the most easily accepted of the "bigger" notes.
Banks turned me away that they cannot accept/identify suck a large note :(
Honestly though I wish everyone would accept credit cards.
Post edited February 22, 2017 by blotunga
Posted February 22, 2017
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blotunga: Banks turned me away that they cannot accept/identify suck a large note :(
Honestly though I wish everyone would accept credit cards.
Really? Huh, that's weird. I haven't had problems with that, but then again I only ever had to exchange notes twice or so, and I did it with a bank at which I had an account. Maybe they are getting more picky about this sort of thing. In that case a currency exchange is probably your best bet.
Posted February 22, 2017
I heard that the ECB are scrapping the 500 Euro note, since the only people who use it regularly are drug-dealers and money-launders (at least, that's what the news article said :) )

I'll just get 100 Euros at a time from the ATM machine. Although someone at work suggested Revolut, which is a pre-paid Mastercard debit card that charges you the inter-bank transfer rate when you buy something in a different currency. Anyone used this?
Posted February 23, 2017
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blotunga: I was in France for a business trip and my boss gave me a 500 euro note. Nobody wanted to even touch it.
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Irenaeus.: I heard that the ECB are scrapping the 500 Euro note, since the only people who use it regularly are drug-dealers and money-launders (at least, that's what the news article said :) )
*cough* *cough*
Posted February 23, 2017
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Irenaeus.: I heard that the ECB are scrapping the 500 Euro note, since the only people who use it regularly are drug-dealers and money-launders (at least, that's what the news article said :) )
Well, you know, blow ain`t cheap in Germany! :-D
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This is my favourite topic
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General discussionTravel to Germany(60 posts)(60 posts)
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