US Bank

Hi, I understand that once we arrive somebody there will help us to set up a US bank for our wages to be paid into etc. But what I was wondering was how do I get my finances from my UK bank into my US one, is there a possbility to transfer money over? Im sorry im clueless about banking and have no idea whether u can do this!

 

Hi Feeona...
it all depends how much you want to transfer. But my US bank in New York told me it would be cheaper to just take out $250 cash a day at the atm and pay it in as that way you only get charged by your bank back home. If you do an international bank transfer you get charged by both the US and UK banks and it can take days. So i stuck to using the atm to withdraw the cash and then paid it straight in.
I was charged 1.50 pounds per 100 dollars to draw money out of the atms by tsb... all depends on your bank.
Not long till u leave now... u must be so excited!
See u in florida
xxx

 

After reading this post I did a little bit of research for myself and although it won`t exactly apply to the UK Banks you may want to check and see if any have locations in the US - For Canadians I discovered that RBC has a number of locations in Florida so I am going to look into either switching to that bank or at least opening an account with them as it would be nice to be able to have $$ transfered easily etc... We still have to open US accaounts but it would be nice to be able to actually go to a bank as there are some things you can`t do over the internet. Hope this is of some help -Derek-

 

ok so can we just take money out of our uk banks instead of opening a US bank account? seeing as Im only there for 3months i thought this might b easier n just to cash my checks rather than put it into a bank?

Any help?!!

Annika x

 

yes please help..i too am very confused about this process...
:-\

;D

 

Yeah - if you are just there for 3 months you could probably just get your cheques cashed and use your ATM card from you Bank at home. I am not sure though - I think Disney usually does direct deposit into your bank account but you may be able to ask not to have this and just get a cheque instead?? I know this is really no help - sorry... If you do have to open a us account you wouldn't necessarily need to transfer everything into that account you could just use it for your pays from Disney.

 

I'm only there for 3 months so I think I will only open a bank account for wage purposes and if I have to. I'm gonna try and live as much as possible off my wages but I spoke to my bank, HSBC, and they charge 1.5% of the amount of cash that is withdrawn (min of £1.75 and local charges may apply) where the Maestro/Cirrus signs are displayed. They also said that where ever you see the Maesro sign you can use your debit card free of charge, and the exchange rate shows up on your bank statement. HOWEVER!!!! they adjust the exchange rate by 2.75% to cover the handling charge and processing fees so it isn't really free!!!

The bank woman advised me to do like Marie said and draw out a large amount of money if I need to so I only have one fee to pay and not lots of £1.75's!!! Transfering money just takes too long and is too expensive.

Hope that helps!!!!and remember your INTEREST FREE OVERDRAFT!!!! Quite sure you student loan will put you back in the black after a summer of spending!!!! xxx

 

Well when I was there, in our first week the WDWIP people took us to the bank and we opened up an account. It was the bank owned by Disney. Our weekly pay went directly into that account.

I still had my Canadian bank account, so whenever I needed money (ie ran out of money!) I just withdrew from my Canadian account, using my Canadian debit card, from any bank machine, and then deposited it into my US account. It took two steps, instead of an 'instant' transfer, but oh well and so what!

I also kept my Canadian Visa credit card, and used that whenever I wanted to make credit card purchases. I didn't bother getting a US credit card....and I was there for a year.

 

I had an idea but not sure if this would work.....
could we take our money in travellers cheques (depends hoe much coz i want to tak as much as poss) and then put them into the us bank account that we open. ???
At least the travellers cheques are insured.

Well that was just as idea

Helen x

 

ah I honestly have no idea what I'm gonna do!

eek!

x

 

so if i have a uk bank account with natwest can i use my maestro card (its just a card that allows me to take money straight from my account) to draw money outof atms in the us?

 

My HSBC account is Maestro so yes you will be able to withdraw money from ATM's but better doing it in large quanties because they will charge you some sort of fee. You will have to ask them though what it is though.

As for the travellers cheques, good idea!!! depends what type of account we open as to whether I pay in mine that I am taking. If we are just going to get a cash card I don't see the point because you can spend them just about anywhere but if we get a debit card with it then I probably will.

Hope that helps xxx

 

On the back of your debit card (bank card) are symbols. Some say "Interac", or "Plus", or "Cirrus" or "Maestro", or many others.... As long as one of the symbols on your card, is on one of the symbols on the bank machine you want to use, you can withdraw money directly from your home account.

 

Hey peeps.
Didn't read all the thread but, take all ur UK money and put it into travellers cheques and then pay it in to the bank. In the first week, Vista set u up with a bank account, don't do it they are pooh, go to suntrust which is at downtown disney and open a chequing account and then set up a direct debit for ur paycheques to go in, a little extra work but well worth it, vista took nearyl a month to send me my card and pin number, which meant couldn't get to my money, thank god for travellers cheques! They are secure and u don't have to worrky about them until u get the bank sorted. there's a suntrust atm in the epcot cast breakroom so there's no hassle there- and no i'm not paid by suntrust, i'm just stuck with vista and can't be bothered to change!

Danielle xxx

 

Hey,

Has anyone got the web addy for both banks?

Bry

 

bry

http://www.vistafcu.com/ < the disney owned fed credit union located near downtown disney

and www.suntrust.com < the bigger bank with more branches over the states

as said before with any UK credit/debit if it displays the maestro or cirrus sign on your card u will b fine withdrawing money, the symbols are displayed on the ATMs, and yeah you get charged around £1.50 per £100 withdrawn. but if you use it to pay in a shop you get charged 2.75% conversion back to pounds, plus a possibility of getting US fee charges on what u buy.

i have an account with HSBC student free overdraft... so i can withdraw upto £1500 over without any charge in interest

but yeah on the 3rd or 4th day you get taken to open bank accounts, which is where your wages from disney will go into. then if you need to spend more than is in your account in the states you have your own country card as backup

anyone in the UK i would suggest getting a nationwide visa card

you don't get chanrged the 2.75% conversion rate on any purchases with the card. i've just got it which i'll be using to pay for my flight on arrival, and remember u get the business rate.... more cents to the pound!

Sara xxx

 

i doubt somehow i'll be able to, as ive left my job now! plus have another card with £1000 limit, so even id have to say they'd be a bit stupid to give it to me!

x

 

i have my nationwide visa now all sorted and wth my HSBC debit with my wages goin into at home still while im in florida, so ill b using that if needed

xxx

 

Thanks for that, is really helpfull!  Will be goin nationwide in about an hour! lol.

Bry

 

hehe i do try bry *and that even rhymes*

yeah u can go in and apply or apply online, i applied in store for mine, took bout 2/3 weeks 2 get to me. tells u all about the card on www.nationwide.co.uk

xxx