workshedule?

hmmm double backing weekends could be a good idea if there is a gators and a bucs game on the same weekend...all gators ones are on saturdays for 2009, making things sliiightly easier!

 

I'm with Barclays Bank and they say they have a relationship with Bank of America which will allow me to use my UK Debit card in the US with no charges at the cash machine.

All too confusing

 

aren't you the lucky one I want a bank like that too.. !!!

 

you don't necessarily have to set up an account, you can just cash your cheques at walmart, partners etc.

 

I always thought barclays charged! FFS! thats why i'm setting up nationwiiiide! i'm already with bloody barclays.

 

It's so much easier setting it up to go into your savings account though..I'll definitely be doing that again! My fee for Partners was $3 a month (and I left $60 in there when I left, and it's still going 2 years on!) It's not much, but it is annoying when there are no cash machines. However, I also set up a checking account where you get a debit card, and to be honest, I never carried that much cash around. If I knew I was going to need it, I drew it out before leaving Vista!

The people at Partners (sorry I still type in Vista FCU even though it changed it's name ages ago!) are really nice and are very helpful with explaining how it all works.

 

while im over there i plan to open a Partners account but im aqlso gonna have a nationwide flex account (i think). i dunno exaclt how it works but the nationwide flex account gives you a card which works at the exact exchange rate with no extra charge to use over there. its just like chip and pin over here. my maw and paw now only take a few $ worht of travellers cheques in case of emergency and the rest is all done by this card. my bro got one for going out last year and said it was great...also means if there is a major $ problem my rents can put some money in until i can give them it back

 

i'm thinking i'll just keep allll my money in my wallet to save the hassle
you know when we get into tipped positions, is that paid like cash in hand or does it get given to us with our wages?

 

I think I'll get a partners account and then a Nationwide account too. Probably pay my wage into the partners account. Is there many cashpoints you can use? The nationwide is simple pimple, it'll give you money at the exchange rate at the time, comission free. But I'm wondering how easy it'd be to transfer money from my partners account to my nationwide, and vice versa.
Most cashpoints abroad charge you a little to withdraw cash, no escaping that one. Nationwide is the only bank that won't charge you comission in using your card abroad. Bless them!
I'm going to take a stash of travellers cheques, they're so easy to cash out there.
I should be watching the exchange rate more often than I am

 

I think its only free at Bank Of America ATM's over there, Nationwide is free for all ATM's (some may charge a fee e.g. those in a club or restaurant instead of a bank). Just had a quick look on their ATM checker and there's one that seems reasonable to get to at the end of Hotel Plaza Boulevard nr Crossroads, you may find this location a bit inconvenient for repeat visits. Have a look at their ATM checker zip code to get you near WDW is 32821

See http://www.vistafcu.org/access/default.asp?content=atm for Partners ATM locations - tend to be backstage and at housing.

One other thing to note if you use your debit card it will go through as 'credit' and not debit, this is normal, but may give you a bit of a shock if you see it for the first time, similarly a US debit card may go through as a credit, and small value transactions may not require a signature (they don't use chip and pin yet).

 

On the issue of transferring funds between Partners and Nationwide (or between any other US and UK account) its a bit awkward as its an international transfer and will incur fees. SWIFT I think is the most common way of doing it - you can research other methods such as using paypal, but personally I'd avoid it if possible. Use your UK account to start with, once you're getting your paychecks use them, topping up with UK funds if you really need to. At the end of your program the easiest thing to do if you want to close or empty the account is to take the money out in US$ cash. I suppose if you wanted you could use the US debit card in the UK (probably with a fee) and take the money out of a British ATM in multiples of £10, or spend on it in a shop.

 

I was just down talking to my bank, they say I have a debit card which I can transfer AND FREE ATM withdrawal I'm so happy.

I'll probably set up an account in the US for my paychecks! That's it