Kibkom North Cyprus Forum

In light of the fact that Garanti ATMs are now charging 2.5% to withdraw sterling what is the best cash card? There are several to choose but what are people using here and can you withdraw sterling without charges?

IMO this could have a knock on effect to the exchange bureaus as less people will us them to change cash?

CAXTON
REVOLUT
TRANSFERWISE
WESWAP

I use Revolut,don’t know the about the others,I’m happy with it, exchange rates are the same as you get in a bureau so no need for cash,if I do need tl I can withdraw it at no charge. Just link an account to it top up as needed. Perfect

Two others worth considering are Monzo and Starling.
Both are banks unlike Revolut so offer full financial protection.

Monzo has a £200 monthly free limit (thereafter 3% charge) on cash from ATM but does offer the best exchange rate on purchases by some way accordening to my own experience and surveys. For example it is better then the money exchange opposite Lemar which offers a very competitive rate.

Starling has a competitive exchange rate on purchases and offers free unlimited ATM cash withdrawels.

Monzo runs on tablet and dumb phone
Starling dumb phone only

Two others worth considering are Monzo and Starling.
Both are banks unlike Revolut so offer full financial protection.

Monzo has a £200 monthly free limit (thereafter 3% charge) on cash from ATM but does offer the best exchange rate on purchases by some way accordening to my own experience and surveys. For example it is better then the money exchange opposite Lemar which offers a very competitive rate.

Starling has a competitive exchange rate on purchases and offers free unlimited ATM cash withdrawels.

Monzo runs on tablet and dumb phone
Starling dumb phone only

Info on Monzo and Starling:
https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/credi ... rds/#debit

ITFC Mike. Please explain what you mean by saying that Starl8ng only works on a dumb phone. Surely it is app based?

Just in case anyone is misled by the phrase 'free monthly limit' - that doesn't stop ATMs imposing their own charges!

It just means that your card provider - monzo, revolut etc. - won't charge you!

Of course, you can simply withdraw TL from ATMs using revolut and still benefit from the superior exchange rate, it saves having to lug sterling around to one of the exchange shops...

judyvin wrote:ITFC Mike. Please explain what you mean by saying that Starl8ng only works on a dumb phone. Surely it is app based?

Cannot download the Starling App to my Android Tablet,checked with Starling they are not to bothered as app is really designed for dumbphone,you could try to download to your tablet as it seems some versions of Android will allow a download to tablet.

Shame because out of all of them Starling would be my first choice,but Monzo are pretty good and I can download their app to Android tablet


Just to be completely clear, not all apps will download to all devices

Correct me if I’m wrong but don’t these cards require either a UK or Republic of Cyprus address in order to have the card delivered? I can’t be the only one that has neither.

Cannot download the Starling App to my Android Tablet,checked with Starling they are not to bothered as app is really designed for dumbphone,you could try to download to your tablet as it seems some versions of Android will allow a download to tablet.
Shame because out of all of them Starling would be my first choice,but Monzo are pretty good and I can download their app to Android tablet
Just to be completely clear, not all apps will download to all devices

It works on our two different Android smartphones (Motorola and Wileyfox), so maybe something specific about Tablets?
It also works well on the iPad, and uses QR codes to switch between devices - not dumb!
Edit: Just realised, you are using the term 'dumb phone' when referring to smartphones, rather than suggesting this only works on non-smart (e.g. flip) phones...

artistabroad wrote:Correct me if I’m wrong but don’t these cards require either a UK or Republic of Cyprus address in order to have the card delivered? I can’t be the only one that has neither.

Revolut were happy to deliver my card to an address other than the one I registered my revolut account with. My address according to revolut is my north Cyprus address with the country as Cyprus. My card was , on request, delivered to a RoC PO box address.

Thanks for that Erol. I wonder if they’d accept my address as Cyprus but deliver to a friend in the U.K. Only one way to find out I suppose...

artistabroad wrote:Thanks for that Erol. I wonder if they’d accept my address as Cyprus but deliver to a friend in the U.K. Only one way to find out I suppose...

Based on my experience they should do, unless the process has changed since then (about a year ago). My revolut account shows my address as being (street name) , lapta, (made up post code), trnc, Cyprus. They were happy to send my card to RoC PO box entirely different from my home address and I am sure they would have been ok to send it to a UK address as well if that is what I wanted.

As per my discussion with 'IPMAN' on another thread, it appears that Revolut are quite flexible regarding contact details/locations - do let us know about your own experiences!

Keith,

I turn to you as a long term user of this card. A single question for you. As my wife and I have a joint account in the UK is it possible to have one of these cash cards each - shudder - or is it just restricted - hopefully - to one person?

To be honest, my wife is far better at dealing with the money (so she tells me) than I am anyway - lol.

Yesterday I applied on line for the Starling Bank Card. Downloaded the app to iPad and applied. Seemed straightforward to me and no problems with the app or application. During the application process you input your mobile number and they will send text message with access number which allows you to continue with the application. In addition as a security measure you record a video message of yourself stating you are a Starling customer, plus also you need to provide a picture of driving licence or passport. All done via the app and very easy. Given an account number and sort code immediately. No need to deposit funds into account to open.

We are in TRNC at present but bank card will be delivered to U.K. address and be available for use when we return again in 2019. We will transfer funds from our other U.K. bank (Which does charge for overseas transactions) into the Starling account and use the Starling card to withdraw sterling if available or TL if not.

No charges from Starling Bank to withdraw cash from ATMs overseas.

waddo wrote:Keith,

I turn to you as a long term user of this card. A single question for you. As my wife and I have a joint account in the UK is it possible to have one of these cash cards each - shudder - or is it just restricted - hopefully - to one person?

To be honest, my wife is far better at dealing with the money (so she tells me) than I am anyway - lol.

You set up a personal account which is topped up from other accounts (in this case, your joint one), so if only your wife sets one up, then only she gets a card - no need for two.

If you also want to use Starling as a joint account then you can, but you both need a personal account - details:
https://www.starlingbank.com/current-ac ... k-account/

Once you have set up a single Revolut account you can apply for a second card which is linked to the one account but has a different pin. This second card can be used by someone else if you wish. There is no need to set up two separate accounts, unless of course that’s what you want to do.

Mr Chinnery,

Many thanks, that would be perfect for us both.

The only advantage in having 2 separate accounts would be that you would each be able to withdraw the £200 per month from an ATM without being charged by Revolut.

The idea is really to use the Revolut card for every transaction that you can, rather than having to take Sterling around to an exchange shop - it's much easier that way...

The other advantage is that you don't have to be with the "Shopper" and trail around for hours when you could be out fishing!! I suppose you could just hand your card to the trusted "Shopper" and go fishing whilst she uses it BUT what happens if you wanted to stop for a beer and a bite to eat on the way home - No Card - disaster!!!

I meant 'as opposed to having one account and two cards'!

Heard today that there is also a 10% charge levied on all transactions on foreign cards, debit or credit! Has anyone with one of the magic cards Revolut or others had this added to their transactions as yet?

Looks like it is going to be a very expensive future for a lot of us in the near future. To take Sterling from the ATM and pay their charges appears to be going to cost me around £80.00 a month and that is non sustainable for us.

I wonder what effect this will have on tourism as well as a lot come here on their credit cards and pay for everything on them whilst here - Interesting times ahead!!!

Used my Revolut card Thurs at ileli supermarket - no surcharge showing on the till receipt or card slip...

Who told you about it?

Waddo, I can see that if you used your new magic card at an ATM here the local bank could charge, but if you use it at a supermarket how can they? You’re transferring money from your UK account to your UK magic account then using it to buy whatever, the only difference being that your new card doesn’t make the charges that your traditional UK bank would if you use their card. Somebody correct me if I’m wrong, just trying to get my head around it all.

Mr Chinnery wrote:Once you have set up a single Revolut account you can apply for a second card which is linked to the one account but has a different pin. This second card can be used by someone else if you wish. There is no need to set up two separate accounts, unless of course that’s what you want to do.

The second card would be in the name of the account holder though? You couldn't get another card in a different name could you?

Enjoying the sun,
You could have another card with another name on it, but that person would have to apply for a separate account.
The advantage of having an additional card on one account is that if you lose one you have another. Also you wife husband can use that card instead of sharing the one and only card.
Just keeps things simple especially while abroad.

Mr Chinnery wrote:Enjoying the sun,
You could have another card with another name on it, but that person would have to apply for a separate account.
The advantage of having an additional card on one account is that if you lose one you have another. Also you wife husband can use that card instead of sharing the one and only card.
Just keeps things simple especially while abroad.

Be difficult to use in the shops though surely or are the that unobservant?

Keith,

Friend of mine went yesterday to renew house insurance, offered the UK bank credit card and was told that they (The Insurance Company) have been told that all transactions on a forigen card have now got to be charged an additional 10%! Asked if they could pay in cash instead and were advised to do so as they had also been advised that any transaction, anywhere, using a forigen bank card would soon incur this 10% charge. Today I asked a local retailer if they were doing this and was told they had heard about it but they would check with their bank on Monday and ask! I will go back and see what they found out then!

Be very bad for tourism if true but I could understand it when Erdogan has told everyone to only use TL and get rid of all forigen currency to bolster the TL. Currently waiting for a response from Turk Bank over possibility of opening UK based account with them and see how much it would cost to transfer funds between UK Turk Bank account and KKTC Turk Bank account in TL.

Enjoying the sun,
Have been using Revolut for over twelve months using two cards without problems. If some one was using my cards without my permission I would be informed via the app instantly and could freeze it.

ETS,
I don't think that the people who handle these sort of transactions day-in-day-out necessarily exercise due diligence on each and every occasion...

I know of two cases where friends have gone through passport control (in and out) at the Green Line on their (opposite sex) partner's passport!