Euro conversion

[rodi]

Speaking of Penfed chip and pin... I just applied for and got a Penfed C&P visa. They emphasize that it is "Pin" and not just signature.

My schwab atm card (with a visa logo) was just updated to a new card with a pin. I have always had a pin with this account/card for the atm purposes - I'm not sure if this new debit visa card with a chip means it will work as a visa at a chip and pin machine. This will be my primary account I use for ATM in Europe this summer. I'll use my unchipped capitalone card for any place where chip and pin isn't needed - since it gives me rewards and has no foreign transaction fees.

Nords - Andalusia for 2 months in the early spring sounds awesome!

 

[Nords]

Nords - Andalusia for 2 months in the early spring sounds awesome!

It started out awful darn cold in January (by my Hawaii standards), but it's been a great trip!

Our daughter is stationed on a U.S. Navy destroyer in Rota. She was able to take a week of leave and we've squeezed in family trips to Granada, Cordoba, and Ronda. She started her second Mediterranean deployment in March so we've been housesitting and hanging pictures at her rental home. Of course we've also made lots of day trips around the Rota-El Puerto area as well as longer side trips to other Andalusia cities.

I managed to surf a break in Cadiz but the water temps were in the high 50s. Even with a full wetsuit it was brain-freeze cold.

In the next week or two we'll try for a military Space A flight back through Travis or Washington (Joint Base Lewis-McChord). We'll return to Andalusia in September (after FinCon15) for another couple of months.

Here are two posts (with photos):
http://the-military-guide.com/2015/03/05/lifestyles-retirement-90-days-spain/

http://the-military-guide.com/2015/03/26/fast-personal-growth-through-slow-travel/

And if Facebook has formatted the link correctly, this should give everyone access to the public photo album even if we're not on a friends list:
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.850014688394215.1073741839.100001570757832&type=1&l=698ecf9f27

 

[Nords]

I don't have a PenFed credit card or ATM card. I tried to transfer funds over their website from my Spanish IP address, and customer-service hilarity ensued. But I'll write that up as a new thread.

Here's the post:
http://www.early-retirement.org/for...-poor-customer-service-76723.html#post1578534

 

[Van-Guard23]

Plan to travel to Paris / Rome in a few weeks. No prior Europe travel. Is it wise to convert some cash to Euro State side or should we convert in Paris (first stop). Is it better to pay for items in Euros or use our Amex card / Mastercard ?

As others mentioned, use the ATM at the airport (avoid at all costs those currency conversion kiosks). I travel to Europe more than I would want to the past couple of years and have used the Schwab High Yield Investor Checking account for their unlimited rebates for ATM fees. As someone already mentioned, this account is tied to a Schwab Brokerage Account but you don't have to fund that one. For a credit card, I use my Capital One VISA which doesn't charge foreign transaction fees. I don't have a chip and PIN for that credit card but I use it all the time in Europe and have had no issues with it (just make sure you know your PIN).

Regarding Rome, just be aware that the Trevi Fountain is currently undergoing some restoration and therefore has no water flowing. Make sure you get advanced tickets for the Vatican Museums (same goes for the Louvre) if you plan to see that...you'll avoid looong lines that way. If you are also interested in doing the Scavi tour underneath St. Peter's Basilica (to see St. Peter's tomb), then you would want to get the tickets about a month out. The Scavi tour ends in the Vatican Grottoes (i.e. papal tombs) and you avoid the long lines getting into St. Peter's Basilica that way.

One more thing, if you happen to be in Paris or Rome on the 1st of May, know that day is their Labor Day and most (if not all) museums are closed...so you would have to adjust your itinerary accordingly.

Have fun BUT DO WATCH OUT FOR PICKPOCKETS!