Need Cash Money!

November 6, 2013 7:02 PM

I lost my debit card (misplaced?) and I am leaving the country on Saturday morning. I am traveing to a third world country and I was planning on using ATMs to access my money. Is there such thing as a pre-paid card that I can use in an ATM? It's too late to have a card mailed to me, so I want to pick something up at the grocery store. I am weary about cards that say debit that can't be used in ATMs.

I have a one time withdrawl of $500 on my American Express card, but that probably won't work too well as I am going to Seoul for 3 days and then once I am in the next country I won't have another transaction availabe.

I know I can get traveler's checks, but that seems like a bummer to plan my days around visits to the bank.

I seem to be lost in google. Most of the cards I find are available only by mail.

Thanks.

posted by Duffington to Work & Money (15 answers total)

Best answer: Is there a branch of the issuing bank nearby? If so I am sure they can give you a new temporary debit card.
posted by radioamy at 7:09 PM on November 6, 2013

Best answer: Or you could get something like a Visa TravelMoney Card, but I don't know if you could get it in time.
posted by xingcat at 7:11 PM on November 6, 2013

Even if you deal with a internet only bank you could open an account with pretty well any local bank, get them to issue you an immediate temporary card, and then make a bank transfer to load money to that account. If you are wanting access to several thousand dollars this will be way cheaper than any pre-paid card.
posted by Mitheral at 7:15 PM on November 6, 2013

Wait! You can pick those up in person, if there's a location near you.
posted by xingcat at 7:15 PM on November 6, 2013

Have you actually called your bank? Some will overnight you a replacement card.
posted by Metasyntactic at 7:21 PM on November 6, 2013

My bank gave me an immediate temporary card with a new number when my old debit number was compromised. I'd check in person at your bank.
posted by TheAdamist at 7:21 PM on November 6, 2013 [1 favorite]

Try Xoom.com. You basically send yourself money. Worked great for me in Argentina.
posted by whoaali at 7:41 PM on November 6, 2013

Call your bank. My card was compromised while traveling (I'm from the US and was traveling in the US) and they sent me one overnight to my hotel.
posted by showmetheway at 7:56 PM on November 6, 2013

While you can certainly get a new card to yourself quickly, I'd recommend first making sure that you can actually use your card at ATMs/merchants in the countries you're traveling to. Non-US merchants are beginning to shift more and more toward not accepting our standard US "magnetic stripe" cards, preferring the chip/PIN cards for security. Disregard if you already have a chip card.

Some card issuers also have what are called "emergency replacement" cards, where they can get you a card overnight or immediately at a branch. Call and ask!

Would also strongly recommend checking the Department of State website for any usage warnings. Burma/Myanmar, for example, is still evolving its banking system, and there can be ATM errors and the like.

Good luck!
posted by Verdandi at 8:19 PM on November 6, 2013

Response by poster: Thanks, everyone! I am much calmer. I am headed to my credit union first thing tomorrow to see what they can do for me. Failing that, there is a Paypower prepaid visa at my local supermarket that seems like it works. I think I'll get a bunch of cash and maybe some travelers checks too to cover my bases. I may be able to sleep tonight. Will check in to Xoom.com.
posted by Duffington at 8:24 PM on November 6, 2013

Good luck. My current primary CU printed my debit card while I was at the bank opening an account. My old one seemed to have more of a SOL policy when I lost a card. Which I did a few days before moving cross country.
posted by wotsac at 8:48 PM on November 6, 2013

Last year when my ATM card demagnetized itself, TD Bank made me a new (permanent) card on the spot. The card doesn't work in the ATMs in, eg, Thailand or Malaysia (no chip) but if you go inside the bank and use it like you are getting a cc advance, it will be accepted.

TD also doesn't issue travelers checks anymore unless you special order them in advance but maybe that was just in my small city.
posted by TWinbrook8 at 4:10 AM on November 7, 2013

Just a warning.....once you have the new debit card, you also need a PIN number. This is something that some banks (mine, for example) will not tell you but must mail to you. Now, you can use a debit card at an actual teller window of a bank without the PIN number, so this may not be an issue.
posted by BearClaw6 at 6:09 AM on November 7, 2013 [1 favorite]

I speak for experience in Korea. Don't get travelers checks and expect to exchange them at a bank without an account. Even with an account it was a huge PITA and took visiting several branches in Daejeon to get my money. Maybe Seoul will be easier, but I wouldn't count on it. This was in the last year, and in contrast to my experiences a couple of year ago.
posted by kathrynm at 11:10 AM on November 7, 2013

Response by poster: My credit union wouldn't issue an immediate card, but luckily I have a credit card with them and could get an istant pin. I'll probably still have cash advance fees, but they are going to be lower than any other option. Thanks all!
posted by Duffington at 11:28 PM on November 8, 2013