subject: Find Out Whether A Debit Card Can Be Used In This Area Before You Transfer Money To Germany [print this page] You can expect to pay a fee of $5 per transfer each time you add funds, which is somewhat lower than many other options. However, before you use a prepaid debit card to send money anywhere, you should make sure it is usable in the nation in which your relative resides.
In Germany, ATMs are referred to as "Bankomat", and are quite widespread. Most residents here use the Eurocard, which is a debit card that works worldwide at any MasterCard ATMs, so you may find more ATMs geared toward that class of card than most. Visa ATMs do exist in this country, as well. You can find ATMs in most major cities, especially at train stations and airports in areas likes Berlin, Munich, Cologne, Hamburg, Stuttgart, and Frankfurt. Some smaller cities, like Hemer, Stendal, and Schwedt might not have airports or train stations, but they often still have at least one ATM. Cash machines are also often connected to financial institutions like Citibank and Deutsche Bank, so they should quite easy to find.
Debit cards are indeed used in Germany to purchase goods, but not as often as they are in the United States. This means that not every retailer can be expected to accept cards, so you should advise your relative to check before planning to purchase items after you transfer money to Germany on a card. Just like in the United States, most German stores post stickers on the windows indicating what type of card they accept, if any. However, getting gasoline, called petrol in Germany, should be easy with a card since most stations accept nearly any kind of debit card. Interestingly, credit cards are not as widely used in Germany as debit cards and cash, so let your relative know that they may not be able to use a credit card for purchases nearly as easily as they use a debit card.
As in any country, some cash should still be carried in Germany in case retailers do not accept cards, or simply have a broken card machine. Your relative will get euros when they withdraw cash from ATMs, and should always carry some with them just in case. Now that you know that a debit card can in fact be used in this country, you should be able to transfer money to Germany to relatives with ease.
by: Peter Frampton
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