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OT - Options for accessing money overseas 3-Feb-2011 At 1:22:01 PM Mike Bee

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I'm undergoing exactly the same thought process currently. I'm heading off to Canada in a week or two for a few months of climbing throughout Canada and the states.

From what I can see, either the ANZ or CBA travel money card seem the best. Travelex and American Express both do something simliar, but I reckon the CBA seems the overall winner.
According to the CBA website, if you purchase one of their travel money cards now you'll not pay their $15 setup fee.

The main differences between the ANZ and CBA cards:
- CBA is either 20 or 30cents more per ATM withdrawal
- CBA has no monthly fee if the card isn't used, the ANZ is about $3
- ANZ's exchange rate is ever so slightly bettter than CBA. I just did a test on their websites with how much you'd get for $1000AUD being converted to USD. I got 974 with CBA and 976 with ANZ
- CBA only charge a 1% comission for recharges, ANZ is 1.1%. This would offset the previously mentioned ER difference
- ANZ card is $11, the CBA normally $15, but as I said, apparently can be had for free currently
- CBA specify that you'll get two seperate cards, meaning if one is lost or stolen, you can still use the other one. ANZ doesn't seem to have that same specification (they may do, but I haven't read about it).

In summary, they're almost the identical thing from different banks. There is very little difference between them, but I reckon the few little differences, particlularly having two cards, tilts it in favour of the CBA option.

When will you be in North America?