As an expat, do you live here without any form of credit ?

[Peter Denis]

35 minutes ago, Kwasaki said:

Maybe but let's just say, I do look out of interest at rate's, any small gains or losses are minimal .

 

Every 4 weeks I get a regular income I  like it that way. 

 

Transferwise were offering a 41 something to £ and charging £6

I  got neally 42 baht to £ this week with no charges.

 

The rate that is given having UK pension paid directly to Thailand is always very good.

Here a screenshot of last weeks mid-exchange rate.

 

Highest rate last week was 41,1820 THB for 1 GBP

And you got almost 42 THB for 1 GBP?

 

[treetops]

4 minutes ago, KannikaP said:

So please enlighten me/us, thanks.

Sorry, I thought it was well reported and widely known about.  You can see the top cards in the link below, but essentially they're credit cards with no exchange rate loading and no cash withdrawal fee  The Barclaycard one will have no interest to pay on cash withdrawals providing you pay your bill in full each month, the others minimal interest if you pay it immediately (or none if you pre-load it, even though it's against the T&Cs).

 

You can withdraw up to your credit limit over a bank counter (some banks are better/easier than others).  Always insist it's a cash advance, not a currency purchase, and you'll get the Visa/Mastercard rate and no ATM fee.  There are reports that banks have been charging an ATM fee equivalent but for large withdrawals even that becomes insignificant.

 

https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/credit-cards/travel-credit-cards/#bestbuys

 

[Kwasaki]

2 hours ago, Peter Denis said:

Here a screenshot of last weeks mid-exchange rate.

 

Highest rate last week was 41,1820 THB for 1 GBP

And you got almost 42 THB for 1 GBP?

 

I will check again if on 28th Jan I can find Transferwise maybe 40.9 instead of 41.9.

The differences in amounts is so small its not like i get a million every 4 weeks.

 

I will definitely check Transferwise rate 25th Feb which is my pay day and see the difference for sure on the day and report back on this thread.

 

Whatever the outcome it would not be worth stopping payments into Thailand because it just comes and I don't need too do anything to get it.

 

 

[Nemises]

On 1/29/2021 at 5:43 PM, patman30 said:

room deposits can ALWAYS also be paid in cash.

 

Wow...you know the room deposit policy of every hotel in the world!

 

Amazing!!

[Blue Muton]

Happily, no, and that's the way we're keeping it.

[Kwasaki]

17 hours ago, Peter Denis said:

Here a screenshot of last weeks mid-exchange rate.

 

Highest rate last week was 41,1820 THB for 1 GBP

And you got almost 42 THB for 1 GBP?

OK as I said I'll be back, it has been of of interest and it's useful info for people who get their UK pension paid directly to Thailand. 

 

With help thankfully someone got me the Transferwise 28th Jan rate of exchange. 41.053 baht to £.

Calculating the amount of £'s I get with my UK pension with the amount of baht I got,  deducting the balance I had before payment, the rate given was 40.925 baht to £.

So if I take away what I get from Transferwise with the amount I get I would be worse off because of the charge that Transferwise charges.

 

The only thing is I'm not sure when the UK DWP (IPC) send the money to the Citibank UK for conversion to baht they say it takes 8 days to process from UK to Thailand.

Therefore on the 21st Jan the week and days before the rates may differ slightly in today's climate but it would take a lot of movement I think to cancell out the transfer fee. 

 

Transferwise are cheaper than when I first used them so for small amounts of £ to baht they are certainly are the better option for those transactions.

 

[seancbk]

On 1/29/2021 at 7:36 PM, Hamus Yaigh said:

On 1/29/2021 at 4:09 PM, seancbk said:

I've never had any issue booking online with virtual debit cards. 

Neither have I but when you get to the check in counter the hotel that is already paid for they will normally need a deposit guarantee of several hundred dollars perhaps and that can only easily be achieved with a credit card. Virtual or real debit cards won't work in that respect as already discussed on this thread.

 

If I had to stay in a hotel I would simply give them cash.   Although I haven't stayed in a hotel in years, like I said I only travel to visit family and friends and why would I pay for a hotel when I can stay with them?

 

[Sujo]

7 hours ago, Nemises said:

 

Wow...you know the room deposit policy of every hotel in the world!

 

Amazing!!

Never been to a hotel that didnt take cash deposit. Only been asked for it twice.

[Hamus Yaigh]

47 minutes ago, Nemises said:

“Even if a hotel allows a guest to pay his reservation in cash or with a debit card, it may still request a credit card number be on file in case of damage. Housekeeping does not always come into a hotel room until after guests have checked out. If the room is damaged, it is too late to collect payment from the guest. Having a credit card allows the hotel to charge the guest for any damage done to the room during his stay.”

This is exactly why I started another thread about Kbank credit cards for retirees. As a retired expat with addresses and family only in Thailand all of my foreign credit cards have been stopped over the years and I cannot renew them without addresses in those countries. . I need a credit card for the hotel scenario like above.

[balo]

Of course your life is easier with a credit card. 
I own a visa card with 400.000 baht limit.  

I use it for products and services , flight tickets etc. 
As long as you pay back within the deadline, life is much easier with a credit card. 
 

[Ron jeremy]

4 minutes ago, balo said:

Of course your life is easier with a credit card. 
I own a visa card with 400.000 baht limit.  

I use it for products and services , flight tickets etc. 
As long as you pay back within the deadline, life is much easier with a credit card. 
 

Great reply, I can’t for the life of me understand the people saying otherwise!

it’s very uncommon in North America not to have several CC.

im fairly certain those without one have poor credit or spending problems in the past, or a Thai wife that loves to swipe.

makes no sense not to have one or 2 !

[patman30]

14 hours ago, Nemises said:

Many hotels do not take cash for room security...it’s by credit card only.

Again, stop with these false comments
They may want a CC
their staff may be trained to ask for one
but when the guest simply does not have one
they will accept cash deposits

i have had this happen many a time HERE
you get the confused puzzled look from staff
you repeat, "i do not have a CC"
their reply is "cash ok"

maybe in US this may be different
we are NOT in the US
See the title of the thread

You do not NEED a credit card to stay in hotels in Thailand.

Edited February 1, 2021 by patman30

[patman30]

On 1/31/2021 at 9:06 AM, Nemises said:

 

Wow...you know the room deposit policy of every hotel in the world!

 

Amazing!!

WOW
you cannot read.......????‍♂️

the thread is about living HERE without credit
See the title of the thread
 

[patman30]

On 1/30/2021 at 1:00 PM, sanuk711 said:

You really should add to the bottom of that ....IN THAILAND ...if you traveled a bit you would realize that you can not always access your cash--- try booking something in Brunei Cambodia...or have a situation where you have the funds but getting them isn't easy.

 

Take a look at the "Go Fund" me pages, I think the Thai hospitals in Phuket especially would be in a lot better shape if Young Farang Tourist had a Credit card.

i dont need to add anything at the bottom

the thread is clearly named
"As an expat, do you live here without any form of credit ?"

FYI,
pre covid, i travel a boatload, all over, never needed any credit anywhere.

[Rimmer]

A post using giant fonts has been removed

[treetops]

1 hour ago, patman30 said:

pre covid, i travel a boatload, all over, never needed any credit anywhere.

 

Whether needed or not, when it could be to your advantage to use it while still remaining debt free, then why not?

Edited February 1, 2021 by treetops

[patman30]

1 minute ago, treetops said:

Whether needed or not, when it could be to your advantage to use it while still remaining debt free, then why not?

that is a contradicting statement
as soon as you use a CC, you are in debt, even if only temporary debt, it is still debt that needs to be paid.

why do i want something, i do not need, that i can get by fine without and have never had a need for ?

[Stocky]

This has become a rather pointless thread. Credit cards are useful, but some people prefer not to have them, there's little more to be said.

[treetops]

6 minutes ago, patman30 said:

that is a contradicting statement
as soon as you use a CC, you are in debt, even if only temporary debt, it is still debt that needs to be paid.

why do i want something, i do not need, that i can get by fine without and have never had a need for ?

 

Pedantic wordism, but to appease you there are now pre-paid credit cards which you can use.  These are not debit cards and have the legal and other benefits of traditional credit cards.

 

As before, even if you do not need something, when it can be to your benefit to use it, then why not.

Edited February 1, 2021 by treetops

[Nemises]

2 hours ago, patman30 said:

You do not NEED a credit card to stay in hotels in Thailand.

 

Expats living here also travel abroad, hence overseas hotel policies were provided. You originally posted that "EVERY hotel doesn't need a credit card (for room security)"... no mention of Thailand only.

 

Now you have added "hotels in Thailand", of which I no longer disagree.

 

 

All sorted now. Thanks. Appreciate it. ????

 

 

Edited February 1, 2021 by Nemises

[Nemises]

19 hours ago, Sujo said:

Never been to a hotel that didnt take cash deposit. Only been asked for it twice.

 

For benefit of those travelling overseas (whenever that’ll be!)...

 

 

Even if a hotel allows a guest to pay his reservation in cash or with a debit card, it may still request a credit card number be on file in case of damage. Housekeeping does not always come into a hotel room until after guests have checked out. If the room is damaged, it is too late to collect payment from the guest. Having a credit card allows the hotel to charge the guest for any damage done to the room during his stay.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[patman30]

27 minutes ago, Nemises said:

For benefit of those travelling overseas (whenever that’ll be!)...

Even if a hotel allows a guest to pay his reservation in cash or with a debit card, it may still request a credit card number be on file in case of damage. Housekeeping does not always come into a hotel room until after guests have checked out. If the room is damaged, it is too late to collect payment from the guest. Having a credit card allows the hotel to charge the guest for any damage done to the room during his stay.

i have never had an issue paying cash deposits in any hotel in any country i have visited
whether its an amehrican thing i dont know
but its a fallacy to use an extreme as an argument
it is extremely rare at best and certainly not widespread

but back to the original point
it was about "living HERE" without credit in any form
not about vacations, travelling abroad etc. or even about credit card pros or cons
or about pre paid credit card (which is then NOT credit)
but about living here day to day WITHOUT credit in any form

 

1 hour ago, Stocky said:

This has become a rather pointless thread. Credit cards are useful, but some people prefer not to have them, there's little more to be said.

i agree the point has gone into people justifying (mostly to themselves) why they use credit cards
which was never asked and pros/cons of CC was never debated in OP????‍♂️

 

[Sujo]

42 minutes ago, Nemises said:

 

For benefit of those travelling overseas (whenever that’ll be!)...

 

 

Even if a hotel allows a guest to pay his reservation in cash or with a debit card, it may still request a credit card number be on file in case of damage. Housekeeping does not always come into a hotel room until after guests have checked out. If the room is damaged, it is too late to collect payment from the guest. Having a credit card allows the hotel to charge the guest for any damage done to the room during his stay.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Which i have done by debit card or cash. I used to travel to other countries every 2 months for about 5 years. Never had an issue.

 

so far, i have have had zero reason to have a cc.

Edited February 1, 2021 by Sujo

[HampiK]

2 hours ago, patman30 said:

that is a contradicting statement
as soon as you use a CC, you are in debt, even if only temporary debt, it is still debt that needs to be paid.

why do i want something, i do not need, that i can get by fine without and have never had a need for ?

You can't look at that. Else everybody have a debt!!

If you go to a restaurant and pay at the end with your theory you already in debt, as you consume before pay!
When you order something with a bill, you are on debt as you not paid yet according to your logic. Mean you pay everything before you start using it? I know this is now pedantic, but you started this question (actually this already the second time in this thread you come up with same logic) !

I can agree with you that a lot of people have problems with credit cards as they not have the consumption under control. But a credit card not mean automatically you are in debt, as I tried to explain above. Even you say you always pay before, what is with your consumption of water or electric. as the bill is coming at the end of the month... mean you are already in debt!

[JimmyJ]

2 hours ago, treetops said:

 

Whether needed or not, when it could be to your advantage to use it while still remaining debt free, then why not?

 

Stop making sense!

[balo]

Try to rent a car without a CC.  They will ask for a big deposit. Your credit card are their security.   

 

[Hamus Yaigh]

On 2/1/2021 at 12:56 PM, patman30 said:

it was about "living HERE" without credit in any form

 

I live "HERE" as you say , got wife and kids. I don't have an address or home in another country now. Believe it or not I sometimes have to travel to another country to work and when I go I'll probably have to transit through some posh hotels. Without a credit card as  @Nemises has clearly repeatedly stated getting the room guarantee deposit would be very difficult.

[patman30]

On 2/1/2021 at 2:11 PM, HampiK said:

You can't look at that. Else everybody have a debt!!

If you go to a restaurant and pay at the end with your theory you already in debt, as you consume before pay!
When you order something with a bill, you are on debt as you not paid yet according to your logic. Mean you pay everything before you start using it? I know this is now pedantic, but you started this question (actually this already the second time in this thread you come up with same logic) !

I can agree with you that a lot of people have problems with credit cards as they not have the consumption under control. But a credit card not mean automatically you are in debt, as I tried to explain above. Even you say you always pay before, what is with your consumption of water or electric. as the bill is coming at the end of the month... mean you are already in debt!

some mental gymnastics there mate

when eating a meal, drinking etc,
you pay BEFORE you leave the establishment
that is not a third party giving you credit.????‍♂️
as for utilities, you are billed at the end of the month
thats a tab, not credit.
yes this now pedantic.
but you knew that, and would not have an argument without being pedantic

[patman30]

On 2/2/2021 at 1:52 PM, Hamus Yaigh said:

I live "HERE" as you say , got wife and kids. I don't have an address or home in another country now. Believe it or not I sometimes have to travel to another country to work and when I go I'll probably have to transit through some posh hotels. Without a credit card as  @Nemises has clearly repeatedly stated getting the room guarantee deposit would be very difficult.

again, why keep posting false info, this is a rare extreme argument,
and is something that does not happen to myself and numerous others,
the fact you injected "posh" into your argument means nothing, although i know what you are trying to imply
i have stayed at Grand hyatt and four seasons, WITHOUT a credit card
do these not qualify as "posh" ?

[patman30]

On 2/2/2021 at 4:54 AM, balo said:

Try to rent a car without a CC.  They will ask for a big deposit. Your credit card are their security.  

This i totally agree with
if renting from a big firm.
this is the only time i hit a brick wall
trying to rent a car in emergency from big rental firm
however
smaller firms here and rentals from individuals can be paid in cash here
deposits usually are reasonable
yes, i have rented cars here, a CC is NOT essential here.

if you live here,
how often do you rent a car from big firm ?

again this thread is not a pros and cons about CC...????‍♂️