Moving To Thailand - Money

[Mister Fixit]

Thanks for all the answers.

For the moment, I've opened a dead simple off-shore account with Barclays which does Internet and phone banking and has a Visa debit card. Costs 50 quid a year to run - fair enough. I'll transfer some cash into it which should get me going to start with. Then when I get to Thailand I'll open a Thai account for everyday things. I'll take another look at the suggestions made previously and probably stick a pin in them to choose a bank!

I'll retain my UK account with my current lot which will carry on receiving payments into it from various places and which can carry on with my various UK DD's and S/Os for a few things.

I'll probably lose track of it all eventually, but for the moment, it looks like I'm sorted!

Ta, people.

[gk10012001]

Having been through some financial problems myself, I do suggest you do two things:

1. Get a bank ATM or Debit card. They usually have a Visa or Mastercard logo and are accepted like a credit card on most routine transactions.

2. Get a secured Credit card. There are numerous ones you can get. Doesn't matter how bad your credit is or was. You send them money, they put it on deposit and give you a card that is exactly like a credit card and your credit limit is usually the amount you put on depoist, and sometimes more. It is a credit card.

I have used a Secured card for years, and just recently got an unsecured card and things are fine.

I was just in Thailand in September, and I am going back in December for two weeks. I do plan to live abroad in the not too distant future and have been offered some decent teaching jobs for an OK pay.

This is a very good forum.

[Mister Fixit]

Having been through some financial problems myself, I do suggest you do two things:

1. Get a bank ATM or Debit card. They usually have a Visa or Mastercard logo and are accepted like a credit card on most routine transactions.

2. Get a secured Credit card. There are numerous ones you can get. Doesn't matter how bad your credit is or was. You send them money, they put it on deposit and give you a card that is exactly like a credit card and your credit limit is usually the amount you put on depoist, and sometimes more. It is a credit card.

I have used a Secured card for years, and just recently got an unsecured card and things are fine.

I was just in Thailand in September, and I am going back in December for two weeks. I do plan to live abroad in the not too distant future and have been offered some decent teaching jobs for an OK pay.

This is a very good forum.

I'm happy enough with a debit card. but one of these secured credit cards sounds a good idea as an alternative payment method.

Have you any ideas as to the names of any companies who might do these things in the UK?

[phormio]

Having been through some financial problems myself, I do suggest you do two things:

1. Get a bank ATM or Debit card. They usually have a Visa or Mastercard logo and are accepted like a credit card on most routine transactions.

2. Get a secured Credit card. There are numerous ones you can get. Doesn't matter how bad your credit is or was. You send them money, they put it on deposit and give you a card that is exactly like a credit card and your credit limit is usually the amount you put on depoist, and sometimes more. It is a credit card.

I have used a Secured card for years, and just recently got an unsecured card and things are fine.

I was just in Thailand in September, and I am going back in December for two weeks. I do plan to live abroad in the not too distant future and have been offered some decent teaching jobs for an OK pay.

This is a very good forum.

I'm preparing to emigrate to Thailand from the US at the end of 2004 - and talked to my US based credit card company, CITI. They said that I could use my CITI card and have bills sent to an address in Thailand - but could check the bill balance using the internet and pay the balance before receiving the bill since mail delays are approximately 2 weeks.

Might want to talk to your UK credit card company about this.