Community Forums

gbaroni · 12-01-2012, 12:44 PM

New FT'er here who started entire process of selling home, buying motorhome, setting up mail forwarding with Am Mailboxes in SD, etc. Down to my last few open items.
My Question: How do FT'er get cash from their bank when on the road? I don't want to change banks and move to something like BoA, Wells Fargo, US Bank. Like my bank but tired of ATM fees charged by other banks for using their ATM.
Someone suggested National Credit Union Account as you have ATM no fee access at nearly every National Credit Union in USA.
Looking for suggestions please.
Try to use my ATM for purchases as much as possible and get cash back but limited to max ot $50 at most stores.
Your thoughts and ideas and experiences please
Thank you and Happy Holidays to everyone.

jzick · 12-01-2012, 12:55 PM

Several choices. Get a bank with branches everywhere you wish to travel. Do like we did and bank with an internet bank like ING Direct. We can get cash (any amount we need) from ATMs everywhere. If you shop at Wal-Mart, etc. you can get piddly amounts of cash back when you purchase. Credit unions work well. If you withdraw a large enough cash amount the fee is amortized over a bigger number so is less expensive (if $500 costs $5 and lasts a month, it is much better than withdrawing $100 more often and paying $5 each time). If you are rigid about not changing banks, open an account elsewhere to use for the cash withdrawals and keep your accounts you have now.

Good luck in your adventure.

Triker56 · 12-01-2012, 12:57 PM

If you have a Debit card. No problem getting $100 back at any Walmart.

Want more then that. Buy something at their RX department and get $100 back. Then check out with grocery's at a regular lane. Get another $100.
Been there done that.

MSHappyCampers · 12-01-2012, 01:50 PM

Hi folks! Welcome to IRV2! We're sure glad you decided to join the group! Good luck on your full-timing! Have fun, stay safe, and God bless!

JMacy · 12-01-2012, 02:05 PM

We went C Union. The one we use is tied into thousands of ATMs and I can deposit checks with my phone so I don't have to go to bank, er, CU

wildtoad · 12-01-2012, 02:07 PM

One of the best things is to quit using cash except if you're buying something say under $10. Regardless of fulltime/part-time status I've found that I have very little use for cash other than paying golf bets and I suppose that will change with technology too.

The idea to get a large amount and pay the small transaction fee is a fair one.

Triker56 · 12-02-2012, 05:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wildtoad

One of the best things is to quit using cash except if you're buying something say under $10. Regardless of fulltime/part-time status I've found that I have very little use for cash other than paying golf bets and I suppose that will change with technology too.

I'm guessing you don't use Passport America for the 50% discount when traveling.

Almost all of them require CASH ONLY when staying overnight or sometimes up to 3 nights.

jackrobinryan · 12-02-2012, 06:00 AM

Been with Passport for 5 years. I don't remember any of the places I 've used it requiring cash. In fact I have CCreceipts from most of them. But good to know that might be an issue at some.

I prefer using Wells Fargo, online bill pay and credit card for most payments. Cash management is easier that way. My biggest cash drain is the DW finding my wallet.

Elf · 12-02-2012, 06:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wildtoad

I've found that I have very little use for cash other than paying golf bets and I suppose that will change with technology too.

I was expecting to read that "I suppose that will change with more practice on the putting greens"

jackrobinryan · 12-02-2012, 07:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Elf

I was expecting to read that "I suppose that will change with more practice on the putting greens"

I call that "Black Hole cash" ...it goes into the skins money, never to be seen again.

RickO · 12-02-2012, 07:41 AM

Hi and welcome to the forum.

We've used our credit union for 40 years now and it's worked great for us. They can handle about any type of electronic transaction... including sending the checks to pay my bills. If I use automatic deposit (which I do) they reimburse any ATM fees.

Rick

jzick · 12-02-2012, 07:44 AM

Quote:

I'm guessing you don't use Passport America for the 50% discount when traveling.

Almost all of them require CASH ONLY when staying overnight or sometimes up to 3 nights.

That seems to be an almost regional thing. We have run into three or four in a row PA campgrounds that require cash for the discount, and then will not see it for a few years. I understand the practice - heavy discounts + card service fees might be a pretty big burden for a small campground.

clyon51 · 12-02-2012, 07:51 AM

I don't how anyone can beat the Fidelity Cash Mgt account.

https://www.fidelity.com/cash-management/overview?bar=p

Craig_R · 12-02-2012, 08:10 AM

Before we went full-time, we used a small local bank that we liked very much. Unfortunately, our bank could not meet our needs as we traveled across the country. We also needed to establish residency in SD and cut all ties with our former state of residence. This meant that we had to find a new bank that could handle our accounts on a national basis.

If either you or your spouse are a veteran you are eligible to open accounts with USAA Bank. This is what we did, and there are also a number of veterans on this board who use USAA also. We have found that USAA meets all of our needs while traveling. They provide plenty of "no fee" ATMs around the country. In those few instances when you're too far away from a no fee ATM, USAA will refund up to 13 fee type ATM transactions per month. Our regular monthly income is direct deposit to our accounts. Any other checks we pickup along the way can be deposited via the USAA Smart Phone App. If you don't like that (my wife doesn't), you can make any deposits at most UPS Stores.

USAA has other benefits also but you can research them yourself at www.usaa.com.