The BEST options in order of preference:
1. DEBIT CARDS
A. HSBC account w/ debit card AND be traveling in a country where they have atm's...you pay NOTHING extra. Give them a call.
AND, when abroad, very IMPORTANT: most foreign banks do not charge fees to use their ATM's..verify with a local so you do not use either a bank or atm that does!!!
B. Netbank ditto as above: Zero....&/but IF you use debit card for purchases, incur 1% fee.
C. WAMU refunds all atm's fees incurred from others...+ If you ever need to have money wired internationally, WAMU is totally free for account holders. CALL!!!
D. Most credit uinions-- USAA is THE absolute BEST..& you do NOT need to be current/former military to join!!!!! First 10 monthly atm withdrawals free, first $15 monthly atm fees from others refunded...CALL to ensure ALL foreigns included!!!
E. Citibank EZChecking w/ debit card holders(except in biggest money states(CA, NV, NY): only 1%...first five monthly atm fees credited on statement...but since you should be paying NO foreign atm fee...
<NV<NY): p fee... atm foreign NO paying be should you since statement...but on credited fees monthly five 1%...first only <> <NV<NY): p fee... atm foreign NO paying be should you since statement...but on credited fees monthly five 1%...first only <>
IF you do not have sufficient funds in your bank account, SOME MBNA cards have an offer ONLINE ONLY to transfer a cash advance to your bank account with ZERO fees AND ZERO interest for ONE YEAR...CALL them FIRST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
But this is THE preferred method: DEBIT CASH WITHDRAWAL AT A NO-FEE ATM!
2. CREDIT CARDS
VISA & MC charge an automatic 1% for foreign currency transactions--then, most issuing banks tack on their own...SOME even EAT that 1%...however, some don't, AND add fees of their own(but PLEASE confirm by CALLING first!!!!! Some start pulling benefits to late-payers and/or re-allocating them among their different cards).
ZERO:
1. MBNA...whether Amex or other type...AND they use VERY favorable exchange rates!!!!!!! These rates can be as much as 2% lower than most cards. (It doesn't help if a card tacks on nothing, but purchases for you at a high price!!!!!!!!!!!) CAVEAT: NOT for ALL their cards, some are 1%...others are 3%.....CALL, as they constantly re-allocate their 0 & 1%!!!!
2. Amalgamated Bank, BMW Bank, Discover & Tompkins Trust Company....
CAP1 for some of their higher-end cards, & for other lower-end ones IF you are part of their whatchamacallit club, sign up for it( works out to monthly $6), then cancel upon return. For some of their cards exchange fees are 1%... CALL.
Merril & Chuck Schwab "depending" on issuing bank, can be 0/1/3% with NO rationale whatsoever-- at zero banks the fee can be 3% & vice-versa. CALL!!!
One per-centers:
FLEET, Principal, Farm Bureau, most credit uinions-- again: USAA is THE absolute BEST credit union. Some Paypals...CALL!!!
NOTE: in case you ask-- though AMEX provides a lot of nice services & has a recommended service to sign up for re travel insurance / cancellations / delays...they do charge higher % AND tend to NOT obtain competitive exchange rates. NO WAY.
Safe Trip.