Debit cards

[Lars Lust]

I’m thinking of getting a Visa debit card. It could be practical sometimes. It’s not common here, it seems. Any experience or advice? Thanks

 

[just4fun]

UFJ has one that I used when I was off the Grid last year. Something new they said and it worked great.

 

[Sudsy]

UFJ has one that I used when I was off the Grid last year. Something new they said and it worked great.

I have theirs as well. If you combine it with their app and have a couple of accounts under their Internet banking management, it's excellent because you can drop money from one account into another 24/7. Move money into the debit-linked account prior to card usage, leave that account empty the rest of the time, and you never have to worry about your card being hacked.

 

[warubuta]

I have theirs as well. If you combine it with their app and have a couple of accounts under their Internet banking management, it's excellent because you can drop money from one account into another 24/7. Move money into the debit-linked account prior to card usage, leave that account empty the rest of the time, and you never have to worry about your card being hacked.

Sounds like a good idea. Problem is I am too lazy to set it up. And Paypal seems to achieve the same thing for the most part...

 

[e-smile]

I’m thinking of getting a Visa debit card. It could be practical sometimes. It’s not common here, it seems. Any experience or advice? Thanks

I have one and I use it all the time. I rarely use cash actually.

 

[e-smile]

Sounds like a good idea. Problem is I am too lazy to set it up. And Paypal seems to achieve the same thing for the most part...

can you pay in the combini, supermarket, bars, restaurants ... with pay pal ?

 

[Sweetpotato]

Isn't Rakuten's the debit card everyone gets these days? At least all the new arrivals I've met lately.

 

[warubuta]

can you pay in the combini, supermarket, bars, restaurants ... with pay pal ?

I use my credit cards in those places and have never had a problem. If I ever have a problem, I can deny charges.

 

[Lars Lust]

Any experience with Shinsei Bank? They seem to have some kind of debit card product too.

 

[Shizumaru]

If you are an au user then they offer the au Wallet, which can function as both a credit card or a debit card, although it is a MasterCard. You can “charge” with money at any Lawson store, at the au store, or via the au website. You can also “charge” it online with up to 50,000 yen of credit which you should then pay back on your following phone bill.

 

[Kaizyn]

Suruga has had a visa debit for quite some time. I had opened an account with them years ago just for that.

Seems more banks are doing it lately, too. My main bank (SBI) just started it about 6 months ago.

Nice to have, since I buy a lot of stuff online overseas. I think only once in all of history I ran into a shop that didn't take an international credit card.

 

[TonyBe]

Suruga has had a visa debit for quite some time. I had opened an account with them years ago just for that.

Seems more banks are doing it lately, too. My main bank (SBI) just started it about 6 months ago.

Nice to have, since I buy a lot of stuff online overseas. I think only once in all of history I ran into a shop that didn't take an international credit card.

That's interesting. Once I move to Japan I really don't want to have to use my British debit or credit cards as they all have extra fees for foreign transactions and really bad conversion rates back to sterling.

Does anyone have any experience (or have any links to) people moving to Japan who are only going to be there for 6-12 months and if there are any issues with opening bank accounts.

If it's relevant, I'll be on a work visa and I'm currently waiting while they try and sort out something called a "Certificate of Eligibility"