How To Save On Travel Money

Whether you travel abroad for a family vacation, a sabbatical or even as your chosen lifestyle, at some point, you will encounter the same problem: withdrawing money and those dreaded bank fees!!
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Well, fret no more. In this article, Simply Doozy is going to tell you how you can save when withdrawing money abroad.

The Pain Of Withdrawing Money Abroad

Argentina was the proverbial straw...

Nine years ago we went traveling for a few months around the world. Back then, the bank I used did not charge me if I used their ATMs, and  when withdrawing from other banks I used to pay a flat fee of 5 GBP ($7.50) on any amount.

​In 2015, my husband and I went traveling around the world for a second time, but things have changed dramatically. 

Bank Fees That We Are Usually Charged 

This is how much my bank would charge me in pound sterling if I withdraw money from an ATM outside of the United Kingdom using my debit card, which is part of VISA Plus. I would pay at least £5 ($7.50) for every £100 I withdrew. Being a percentage fee, the more you withdraw the more you pay. And, what's even more irritating is that they consider withdrawing money a transaction, just as if you would buy something in a shop or pay for dinner at a restaurant.

In addition, many countries in Asia and in Latin America have a low limit on how much you can withdraw. In Vietnam on two occasions I had to use Western Union to withdraw a larger amount of money paying their astronomical fees.
In Argentina, if I remember correctly, the maximum I could withdraw from an ATM was £70 ($100) at the time, practically nothing!  
It was exactly in Argentina that one day, exasperated with this situation I started researching for a method to withdraw money without using an ATM. 

Finding A Financial Light At The End Of The FeesTunnel

Paying bank fees when using your card abroad doesn't have to be the pain that it looks to be, as I discovered earlier this year when I started using Azimo. 
Azimo is an online service based in the United Kingdom that allows you to send money from your debit/credit card or bank account to other countries. 
They promise simplicity, security, and speed! Most importantly Azimo charges only a £1* fee for any amount up to £2,000 if you transfer money via your debit card or your bank account. 
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Does it sound too good to be true?   Don't worry I tested it out with my own money!

*Different fees apply on Credit Card & SWIFT Transfers. 

Testing Out Azimo

This is the process that I followed to get my money via Azimo in 5 easy steps:

• I created an account and logged in.
• I created a recipient profile. As I was sending money to myself I created one with my name as per passport.  I filled the address with the place we were staying at and the phone number wasn't a problem either as I always get a local SIM, but if you don't, then use the hotel/hostel you are staying at. 
• I selected the currency that I wanted to receive the money in, then the country, town and location, that I wanted to collect the money from. 
• I entered the amount I wanted to send which was converted in the local currency so I would know in advance how much I was getting. 
• I entered my UK debit card number and hit the send button.

I immediately received an email with a reference number and notification that Azimo received my money, and the transfer was being processed.  

Send Money to the world from £1 only

Shortly after that, I received a confirmation that my money was ready to pick up...and that was it! All I had to do was collect my money at the bank location by presenting my passport and the reference number. At the bank I signed a receipt and I was done!
Once the money has been collected the sender also receives a confirmation email to complete the process.

What's great about Azimo?

Besides paying only a £1?  

​Well, the speed and convenience is fantastic. 

​One time in Nicaragua, I sent money whilst I was already queuing  at the bank! Usually if I send money during the week, it never takes more than 3 minutes. It's faster than getting a burger at McDonalds!!
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And, I can update my recipient's profile as many times as I like, so if last week I took money in Copan Ruinas in Honduras this week I can take them out from a bank in Rio Dulce in Guatemala!  
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It really is that easy! And it has saved me worrying about using my card at dodgy ATMs.

Azimo has been a great financial solution for me during my travels, but you can use it also anytime you need to send money to friends or families or pay other things.

I used it to pay for accommodation abroad for instance and it's just a case of creating another recipient profile and enter their details. 

If you, like me, would love to start save money when travelling  then click the logo  below to get started! 

CLICK THE LOGO TO START SAVING TODAY!