front cover.qxd 09/02/2005 14:26 Page 1 - AIP
front cover.qxd 09/02/2005 14:26 Page 1 - AIP
front cover.qxd 09/02/2005 14:26 Page 1 - AIP
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es-money.<strong>qxd</strong> 08/<strong>02</strong>/<strong>2005</strong> 10:16 <strong>Page</strong> 20<br />
MONEY<br />
Banking<br />
continued from page 19<br />
BANK BRANCHES<br />
Bank staff and managers are strangely<br />
friendly in Spain. They smile and recognise<br />
you on subsequent visits. They may<br />
even know your name.<br />
The major national banks can be found in<br />
all cities and towns, but each region also<br />
has its own banks such as Banco de<br />
Andalucia, Caixa Catalunya and Banco<br />
de Alicante.<br />
Opening hours are usually 8am/9am-<br />
2pm on Monday-Friday and 9am-1pm on<br />
Saturday. You may find designated hours<br />
and days for paying bills (usually first<br />
thing in the morning).<br />
PAYMENT METHODS<br />
Cheques are rarely used. Most Spaniards<br />
use debit/cash cards (tarjeta de débito) or,<br />
even better, cash for those crucial tax fiddles.<br />
You should receive your debit/cash<br />
card and chequebook at the same time<br />
and your PIN number will probably be<br />
MAIN SPANISH BANKS<br />
La Caixa<br />
tel. 9<strong>02</strong> 200 2<strong>02</strong><br />
www.laCaixa.es<br />
BBVA<br />
tel. 917 416 904<br />
www.grupobbva.com<br />
Grupo Banco Popular<br />
tel. 915 207 900<br />
www.bancopopular.es<br />
Santander Central Hispano<br />
tel. 9<strong>02</strong> 242 424<br />
www.gruposantander.com<br />
Solbank<br />
tel. 2 343 999<br />
www.solbank.com<br />
given to you in a sealed envelope at the<br />
bank rather than posted.<br />
Visa and Mastercard are widely accepted<br />
in Spain and issued by most banks for a<br />
fee of between €10-25 a year or up to €60<br />
for a gold card.<br />
You can withdraw around €300 a day<br />
from ATMs - the major networks are<br />
Telebanco 4B and Servired - and obtain<br />
balances and mini-statements, pay bills<br />
and top up your mobile phone with credit.<br />
Although you can use your card in<br />
any ATM, you will be charged at any<br />
banks other than your own.<br />
You can also use non-Spanish credit or<br />
debit cards in cash machines, but if you<br />
wish to purchase goods in Spanish shops<br />
with a credit card you must show your<br />
passport or residence card.<br />
BANK CARD CANCELLATION NUMBERS<br />
If your Visa or Mastercard is stolen, tel.<br />
4B 9<strong>02</strong> 1<strong>14</strong> 400 or Servi Red 9<strong>02</strong> 192 100.<br />
To cancel an American Express, tel. 9<strong>02</strong><br />
375 637.<br />
Spain may now be in euro-land and prices<br />
bear little resemblance to those in the days<br />
of the peseta — but you will still hear<br />
people quoting figures in their old currency.<br />
20 SPAIN EXPAT SURVIVAL GUIDE<br />
WWW.EXPATICA.COM
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