nwflyboy

I'll be visiting Japan next month. Last time I was there, in fall of 2014, I used my Bluebird card to pull cash from ATMs. Bluebird-friendly ATMs were easy to find (every post office, right at the airport, and at some convenience stores). The exchange rate was very good, it was super handy.

Now I have Serve and am wondering if things will be so easy. Anybody know?

nihonotaku

I am here in Japan now...and they don't have anything MS friendly.

cruisr

You should be able to use the same ATMs you used for BB to get cash off your Serve. I have used BB and the old (now discontinued) Amex prepaid cards. Rate was th official bank rate and and no service fee.

godsquare

IIRC, unlike using Bluebird, using Serve to withdraw cash from an ATM outside the US has some fees. I am not 100% sure though.

briang191

I'd suggest getting a Charles Schwab checking account no fees when withdrawing from any ATM. I used this on my trip to Japan 6 months ago.

http://www.schwab.com/public/schwab/banking_lending/checking_account

nwflyboy

Thanks - that's what I'm hoping to find. Will try it out in a few weeks, and will report back upon returning.

littleconsumer

FWIW, I think its worth noting that they do a hard pull. The savings weren't worth it to me.

briang191

Just got an email from serve.



We are writing to inform you of a change to the terms and conditions of your American Express Serve® Account:

International ATM:
Beginning January 6, 2016 you will no longer be able to withdraw money using your Serve Card at ATMs outside of the United States.

You can still enjoy free ATM withdrawals when using an in-network MoneyPass® ATM nationwide. You can find one of the more than 24,000 MoneyPass ATMs using the link below. Withdrawals at non-MoneyPass ATMs have a $2.50 American Express Serve fee, and ATM operator fees may also apply.

Click here to find a MoneyPass location.

You can also review these changes in the Consumer User Agreement here.


Thanks,

The American Express Serve Team

photaco

Serve has a foreign transaction % fee, so you would have been better off using Bluebird which has a fixed ATM fee, except Bluebird is also blocked from ex-US withdrawals effective today (thanks Amex).