🇺🇸 Monzo in the USA [Discussion]

Monzo Chat Travelling with Monzo
373

That’s really helpful. Thank you! :slight_smile:

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374

I’ve spent 6 months in the states before i came back in Feb and the only times I needed cash was for flea markets, farmer’s markets, and other types of markets like that. Usually what I would do is ask somebody I already know to get $100 out for me and I send them via PayPal or Transferwise

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375

@ZoeL I’ve moved you post here to continue the discussion, have a great time away and let us know how you get on

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376

Take a look at the comment above (now that you are merged into this thread):

377

This is brill. Thank you. It is very much appreciated :blush:

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378

I wont be using my mobile data when I am in the states but I will be using my Monzo card. Will my transactions just come through whenever I am connected to WiFi?

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379

Yes that’s correct. If you have an unlocked phone, you could spend £15-20 on a 3 Mobile SIM with 10gb data that can be used for roaming while visiting the US. I have done this previously as the charges would be much higher if I had used my usual Vodafone SIM.

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380

Thank you :slight_smile: I just won’t use my phone unless I have WiFi.

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381

Just in case using public and/or unsecured WIFI make sure you use a VPN :wink:

383

Do you recommend any good free ios ones?

384

These have 30 day free trials :wink:
VPN

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385

You’re a star!

386

Hi, I’m a traveler in the USA.
And I tried cash back in stores yesterday.
But I and my friend(He has Monzo) cannot cash back.
Why? Does anyone know?

387

As far as I understand it, cashback only works with domestic US-issued debit cards. I may be wrong, but I’m sure I read that elsewhere.

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388

Oooh, really?
I read lots of pages said, “Cash back is useful for travelers”.
So I thought it can use travelers.
And I don’t have enough cash.
So I have to get cash somewhere.

389

As I understand it, the majority of card readers in the US (mistakenly) identify UK debit cards as credit cards, which is why it won’t process cashback requests, but it doesn’t stop a normal transaction from going through.

Your best approach is to not use cash at all, but I know that’s difficult based on what part of the US you might be in. Your only option then is to withdraw from an ATM, I think. You may need to enable the magstripe in your Monzo settings first.

List of ATMs that are fee free, which might help:

Edit: it’s possible (after doing some research) that if you go in a large supermarket (like a Walmart) you might be able to get cashback, but you’d have to see.

390

Thank you very much!
I try it!

391

I just tried to use an automated ticket machine in NYCNYCO try and get a Metro card. It didn’t like the Monzo card. I am not sure what it didn’t like. I selected debit card and put the card in and removed it and put my pin in then it just said it couldn’t complete the transaction.

392

Try Credit Card instead of Debit?

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393

Card machines in the US have confusing incorrect terminology. Debit Card does not mean debit card, and Credit Card does not mean credit card. Debit Card means “uses one of several local US inter-bank payment networks”. Credit Card means “uses the Visa/Mastercard/JCB/etc payment networks”. Whether your card is a debit card or credit card is of no consequence. Unless you have a card that can use a local US inter-bank payment network (which no UK-issued card can AFAIK), you need to select Credit Card whenever asked.

Some people have had issues in the past with the NY metro machine requiring a postcode. The advice seems to be:

Edit: See the Card Usage section of the USA wiki for more details on the debit card/credit card issue in the US, there are some intricacies I didn’t capture above. :weary:

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