Hi,
After having read a couple of threads on the PostFinance offer, I am still not too sure how the limitations of this card may affect me.
I'm looking to open a basic account, for the sake of convenience mostly, since my credits (salary) and a number of my debits (most online purchases in particular) will be done on my home (French) account. Thus, the Swiss account / card would be used for:
- ATM cash withdrawals (in Switzerland only);
- payments at shops (also in Switzerland only);
- paying rent and local bills (utilities);
- booking SBB and Swiss.com tickets (seems Postfinance has it own "tick" on both websites);
- on the credit side, I'd probably do a wire transfer every other month from my French account.
I'm not sure a credit card would be interesting, considering the huge (from a French perspective, where they are non-existent) ATM withdrawal fees. Not too sure about the Set Plus account either.
So my questions are:
- purely for Swiss financial transactions as listed above, would a basic account with PostFinance Card be enough, or is a local credit card really a must?; in particular, are there other critical commercial websites (in the like of SBB / Swiss.com) or brick and mortar places where payment via Postfinance would be limited, and instead require a credit card? Such as local hotel chains for example (sorry, don't have precise example in mind yet)
-for holders of either standard or Set Plus accounts, how do you see the convenience of having free withdrawals in all ATMs Switzerland for 12 CHF vs. being limited to the Post ones for free, or a 2 CHF fee for other ATMs (in other words, on average, do you find yourself at least 6 times per month in a position where a Post ATM, or the partner networks, is not readily accessible)? I know it will depend from location to location, so let's keep it to Bern + Zürich + Geneva.
Thanks!
After having read a couple of threads on the PostFinance offer, I am still not too sure how the limitations of this card may affect me.
I'm looking to open a basic account, for the sake of convenience mostly, since my credits (salary) and a number of my debits (most online purchases in particular) will be done on my home (French) account. Thus, the Swiss account / card would be used for:
- ATM cash withdrawals (in Switzerland only);
- payments at shops (also in Switzerland only);
- paying rent and local bills (utilities);
- booking SBB and Swiss.com tickets (seems Postfinance has it own "tick" on both websites);
- on the credit side, I'd probably do a wire transfer every other month from my French account.
I'm not sure a credit card would be interesting, considering the huge (from a French perspective, where they are non-existent) ATM withdrawal fees. Not too sure about the Set Plus account either.
So my questions are:
- purely for Swiss financial transactions as listed above, would a basic account with PostFinance Card be enough, or is a local credit card really a must?; in particular, are there other critical commercial websites (in the like of SBB / Swiss.com) or brick and mortar places where payment via Postfinance would be limited, and instead require a credit card? Such as local hotel chains for example (sorry, don't have precise example in mind yet)
-for holders of either standard or Set Plus accounts, how do you see the convenience of having free withdrawals in all ATMs Switzerland for 12 CHF vs. being limited to the Post ones for free, or a 2 CHF fee for other ATMs (in other words, on average, do you find yourself at least 6 times per month in a position where a Post ATM, or the partner networks, is not readily accessible)? I know it will depend from location to location, so let's keep it to Bern + Zürich + Geneva.
Thanks!