Job Discussion Forums

[boundforsaudi]

Message deleted by boundforsaudi.

[kuberkat]

Hello again, BFS. Hope it's been a good year.

I have myriad off-topic comments about ATMs in Oman, but I'll keep them for later.

HSBC served me extremely well on a long-haul trip through eight Southeast Asian countries. Irrelevant? Maybe, but if emerging economies could do it, the strongest Euro entity definitely can. HSBC ATMs were also thin on the ground, and though I didn't keep track of the transaction fees, I certainly wasn't bankrupted by them. Try http://www.hsbctrinkaus.de for more info on the local ATMs (the site's German, but there's a link for English at the bottom of the page.)

And to get off-topic, now. . DO note that I preface these statements with the fact that I am happier in Oman than I have ever been, and love its people to bits. But. Why is it that Oman Arab Bank may not give me monetary interest, but roll out the red carpet, serve qahwa and make my every wish their command, while HSBC, for a wily interest rate, make me wait in line and have my financial "consultations" in an open booth next to the queue? Only to tell me that they "don't know" if the services I need are offered by the bank? In other countries, this is "the rich people's bank" with the most impeccable service. What is up here?

My other rant is about the way finances are approached here. I live in a small town with fewer than ten ATMs. On the Thursday morning after payday, there is not a penny left in those ATMs. Local businesses do not accepts credit cards, and nobody in the country seems to accept checques, since the concept of backing them up with funds is so wildly unpopular. So on a Thursday morning, my goldpile in the bank is worth absolutely nothing. Funny that.

Anyway, Bon Voyage.

[veiledsentiments]

It sounds like one should do a bit of financial planning and not live paycheck to paycheck. The key is to never approach an ATM anytime within 2 days before or after payday. Second rule is to try to never to use an ATM on Wednesday afternoon.

I always enjoyed visiting the bank and being treated like royalty. No waiting in lines for us privileged ESL teachers... yessirreee... just sip one's tea as someone goes behind the teller window and takes care of whatever one wanted done.

I guess by HSBC terms you are not a rich enough person to get the red carpet treatment. They are treating you more like how the US banks would treat a lowly ESL teacher.

VS

[KiteBiker]

Reminds me of the time in 2000 when Oman Air tried an experiment and flew directly from Salalah to Dubai in a nice Canadian Dash-8. The family wanted to do something daring so we packed up one weekend and left for Dubai having reserved a room in a tourist hotel. It was impulsive and last minute.

I relied on the ATM once in Dubai to get the cash I needed to spend. It was HSBC. It was also a mistake. Trying to get the money out, the ATM machine "hiccupped" and spat out my card sans money. I tried again, same result. I went to the HSBC branch in Dubai and tried the teller. She told me I had maxed out the limit on my card. I said "ludicrous, here's the proof ..." etc. They believed me, but could not do anything about it. They could not give me money. My account was frozen. Nobody "was home" in the bank in Oman to rectify the situation. They had all gone home early that day.

Needless to say, it was a miserable weekend in Dubai. We came to the conclusion that "cash is king", even if they're Omani Rials in the UAE.

[kuberkat]

There's a lesson in there somewhere, Kitebiker. A similar experience, in Bangkok, left me to vow always to carry home currency, ample emergency USD, ATM cards and, on longer trips, credit cards and traveller's cheques. The last two are also insured if they get lost. And the dollars? I am constantly finding fifties in hidden luggage pockets and never seem to spend the emergency stash. Call me finicky, but one hungry weekend on the street of a world city (with luscious shopping and heavenly food) was enough, thank you.

And while on the topic of prudence, I do of course agree, VS, that

[veiledsentiments]

Actually Kuberkat, I was talking about expat financial planning... far be it from me to comment on the trials and tribulations of living an Emirati lifestyle with an Omani income.

Not all expat teachers are as prudent as you (and me). In fact, many was the time in the Gulf when my doorbell rang on Thursday evening and one of my fellow teachers was there to borrow a bit to tide them over until the banks opened on Saturday.

One very busy single teacher who knew of his own lack of control used to give me all of his money for the month (after transferring most of it to his brother in the US to invest). Then I doled it out to him... 10 OR or so at a time... (so what did you spend last weeks allowance on??). I suggested that perhaps he should marry, but he felt that it would inhibit his lifestye or something...

And after these stories, perhaps I will avoid HSBC... oddly enough, they just sent me a credit card that I didn't want and hadn't applied for. I cut it up...

VS

[kuberkat]

Hmmm, well, VS, I was wondering if the financial planning comment was to be taken personally, but then you did once compare me to Saffy from AbFab, so decided not to. If anything, you yourself are the posterchild for what saving well in the Gulf can do, though we may not have your good fortune with investing. (I do hear that ethanol is the new gold, though...). Eliminating unwanted credit cards is certainly a good start.

Er, hope all this is helpful, BFS...?

[veiledsentiments]

After a week, it appears that no one knows the answer to BFS's question. It was awfully specific... I do know one person in Oman who often visits Germany in the summer, but doesn't bank at HSBC. At least we have kept to banking/HSBC... sort of.

Not sure how I could have compared you to 'saffy from abfab' as I have never seen that program. I did hear that it was quite a funny series. But, yes... I was picking on you, but at least I put a smiley.

I always wanted to be a 'posterchild' - though many accused me of being over thrifty through the years.

VS

[Duffy]

The HSBC GAVE you a card without asking for it!!!!!!!!!

Well VS it is certain that you are either younger than me and/or don't live in Oman!!

I actually wanted a credit card for things like booking flights direct and stuff, but HSBC said "Sorry you are too old"!

Yep, they have a crazy rule that if you are over 60 you cannot have credit cards, online payment cards, personal loans,or car loans.I decided not to bother asking about an overdraft facility!!! Oh yes,I am 61 - just!!

[veiledsentiments]

Hi Duffy... this has been mentioned many times on here but you may have missed it. I am retired back in the US living on all those petrodollars. So, it was the US HSBC that sent me the card. All too common over here... all one needs is to exist and have established credit. They would not even be allowed to ask my age.

Personally I would have never even applied to a Gulf based credit card. I used home based credit cards as one can better count on how they handle any mis-use of the card. I only kept an ATM card for the local banking purposes.

[boundforsaudi]

Message deleted by boundforsaudi.

[kuberkat]

Sticky Situation, BFS. Odd that they use four-digit PINs... I do remember using a Taiwan-based HSBC card with 6-digit-PIN in Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia on other ATMs that usually took 4-digit PINs. But again, Germany is a different kettle of fish.

That transaction fee is not making drawing cash from the ATM awfully attractive. How does it compare to traveller's cheques and credit card advances?

[Duffy]

I checked with HSBC here in Oman and they are saying that the 6 digit pin will be recognised on a world wide basis.

I did this because I will need to use mine in at least one European country and Turkey, which I think has an identity crisis,as to whether it is Euoropean or Arabic!! So I will see when I get there, obviously I am not going to take everything on trust - I have transfered a few OR into a Uk account we still have!!

Duffy