Job Discussion Forums

booty · Joined: 22 Aug 2004 Posts: 94

I'm currently teaching in Slovakia at a school that insists that I have a bank account. However, I am getting fed up with the rip-off charges that the banks sting me for. Every time I get money out from the account, they sting me for a fee. Even if no money goes in or out, they still charge me. I'm also about to find out if these banks can do this legally.

Anyway, I'm just wondering what banks are like in other European countries are like. I would especially like to hear from those teaching in Central and Eastern Europe. Do you get stung just for having a bank account? Are your banks fair ???

spiral78 · Joined: 05 Apr 2004 Posts: 11534 Location: On a Short Leash

It's the same in the Czech Rep.

Mike_2003 · Joined: 27 Mar 2003 Posts: 344 Location: Bucharest, Romania

And in Romania.

0.5% for any money you withdraw and a monthly charge for looking after your money. Internet banking costs about a euro and paying bills on the net about 1.2 Euro.

If I had a time machine, I'd go bank in time and deposit 1000 Euro in my account, fly forward to the present day and find that....I owe the bank several million Euro....nice

SueH · Joined: 01 Feb 2003 Posts: 1022 Location: Northern Italy

I know we moan in the UK but we certainly tend to get a better deal than here in Italy. I use the Post Office (BancaPosta) here which is fine as a basic account and not too pricey. Is there an equivalent where you are? Sometimes called Girobank in places.

For getting money out of a UK account nothing to beat Nationwide, which doesn't charge any premium.

jonniboy · Posted: Mon Mar 12, 2007 8:49 pm Post subject:

Yep can frequently be the same in other countries. I opened an account in Spain before I moved there to teach with a 10 euro deposit. Four months later when I returned and started work I found that I'd only 0.60 in the account as they'd been charging me 2 euro 40 a month for having a non-resident account plus 1.50 for cashing my pay cheques. When I complained they told me to get the foreigner registration number and return. When I did so they then put up another obstacle by saying that I could only change the account at the branch where I opened it. Since that was in Marbella and I was in Valencia it would have meant a 22 hour round trip just to save me 3 euros a month (since there would still be small fees). When I asked them if they were serious they told me that I could instead close the account and reopen a new one.

Great I told them let's do it. But then the next hurdle came in - I'd have to take out compulsory insurance of 6 euros a month for a three month minimum period. When I again perceptibly stiffened at that, she screwed up her face, rolled her eyes and told me that if I didn't like it, I could just go to another bank. (She'd be sacked for saying that in Britain). Consequently I just closed the account.

Jetgirly · Joined: 17 Jul 2004 Posts: 741

I got free banking in Italy because I was under 26. I was supposed to pay EUR 50 when I closed my account but I wasn't charged... hopefully they won't charge me a monthly fee from my 26th birthday on! I can' just imagine holidaying in Italy when I'm 75 and being arrested for owing thosands of euros in bank fees or something!