Save Big Bucks Abroad with a Charles Schwab Checking Account

One of my favorite travel writers is Jason Cochran, the witty, perceptive, highly talented and much-experienced author of travel tips for dealnews (www.dealnews.com), among several other outlets. He recently published advice of top interest on the use of ATM machines abroad. Turns out that the ATM card issued by Charles Schwab outlets charges no transaction fees whatever on use of the card overseas, meaning you will save a bundle of money (fees as high as 3%) by using it. What's more, Charles Schwab imposes no minimum balance requirement on your Schwab checking account, and is thus almost absurdly easy to get and maintain.

Some other banks, Jason points out, "waive the foreign exchange fee for high-deposit customers, like Citibank's Citigold program. But considering there's a $30 monthly fee for that program's users who have deposits of less than $50,000, that option isn't for everyone."