So which one you picked ?
Cumulus was one of the few free ones which explicitly had this.
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I agree that it can be annoying with Amex, so I usually try to stick to regular shops like Coop, Migros, Denner,… (+ SBB!)
When doing that, it’s still the best deal IMO, given the 1% cashback in actual cash (and not some Cumulus points etc.) that you can spend (1 year later) on any of the places that accept Amex.
But Amex is not a one-size fits all card & I have another card, e.g. for abroad. So if 100% simplicity/minimalism is important for someone, then don’t use this Amex card.
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So, Cumulus will never charge a “foreign transaction fee” when the amount is in CHF?
Any others? because as @ma0 all the credit cards I know charge this fee for amounts in CHF processed abroad (unless they do not charge any fees for payments abroad anyway, e.g., neon, Revolut, etc.)
It says so in the Fees data sheet, yes.
Quote:
Gebühr für Transaktionen in CHF im Ausland: Keine
No ad:
There is also a Visa Free from Migros Bank (but only for customers aka. setting up a free account) which also has no fees for FX (I assume, you can compare it to neon or Radicant).
(No EN version available)
Edit: will order such card in couple if weeks and test it.
If I recall correctly, both Migros Bank cards, even if both quoted with no FX fees, have a really bad spread on the FX rate applied. And supposed to make them, in the end, more expensive that others that charge a fee but apply a better rate.
Currently strongly considering following Mr. MP’s example of just using a standard debit card and not bothering with multiple credit cards.
I can let you know the outcome, I assume in couple of weeks. Can do a direct comparison to neon, for instance.
That’s where I had that re-collection from … in German only
I think there is a little confusion here. There are two dimensions to consider when it comes to transactions and which card to use (optimising on costs/revenue, not on simplicity obviously):
| Processed in CH | Processed outside CH | |
|---|---|---|
| CHF | 1 | 2 |
| Other currency | 3 | 4 |
-
That’s your normal day-to-day spending in physical stores and on online merchants based in CH.
- Use a free credit card with cashback (Swisscard Cashback, Poinz, IKEA, Cumulus, Supercard, etc.)
-
That’s usually online merchants based abroad, but selling in CHF for the CH market (e.g., plane tickets, streaming platforms, some merchants dispatching from abroad, etc.).
- Until now thought the best strategy was as (4), but seems it would be a good use case for Cumulus if they apply no foreign transaction processing fee and offer cashback. It can be large amounts (e.g., long-haul flights for a family of 5).
-
That would be stores (physical/online) in CH accepting payments in other currencies (e.g., Swiss airlines)
- Don’t bother, those merchants include a hefty FX markup, but if they don’t and the other currency is more preferable than defaulting to (1) then see (4).
-
Usual spending abroad (e.g., holidays)
- Use a credit card with no or low FX markup and no foreign transaction fee (e.g., neon, Radicant, Revolut, etc.). Don’t use Cumulus because of the FX markup.
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I do it like this:
- Swisscard AMEX/Visa: For domestic transactions in CHF (because cashback)
- Radicant: For hotel, railway, train (because free travel insurance)
- Revolut: Online transactions in foreign currencies (because disposable/virtual card)
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I have a similar plan but with Ikea CC instead of Radicant. I didn’t compare the two insurances though. Is it Radicant better?
Edit: I skimmed the offer of radicant. It seems Ikea is better.
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@ma0 Travel insurance with Radicant is free. Travel insurance with Ikea costs 1.5% foreign currency surcharge (I travel a lot by train and often don’t pay in CHF). As I see travel insurance as an optional goodie, I wouldn’t pay for it.
Yes it costs but you have a bit more perks, for example delay in luggage delivery and I think also trip cancellation from the airline’s side. I am not sure though. It’s been a while from my last trip 
Also some of the insured stuff are already covered by Health insurances or EU/EFTA policies…
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I read the following today:
You can buy credit codes at Swiss Post as well as at Coop supermarkets, Jumbo, Coop City (food and non-food) and in the stores of Interdiscount. Open the TWINT prepaid App. Tap on “Pay” at the bottom. Point the smartphone camera at the QR code or enter the credit code. The credit is immediately available in your TWINT App.
Source: How can I top up my credit in the TWINT prepaid app? » APP
Isn’t that a free money glitch?
- Buy CHF 1’000 Twint prepaid credit at e.g. Coop any pay with AMEX
- Now you have: 1’000 Twint credit + CHF 10 AMEX Cashback
- The Twint credit can be used to pay bills or you can send the money to another Twint
(not tested)
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If it works then you could just send the money in your Twint to another person where Twint is coupled to an account and you end up with your paid amount + cashback. That indeed would be a “free cashback” for you, paid by Post or Coop (although max you can gain is 1% of your monthly limit, so e.g. 30 CHF with 3k limit).
Question is whether they allow you to pay these vouchers with Amex (I guess coop doesnt prevent you from doing so), whether you really get 1000 twint when you pay with 1000 Amex CHF, and whether there is somewhere in the AGBs of Twint or Amex that this is not allowed so it could backfire later…?
There is a big chance that such a purchase is only possible by payment with a debit card. That’s how Coop sells Reka balance. They also accept Coop Supercard credit card, but the payment is a “funding transaction” and doesn’t earn any cashback. So even if you are able to pay with an AMEX credit card, I give 99.9% probability that you won’t earn cashback on it.
Swisscard explicitly excludes purchase of such top-up cards from cashback eligibility.
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Twint has 5k/year limit for redeeming prepaid codes.It should work as its flagged as coop/migros purchase, but not worth doing at all.
Anyone else noticed their amex card being denied in new places recently? Used to work fine at Landi and Migros and now I’ve had operation refused several times at these places. Did something happen?