Expat and tourist guide for local banking

DeepPocket a new interesting digital wallet in Thailand (with QR PromptPay payments)

DeepPocket was around for some time in the Thai e-wallet scene. I’ve decided to rewrite this article, because almost everything that I wrote before about the app is not actual anymore. The most important it looks like the app listen it users and improved a lot, so it currently can create a good value for visitors in Thailand.   Why forigners are foreigners so interested in a good ewallet solution in Thailand? There is one Read more

By Damian Sowa, ago

Cash in Laos, how to find the best ATMs and don’t waste money on fees? My experience

Laos is a funny country it is the only place where ATM withdrawal limits are so low that I need to visit the ATM almost every second day to get some cash especially if I want to save some money and would like to pay for accommodation in cash. Do I need a cash? Why I can’t pay by card? The good thing is that card payments are quite available. But the bad message is Read more

By Damian Sowa, ago

How do you get cash in the Philippines without ATM fees? My experience.

Generally, most ATMs in the Philippines charge around 250 PHP as a provision for cash withdrawal, many also have 10,000 PHP max withdrawal. Because the Philippines is a country where cash is needed it can result in quite high fees for getting money. Below, I will describe ways I have found to avoid high fees (some methods still have some fees but are way lower than those presented above). Additionally, when writing these words from Read more

By Damian Sowa, ago

You can pay by QR codes in Laos now, digital wallets for Tourist in Laos

Some time ago I saw news that there is a new e-wallet in Laos specially designed for foreigners to use local QR code payments. It got interesting because I know how big the problem is to use local QR code payments for foreigners in Thailand and Cambodia.  At that time I downloaded the app, but I had some problems and wasn’t able to register. A few days ago I decided to recheck it. The first Read more

By Damian Sowa, ago
jamjang

Thai QR payment for foreigners? – testing WAIWIN app

If you have ever travelled to Thailand or read my previous articles (Foreigner’s Guide to Thai QR Code Payments with PromptPay / How to open a bank account in Thailand: a guide for expats and tourists), you know that cash is not king here. I’ve received information from one of the blog’s readers who is working on a solution that allows foreigners to pay by QR code in Thailand. He was simply tired of using Read more

By Damian Sowa, ago

How to open a bank account in Vietnam: a guide for expats and tourists

Here we are again, I’ve just gone for a 10-day holiday to Vietnam, a little bit for sport and a little bit for this blog I thought, ok can I open a bank account here? After some research managed to do that. For me, it looks like Vietnamese banking is friendlier than in Thailand, from the second side I’ve noticed that many of the main banks don’t offer websites/apps in English. Below you can read Read more

By Damian Sowa, ago
manila

How to open a bank account in Philippines: a guide for expats and tourists

Why do you need a bank account in the Philippines? If you’re in the Philippines for a brief vacation, a local bank account may not be necessary. However, for long-term stays or if you’re planning to live and work here, a local bank account becomes indispensable. Not only does it save you from hefty international withdrawal fees, but it also facilitates smoother transactions such as paying bills, receiving your salary, or even doing online shopping. Read more

By Damian Sowa, ago

Foreigner’s Guide to Thai QR Code Payments with PromptPay

In Thailand, Cash is the king, but Thai people started to love cashless payments. In opposite to Western countries cards never get that popular here (but their popularity still rises and credit card companies are trying to put a lot of money into the Thai market to be more visible and available for customers). Many Asian countries created QR code system payments that are available for everyone and are easy to use. In this article, Read more

By Damian Sowa, ago
wroclaw

How to open a bank account in Poland: a guide for expats and tourists

I am a Polish citizen, and for a few years, I live and travel abroad. I am especially interested in banking around the world, especially for expats. Below I will try to describe what the Polish banking system looks like and what are the best banks in Poland for foreigners. Why do you need a Polish bank account? If you live in Poland, you are going to need a local bank account for a few Read more

By Damian Sowa, ago
Amsterdam

How to open a bank account in the Netherlands: a guide for expats

When do I need a Dutch bank account? If you live in the Netherlands, you are going to need a local bank account for 2 reasons. First, most Dutch stores don’t accept normal cards (like Visa, and MasterCard), but they accept Maestro cards (sometimes also V-PAY). Additionally, a lot of places don’t accept cash payments, so a Dutch card is a must. Second, if you work for a Dutch employer, you are going to need Read more

By Damian Sowa, ago