If your bank doesn’t have a branch in the area you’re currently at, it can be a bit worrying.
If you need to withdrawal money, you may wonder what your options are. With other banks nearby, you may find yourself wondering – can you withdrawal money at a bank that’s not yours? If you’re not a customer at that bank, will you still be able to withdrawal money?
These are important questions, and in this article we’ll cover everything that you need to know!
Can You Withdrawal Money At A Bank That’s Not Yours?
Unfortunately, you must be a customer at a bank if you want to withdrawal money from it. You are unable to withdrawal money from a bank that you don’t have an account with.
However, if the bank has an ATM inside of it, you may be able to use it to withdrawal money from your own bank.
If you think about why you can’t withdrawal money from a different bank, it makes sense.
Bank account information is protected personal information – different banks simply don’t have access to it. There would be no way for them to retrieve this information either, so it would be difficult for them to actually partake in additional transactions.
Additionally, banks are a business, and their goal is to make money off of you. Banks that you’re not a customer at make no money regardless of whether or not they take the time to help you. While many bank tellers will do everything they can to help and answer questions out of kindness, there are limits to what they’re able to do.
Unless your bank or credit union has partnerships with other companies, it would be best to simply use the ATM (or another method discussed later) to withdrawal your funds.
You Can Use Another Bank’s ATM, However
As mentioned, despite the fact that you’re unable to withdrawal your money at another bank’s counter, it’s still possible to use their ATM if they have one.
Because ATMs work with most bank accounts, you can use the ATM to connect to your own bank – then withdrawal money just like you would at any other ATM machine.
Note however that ATMs may come with their own fees, and there may be limits to have much you’re able to withdrawal. These limits may be imposed by your bank, or the ATM itself.
Therefore, it is a less than ideal solution, particularly if you need to withdrawal large amounts of money at a time.
What To Do If You Won’t Have Access To A Bank
If you’re planning on traveling somewhere and you know you won’t have access to your bank, there are some steps you should take in advance to ensure you’ll have enough accessible money.
Ideally, you should try out each one of these to ensure your travel are both safe, and financially comfortable.
1. Carry Extra Cash
In an ideal scenario, you wouldn’t need to withdrawal extra money at all – you’d have enough extra cash on hand to fund any purchases that you may need.
Of course, carrying extra cash comes with its own set of risks. If you are traveling to an area where theft is a concern or you believe that you may lose your money, it would be best to take this into an account.
Carry as much cash as you need, but ensure you have a plan in place in case it is lost or stolen. Traveling with a backup payment source is a good idea, especially if there aren’t any ATMs nearby.
Additionally, if you can leave extra money in another location (such as at your hotel), this can save you in the event of any unexpected losses.
2. Carry A Backup Credit Card
Few things are more stressful than being in a new city, but not having a working credit card.
By no fault of your own, credit cards can become lost or stolen while you’re traveling. From having it physically taken to having the number skimmed at a gas station, this is always a risk – and it can happen at no fault of your own.
Because you won’t be able to withdrawal money at a bank account you’re not a customer of, it helps to have a backup credit card on hand in case of emergencies.
Tip:Â Credit cards are safer for traveling than debit cards. It is much easier to recover funds if a credit card is stolen, than a debit card.
3. Utilize Apple Pay
Even if you don’t have access to your bank, you can still get cash back using Apple Pay.
A surprisingly large number of stores allow you to get cash back when you pay using Apple Pay, and the list of stores is only continuing to grow.
In addition to cash back, Apple Pay also helps to keep your cards safe. Because it is a fully contactless payment option and you don’t even need to have your physical card with you, it is much harder for criminals and other scammers to steal your credit or debit card number, leaving you without a working card.
By using Apple Pay, you keep your cards safe, while also giving you an option to withdrawal money without even needing to visit an ATM!
Conclusion
Unfortunately, you are unable to withdrawal money at a bank that isn’t yours. You must be a customer of that bank in order to withdrawal any money.
However, many banks have an ATM inside that you are free to use.
I hope that you’ve found this article helpful. If you have any other questions about personal finance, please ask them using the comment form below.
Wishing you the best,
– James McAllister