I didn’t realize the Canadian laws worked that way. I can’t imagine not having an address in my country of citizenship for stuff like this, though. I thought every expat did. You don’t need to be on good terms with your parents, just one friend or family member, or use a service.
I agree you need a card with no international fees. I just didn’t realize a Taiwanese card was your only option. I figured US and Canadian cards were more similar than they appear to be.
My US credit card (Visa) works just fine at supermarkets, restaurants (those that accept credit cards), and my hospital.
I do realize, of course, that there are more places in Taiwan than in the West that don’t take any credit cards, so I carry more cash here than I would elsewhere. I also find the EZ Card to be convenient for things like convenience stores. I’ve yet to be in a situation where I needed a local credit card, though.
I don’t know if it’s a law per se, but definitely bank policy.
Not everyone has a place to go to. Even myself I am not speaking to one of my parents. I am fortunate in this way that I have at least one parent that keeps my licence and CC at her address. Some people grow up in bad conditions. I think you and I would agree paying rent for a place you don’t live in would be a pretty crap use of money for the privilege of owning a CC.
And again, services cost money. This is why I fight as hard as I can for foreigners rights in Taiwan. For us. The more we can save, the more we can invest in our lives and make us richer and have better lives.
Banking and Transportation are the two most important factors towards social mobility.
I grew up more-fortunate in a particularly low-income part of Ontario. I know people with shit families. Taiwan is a literal upgrade in quality of life for people from my neck of the woods.
Buying on online shops here, you cannot use those cards or they will be capped at 3,000 NTD purchases max. Try buying a laptop with your card and let me know how it goes.
You need to find certain shops and you can’t take advantage of promotions or financing.
I hope I never have to buy a laptop in Taiwan, but if I do I’m pretty sure the Apple Store will take my card. If they don’t, I’ll survive the walk to the nearest ATM and back.
Financing on a laptop? That sounds like a really poor financial decision.
Financing with 0% interest is a no-brainer in my book, it also builds decent credit locally since you show you can repay responsibly. This month I’m paying the last payment on my iPhone, 2,990 every month for a year with 0% interest, I didn’t have to take out 35k from the ATM or change any of my monthly saving/spending habits.
Also, some people might be broke and all they can do is finance a laptop and start an online business. I would think that would be a great financial decision.
For some people, it’s their only option. They get trapped in the poor tax. Being poor is expensive. That’s why I scoff at such unnecessary fees even if they are as low as $300. (Yes, I mean TWD). I don’t want to fall into that trap.
Believe me, I know. I’ve been poor! If I was poor I wouldn’t want to use a credit card at all, unless it was to have on hand for emergencies only, and I sure wouldn’t be buying a new laptop on credit. I also probably wouldn’t move overseas, and if I did, international banking would be irrelevant to me since I wouldn’t have funds to put anywhere anyway.
Certainly. But we must look at all scenarios. Laptops are useful towards things like education.
Gaming laptop? No. Work laptop? Obviously I support all that helps people improve their situation.
That’s the thing. Conditions are even worse in Northern Ontario communities, where the ONLY jobs are minimum wage even with an education. This is where becoming an English teacher overseas becomes appealing for some. Up to triple the wage in a country where you can live next to a major metropolitan centre and good transport for half the cost.
In Toronto. You don’t just live in Toronto, or just outside Toronto. You live in the Yilans 100 km away if you have any hope of affording a rent/house.
Taipei’s nice because you CAN live in the suburbs really nicely and afford it.
I don’t know anyone here that commutes daily to Taipei from Yilan.
It’s a great local card function.
I have various cards and when I want to finance a big purchase I ask which bank will give me the best deal… I often find 1 or 2% rate for 6 month offers all the time
They are usually 0% interest from retailers. The only time I’ve payed interest (I think was 1.xx%) was when I bought my dog 6 years ago and it was because I swiped the card without asking for the financing and asked the CC company afterwards to let me pay in installments.
My manager bought his iPhone off PChome financed in 24 monthly payments 0% interest.
That is a good deal if you need a small loan-- certainly much better than borrowing on US credit cards. My primary reason for using a credit card instead of cash or debit card is to save 3-4%, though, not to pay 1-2%. I just don’t see those kinds of perks from Taiwanese cards.
Wait, we do?! Where? Is this the new theater complex out past Carrefour? Drove by there once and it seemed a bizarre location.
It’s in that stupid mall. The only bus that goes to it is the R51 seemingly. Stupid bus only comes once an hour.
Same one as the cinema? I’ve never been inside so don’t even know if it’s a mall.
Bizarre stealth malls out here. There’s that one on the waterfront, near Hobe Fort; I always thought it was a hotel and had no idea there was a cinema or shops inside, despite walking past it countless times.
Yea. It has two storeys. It’s in the upper storey.
Huh, thanks. Will take the scooter out there again once the weather warms up a bit. I do like walking, but that place is far away through dull walking territory.
Sorry all for going way off topic!
Not a big issue, but on my Citibank card the installment payment options don’t get airmile points, so that’s a drawback.
Bummed me out a few years ago when we spent a fortune on air conditioners and used a 0% installment plan that I didn’t need to do. No points for the biggest purchase of the year darn it!
Not that the points aren’t a bit of a con anyway.
Oh yeah I’ve done that too with my cell phone purchase.
The low interest split payments I use for things that are not Taiwan retail based such as vacations that I buy cheaper online on Expedia and don’t want to pay all at once. Those are not 0% as they don’t have an agreement with the bank. But 6 payments at 1% work for me for cash flow reasons
That is true, I forgot about that. What I usually do is, I buy my personal phone or tablet using the 0% interest, bigger purchases I use the miles card and regular day-to-day I use the cash back card.