Aweber Bank Charges In The UK

12 replies
Hey all

I just signed up with Aweber using my debit card, and noticed that on top of the $1 fee for the first month, I was charged by my bank, an additional £1.25.

Now think I recall when I signed up with Aweber some years ago with a credit card, there were no such additional charges.

If you live in the UK, how are you bypassing your bank's additional charges?
#aweber #bank #charges
  • Profile picture of the author Richard Tunnah
    Hi,
    I'm afraid pretty much all banks charge a currency exchange fee when using their debit/credit cards. The only way to avoid these charges is to open a USD (United States Dollar) account. However check on fees and what exachnge rate the bank charge when you move monies from your pound account to a USD account.

    Rich
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    • Profile picture of the author Steve Peters Benn
      Use a credit card and you will probably pay less. Honestly thought is £1 ish a month really worth wasting time over, versus growing your business?
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      • Profile picture of the author DireStraits
        Originally Posted by Steve Peters Benn View Post

        Use a credit card and you will probably pay less. Honestly thought is £1 ish a month really worth wasting time over, versus growing your business?
        Unfortunately, I think a lot of credit-cards also charge these currency conversion fees. They're usually just a percentage, of course, whereas I think some debit-cards also sometimes charge a flat fee instead (or in addition?). So you may be right ... but I'm just saying that some additional cost is often unavoidable.

        This is one of the reasons I really love PayPal (although I don't think AWeber accept them?): PayPal usually (always?) does its exchange calculation and debits your account in your local currency, before adding it to your account and submitting payment in the recipient's currency. And there are no fees for the "privilege".

        Shame they don't accept PayPal, then. Though you're right: for the sake of a quid or so per month, it's not really such a big deal?
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        • Profile picture of the author Snow_Predator
          Originally Posted by Richard Tunnah View Post

          Hi,
          I'm afraid pretty much all banks charge a currency exchange fee when using their debit/credit cards. The only way to avoid these charges is to open a USD (United States Dollar) account. However check on fees and what exachnge rate the bank charge when you move monies from your pound account to a USD account.

          Rich
          Thanks Richard.

          Am I able to open a USA dollar account without physically going to the United States to open one?

          The exchange rate shouldn't be a problem, as I can simply get one of my affiliate networks based in the US to put my money directly into my USA bank account. Amazon.com for instance.

          Originally Posted by Steve Peters Benn View Post

          Use a credit card and you will probably pay less. Honestly thought is £1 ish a month really worth wasting time over, versus growing your business?
          You're right. Thus far my ONLY focus has been on how to make more money. I have given little thought to how to save money, which is why I know next to nothing about bank exchange charges and the like.

          As my business grows however, these charges on the side will build up and they will matter a lot more than they do now. Plus the cost of Aweber will go up to $13 per month after the first month, and my bank will hence charge me more than £1.25? Also, I pay for a number of other services in the dollar currency and hence the exchange costs do build up. Richard's suggestion above is something I may therefore consider.

          Originally Posted by mubb View Post

          yes i live in london and i get charged by natwest £1.25 per month.
          Is that just for Aweber?

          Originally Posted by DireStraits View Post

          Unfortunately, I think a lot of credit-cards also charge these currency conversion fees. They're usually just a percentage, of course, whereas I think some debit-cards also sometimes charge a flat fee instead (or in addition?). So you may be right ... but I'm just saying that some additional cost is often unavoidable.

          This is one of the reasons I really love PayPal (although I don't think AWeber accept them?): PayPal usually (always?) does its exchange calculation and debits your account in your local currency, before adding it to your account and submitting payment in the recipient's currency. And there are no fees for the "privilege".

          Shame they don't accept PayPal, then. Though you're right: for the sake of a quid or so per month, it's not really such a big deal?
          Thanks. I didn't know this about Paypal, despite the fact that most of my online payments are made through these guys. So I suppose it would suck to receive money through paypal.
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          • Profile picture of the author Shaun OReilly
            Use a credit card when paying for low dollar amounts
            - especially $1 trials etc.

            My current account is with Halifax and they charge
            £1.50 per transaction.

            So, if I want to purchase a low dollar ebook, etc, then
            I'll use a credit card instead as there's no surcharge (if
            they don't accept PayPal of course).

            For larger dollar amounts, keep an eye on the exchange
            rates because sometimes the credit card rate is worse
            than the debit card rate - and vice versa.

            Note that it's not AWeber making the charge - it's the
            bank for debit card payments and they'll do it for any
            foreign currency transaction.

            Dedicated to mutual success,

            Shaun
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            .

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          • Profile picture of the author HypnoHugh
            Originally Posted by Snow_Predator View Post

            Thanks Richard.

            Am I able to open a USA dollar account without physically going to the United States to open one?
            Yes - I opened one in the UK with Citibank.
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  • Profile picture of the author mubb
    yes i live in london and i get charged by natwest £1.25 per month.
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  • Profile picture of the author Richard Tunnah
    Most banks offer US dollar denominated account. So no need to go anywhere but maybe call into your local bank.

    Rich
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  • Profile picture of the author Istvan Horvath
    Opening an account in a US bank...
    OR
    opening a US-dollar account at your (existing) bank in your country...

    ...are two different things!
    It seems you mixed them up
    Signature

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  • Profile picture of the author David_Thompson
    That is weird I live in Sweden and uses my visa card
    and never seen my bank add any additional charges
    to my international payments...

    You need to talk to your bank and find out what's going on.

    --David
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    JV partnership wanted, Lets grow your list for free. Nothing to do with giveaways. PM Now
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    • Profile picture of the author Richard Tunnah
      Originally Posted by David_Thompson View Post

      That is weird I live in Sweden and uses my visa card
      and never seen my bank add any additional charges
      to my international payments...

      You need to talk to your bank and find out what's going on.

      --David
      Hi David,
      It's pretty standard to charge a fee by UK banks. The fee varies a little from bank to bank. The UK banks explain it by the fact that their standard bank accounts are free...they just hit you with charges everywhere! Whereas my Spanish bank charge a quarterly fee as standard but a lot of these fees don't exist.

      Rich
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  • Profile picture of the author CheapTrafficDude
    Looks like a 25% conversion rate on your bank's end, unfortunately, aWeber doesn't have any other way to pay but fortunately, you can get TrafficWave that would allow you to pay with AlertPay which is something like PayPal. Since the UK pound is worth more than the USD, you'd actually be paying less than those of us in North America do!
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