# Good trustworthy bank on the costa del sol



## markbrin1984 (Feb 5, 2013)

Hi could anyone recommend a bank for my wages to get paid into. Il be moving to Spain in August around the Elviria region.


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## expatmat (Feb 12, 2013)

A non Spanish one!


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## gus-lopez (Jan 4, 2010)

Good ,trustworthy, bank

There's three words I never thought I'd see in one sentence! :rofl:
I'm with La Caixa. One of the top 3. If that says anything.
I don't have a problem with mine but it is well to remember that each branch is only as good as whoever is working there. Even branches of the same bank can & do have different charges .


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## Leper (May 12, 2010)

markbrin1984 said:


> Hi could anyone recommend a bank for my wages to get paid into. Il be moving to Spain in August around the Elviria region.


Just read the above, nearly spewed up my breakfast - Most Naïve Post of the Year, sorry of the decade -Trustworthy Bank in Spain? - Forget it. If your employers are based in the UK have them pay your wages into a bank in the UK and use plastic to withdraw in Spain.

About 4 years ago we got an escorted tour of the financial district in Barcelona and the tour guide informed us that banks in Spain were as solid as granite and to just look at their magnificent and opulent buildings. The Irish contingent on the bus (including me) were nearly rolling in the aisle laughing and guffawing.

Trustworthy banks in Spain if reported in the Beano or Dandy - Sniggers, Guffaws . . .


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## markbrin1984 (Feb 5, 2013)

Ok

Getting paid into my uk bank then drawing money out in Spain and pay upto 4% intrest over the course of a year you must be wasting a lot of money.


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

Leper said:


> Just read the above, nearly spewed up my breakfast - Most Naïve Post of the Year, sorry of the decade -Trustworthy Bank in Spain? - Forget it. If your employers are based in the UK have them pay your wages into a bank in the UK and use plastic to withdraw in Spain.
> 
> About 4 years ago we got an escorted tour of the financial district in Barcelona and the tour guide informed us that banks in Spain were as solid as granite and to just look at their magnificent and opulent buildings. The Irish contingent on the bus (including me) were nearly rolling in the aisle laughing and guffawing.
> 
> Trustworthy banks in Spain if reported in the Beano or Dandy - Sniggers, Guffaws . . .


that would be a problem when he comes to register as resident

he has to have an income shown into a Spanish bank


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## Leper (May 12, 2010)

xabiachica said:


> that would be a problem when he comes to register as resident
> 
> he has to have an income shown into a Spanish bank


You're right and nothing other than Spanish Government Blackmail obtains. It is only a matter of time before the banking system in Spain goes Belly-Up - Ask anybody in Ireland?


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## 213979 (Apr 11, 2013)

Ok, so Leper, what should we expect? 
I just got out of La Caixa to Santander... Oh, Spain.


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## Leper (May 12, 2010)

elenetxu said:


> Ok, so Leper, what should we expect?
> I just got out of La Caixa to Santander... Oh, Spain.


Just expect the worst and if anything less happens you won't be disappointed.


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## thrax (Nov 13, 2008)

Santander, Cajamar and La Caixa as safe as any here...


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## country boy (Mar 10, 2010)

Caja Rural...works for us, nice little bank. Never mentioned in the press, just gets on with Banking. They usually have an English speaker in each branch.

Caja Rural de Granada


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## markbrin1984 (Feb 5, 2013)

Thanks country boy

That's the sort of reply I was looking for, it seems to me there is a lot of people (ex pats). That live in Spain and haven't got a good word to say about the place.


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## thrax (Nov 13, 2008)

I love it here, no plans to return to UK ever!!


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

country boy said:


> Caja Rural...works for us, nice little bank. Never mentioned in the press, just gets on with Banking. They usually have an English speaker in each branch.
> 
> Caja Rural de Granada


yep - that's my bank

never had a problem with them!


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## markbrin1984 (Feb 5, 2013)

Thrax, that's exactly how I feel.


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## expatmat (Feb 12, 2013)

xabiachica said:


> that would be a problem when he comes to register as resident
> 
> he has to have an income shown into a Spanish bank


It must be a regional thing but I didn't have to show any income to get residencia, just funds in the bank


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

expatmat said:


> It must be a regional thing but I didn't have to show any income to get residencia, just funds in the bank


a Spanish or an English one?


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## expatmat (Feb 12, 2013)

Leper said:


> Just expect the worst and if anything less happens you won't be disappointed.


Agreed, being prepared is the best policy here. You have to be crazy to have your money in Spain right now. 

Be smart. Get your money out of Spain into a solvent jurisdiction that respects privacy. Draw down only a living balance to your Spanish account. This may cost extra in transfer fees but think of it as an insurance against the banksters and their government stooges.


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

markbrin1984 said:


> That's the sort of reply I was looking for, it seems to me there is a lot of people (ex pats). That live in Spain and haven't got a good word to say about the place.


They are usually the ones who did no research into what they wanted or where they were going before just dropping onto the doorstep with no job, no money, no income, no back-up, no hope, no nothing, nix, nada. They probably think they can just "go on the social" (which is likely what they were doing back where they came from) while they lounge around either on the beach or in a some bar. Fortunately, they don't usually last very long and go back with their tails between their legs. Most of us who are long-term residents did it right and are quite content (some *very* content) with our lot in Spain. We don't necessarily call ourselves "expat" a term more appropriate to those who only intend being here temporarily whereas we permanent residents are "Immigrants"!


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## Guest (Apr 13, 2013)

I'm looking at Triodos Bank. They're based in Holland. They are just beginning to open up branches in major cities in Spain. The upside for me is that their focus has been online banking which I find useful for international deposits/transfers. I do almost all my banking online now, with a small monthly withdrawal at an ATM that has no service charge. I'm just waiting to finalize my residency status before I move everything over here.

Any commentary on Triodos is most welcome as banking these days is so fraught with the possibility of financial loss.


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## Jumar (Mar 14, 2012)

markbrin1984 said:


> Thanks country boy
> 
> That's the sort of reply I was looking for, it seems to me there is a lot of people (ex pats). That live in Spain and haven't got a good word to say about the place.


There is a world of difference between your day to day life in Spain and the Spanish people you mix with and the bureaucratic offices that you have to deal with. There is no comparison between the two (in our experience).


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

jaws101 said:


> There is a world of difference between your day to day life in Spain and the Spanish people you mix with and the bureaucratic offices that you have to deal with. There is no comparison between the two (in our experience).


really??

my day to day life is _exactly _the same as for the Spanish working mums I know

& my girls have the same life as their friends


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## 213979 (Apr 11, 2013)

xabiachica said:


> really??
> 
> my day to day life is _exactly _the same as for the Spanish working mums I know
> 
> & my girls have the same life as their friends


Same here. I just speak with an accent.


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

elenetxu said:


> Same here. I just speak with an accent.



me too 


people who don't know me can never quite work out where from though


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

jaws101 said:


> There is a world of difference between your day to day life in Spain and the Spanish people you mix with and the bureaucratic offices that you have to deal with. There is no comparison between the two (in our experience).


Not wishing to put words in jaws's mouth (!!) I think what s/he meant was that the people you mix with on an everyday basis are "different" to the people you meet in bureaucratic situations...


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## 213979 (Apr 11, 2013)

xabiachica said:


> me too
> 
> 
> people who don't know me can never quite work out where from though


I get British, German, French (!?!) but never American.


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## Jumar (Mar 14, 2012)

Pesky Wesky said:


> Not wishing to put words in jaws's mouth (!!) I think what s/he meant was that the people you mix with on an everyday basis are "different" to the people you meet in bureaucratic situations...


Thanks Pesky Wesky.

Sorry I didn´t make myself clear. I do mean that we have absolutely no problems with the Spanish people except when dealing with the bureacracy. AND some expats only ever deal with the bureaucratic people and have hardly any contact with the normal, friendly, lovely Spanish people and this is why they have a downer on Spain and the Spanish.

Hope this is clearer.


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

xabiachica said:


> me too
> 
> 
> people who don't know me can never quite work out where from though


SWMBO has the same problem, having been brought up bilingually by American and Colombian parents who then sent her to a French school. After studying in Madrid she worked for a Colombian TV station doing the international news in close collaboration with the BBC. Then she married me and spent 18 years in UK. At best, one could say she has a neutral accent.

The Suegra speaks Spanish with a mixed Mexican/Texan but otherwise neutral accent.

My Spanish has a slight Colombian accent but I tend to speak Andalu' rather than Castilian.


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## Guest (Apr 13, 2013)

elenetxu said:


> I get British, German, French (!?!) but never American.


Me too... never american, but when I explain where I'm from I say "born and raised in San Francisco... it's another country".


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## xgarb (May 6, 2011)

markbrin1984 said:


> Hi could anyone recommend a bank for my wages to get paid into. Il be moving to Spain in August around the Elviria region.


Sabadell are very expat focussed with multi-lingual staff..

https://www.bancsabadell.com/cs/Sat...y-account-without-bank-fees/1191346505022/en/


and/or a Metro account in the UK as they offer free cash withdrawals abroad..

https://www.metrobankonline.co.uk/


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## thomas541 (Jul 7, 2013)

important topic
in light of what is happening (it's NOT over) with ... Bankia
or the Cyprus situation (were foreigners (well ok most were dirty money russian acccounts lol) saw their accounts frozen and taxed).
Spanish banking situation is NOT out of the wood...

so what about Deutsche Bank or Barcley's in Spain vs Spanish banks?

also imagine what could happen should Spain leave euro... run on banks?
all accounts frozen ? very bad sudden conversion to the new peseta at 50% that could lose another 50% after ?...

in this context having your assets in a non spanish bank might be wiser
and not all in Spain. Gibraltar ? but maybe banks there have minimum amount requirements to open an account ?

important question/topic....


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

thomas541 said:


> important topic
> in light of what is happening (it's NOT over) with ... Bankia
> or the Cyprus situation (were foreigners (well ok most were dirty money russian acccounts lol) saw their accounts frozen and taxed).
> Spanish banking situation is NOT out of the wood...
> ...


if you use the search function you'll see that it's been discussed before............ ad nauseum.....


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## David1979 (Feb 15, 2013)

I've went with Santander. It's close, it has English speaking staff who have been very helpful, and the waiting times aren't chronic (from what I've experienced).


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