subject: Educate Your Relative About Using Prepaid Debit Cards Before You Transfer Money To Brazil [print this page] The card is typically used to access money via an ATM, so ensuring that there are plenty of ATMs near your relative is the first step. Just like any other country, the largest cities in Brazil offer lots of ATMs. This means that if your relative has access to Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Salvador, or Brasilia, to name a few of the larger cities, they will probably be able to find ATMs easily. Though the charge for using ATMs differs, most of them charge anywhere from 6.50 to 10 Reais for the convenience of exchanging U.S. dollars into the Brazilian currency of the Real.
Additionally, most ATMs are open limited hours, typically from 6 am to 10 pm. Though of course 24-hour ATMs would be helpful like in many other countries, having limited hours makes it safer to access money, and still offers plenty of time to do so. There are standalone ATMs, but many are attached to HSBC, Banco de Brasil, and Citibank. Your relative should be aware that though most accept cards from anywhere, some in smaller cities only accept debit cards based in Brazil. In addition, it is important to know that the daily limit for most ATMs is about 1000 Reais per day, and any ATMs open past 10 pm will only give out 100 Reais at that time.
Most shops in Brazil accept major credit and debit cards, so it is helpful to have one here. However, some stores only accept those that are based in Brazil, so an international debit card might not work. For this reason, carrying some Reais is advised, which you should let your relative know before you transfer money to Brazil.
Prepaid debit cards are becoming increasingly popular as more ATMs are developed, and more people start to depend on them. Your relative can use the card online to purchase products, or they can simply withdraw cash when they need to pay bills or buy products in-person. Of course, some merchants do accept cards, but it is not usually advised that they depend on this convenience. The best way to transfer money to Brazil successfully is to make sure your relative know these facts.
