How much can banks charge us for a transfer?

It is one of the operations most used by customers to make payments or to send money from one account to another

Bank transfers, one of the operations most used by customers

Along with direct debits, bank transfers are one of the operations most used by bank customers to make payments or to send money from one account to another. However, this operation is not always free. According to the quick guide on bank transfers published by the financial comparator HelpMyCash.com, Spanish consumers can expect to pay a minimum commission of up to 18 euros depending on the entity that we choose to carry out a national or SEPA transfer (within the Single Zone of Payments in Euros). For this reason, the choice of an account without commissions to issue a transfer can be decisive.

Are there accounts that allow free transfers?

According to the financial portal HelpMyCash.com, CatalunyaCaixa is one of the banking entities that charges its clients a higher commission for national transfers and SEPA, which reaches 0.60% on the amount to be transferred with a minimum of 18 euros. Next to the bank of Catalan origin, there would be Banco Sabadell (0.45% with a minimum of 4.50 euros), Banco Santander (0.40% with a minimum of 6 euros) and Cajamar (0.40% with a minimum of 4 euros). Regarding the rest of the main banks, Bankia , CaixaBank and Popular customers can pay a transfer fee of 0.30% on the total amount issued with a minimum of 3 euros and those of BBVA , 0.25% with a minimum of 2.25 euros.

If for personal or professional reasons we usually resort to bank transfers to send money and we do not want to pay for this operation , the financial portal HelpMyCash.com recommends opening an account without fees , even in one of the previous banks, that allows us to make money transfers without cost, and also does not require any linkage.

3 accounts with free transfers

BBVA Online Account: in addition to free national and SEPA transfers, this current account stands out for allowing its holders to make cash withdrawals without costs from approximately 6,000 automatic distributors located in numerous points of the Spanish geography. Also, and in the case of being a new customer of the entity, we can access a debit card completely free .

Current account of imaginBank: among the most relevant advantages of this 100% mobile account , the possibility of withdrawing cash from a wide network of CaixaBank ATMs distributed throughout Spain and in any terminal in the euro zone are of special interest , as well as obtaining a debit card with contactless technology . All this completely free. In addition, the current account sold by CaixaBank’s mobile brand allows its customers to access a complete program of discounts and experiences . At present, imaginBank has a valid offer for all those new customers who open the account and enter a minimum amount of 250 euros per month, which can get interesting gifts: a bluetooth headset , an activity wristband or a subscription to the television platform Netflix for 3 months .

Operational Current Account of Openbank: in addition to having the support and solvency of Banco Santander, this current account allows its holders to access numerous free financial services, as is the case of national and SEPA transfers, debit and credit cards or the reimbursement of cash from Banco Santander ATMs , among others.

And what about the cost of international transfers?

According to the study prepared by the financial comparator HelpMyCash.com, the cost of international cross-border transfers (outside the SEPA area) can reach a minimum cost of up to 40 euros. All this without taking into account the commissions derived from the exchange of currencies and the possible intervention of an intermediary bank.

Due to these high rates, more and more banking clients are opting for alternative tools to the bank to carry out international transfers, such as fintech companies for international transfers .

Regarding these companies, HelpMyCash.com states that these are web platforms independent of banks that allow us to send and receive money from one account to another in foreign currency and, at the same time, save us a considerable sum of money.

One of the most consolidated fintech international transfer companies of the moment is TransferWise, which has become a clear example of this type of tools so fast and effective in terms of transfers involving a currency exchange. The key to its success is none other than its 100% online operation, the reduced fees it applies for this operation and a currency exchange closer to that established by the market .

Our daily bank

There was once a society in which rich, less rich and a few poor lived together. It was a society in which everyone prospered, everyone paid taxes (the rich and the poor paid less than the less rich), they all consumed a lot (the rich, the less rich and the poor), they all saved (the rich and the less wealthy) they saved less than the poor) and everyone went on vacation, and they had more than one car, and several phones, and several televisions and, in addition, they also changed their clothes every season and many other things that made them feel prosperous. In that society there were entities called banks, which were dedicated to lend money in exchange for an interest rate. As the money was reproduced in an incredible way, banks began to lend people more money than people asked for, which benefited everyone: Banks because they had a lot of liquidity that they could use to grant large loans to large companies. (especially those who were engaged in the construction business), and the less rich because they could pursue their dream of becoming rich (or, at least, to believe they lived like them). In addition to the banks, some entities called savings banks coexisted with them, which were controlled by politicians, a species that was dedicated to the management of government affairs and, to an increasing extent, to sneak in without dissimulation to benefit their friends.

But one day, without knowing very well why, the money began to run out. The rich, who controlled their finances very well, became very demanding with the security and profitability of their investments, because they did not want to lose their privileged status. The less wealthy suddenly realized that they could not return to the Banks and Savings Banks the money they had borrowed to buy what they wanted and they started to get scared. And the poor saw with joy how their community was more and more numerous.

While this was happening the politicians, who were very busy bossing and holding their position of responsibility, did not know what to do to solve things. And the rich got richer, the poor poorer and the less rich got angry and outraged but, even knowing that they were right in their anger, they did not know how to get out of the quagmire in which they themselves had gotten themselves.

The Savings Banks were converted and became banks, which was something that had many advantages, among others, which were companies that rarely broke because, for some strange reason, politicians, instead of forcing them to do things well, they were saved by injecting money every time it was necessary. There were even cases of Savings Banks sold as a balance in which their managers, at the time of leaving, managed to collect millionaire compensation without anyone doing anything. And this happened at the same time that the less wealthy saw their health suffer because they did not receive the attention they were accustomed to. They even went so far as to see how those who had terminal illnesses had waiting lists to be cured that could cause some, during the wait, to die in the attempt.

And colored red, this story is not over.

Meanwhile, can someone explain to the current president of Extremadura that plugging in less relatives and acquaintances than his previous predecessor does not mean being better, but puts him at the same level of mangoneo and lack of seriousness and honesty? If in addition to enduring an absurd and boring campaign like the one we are going to have, we must continue to see how they tease us, this can end up like the rosary of the aurora.

 

The Congress comes to the weekend without a bank bailout

NEW YORK, USA (Reuters) – Pressure on the US Congress to pass a multi-billion dollar bailout plan grew on Friday after a stalemate in negotiations and the biggest closure of a bank in the country’s history irritated world markets .

President George W. Bush said that although there are disagreements in some parts of the 700 billion dollar rescue plan, it will be finally approved by Congress.

‘We’re going to have an approved package,’ he said in a brief statement at the White House.

Leading US stocks closed higher on Friday on expectations that there will be an agreement before markets reopen on Monday, but strong declines in the week.

Republican and Democratic lawmakers were battling over the plan, while Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson tried to lobby Congress at a time when turbulence in global financial markets has grown stronger.

The spokeswoman of the House of Representatives of the United States, Nancy Pelosi, promised that the Congress will work during the weekend and assured that there is progress, shortly before the closing of the American markets.

‘The markets require a message from our side (…) that we understand that time is important,’ he told reporters.

Although the Democrats control the Congress, they doubt to approve the rescue without the support of all the republicans before the risk of leaving to his party in the heat of electoral campaign.

Just before the Wall Street shutdown, the New York Times reported that Wachovia Corp, the sixth-largest US bank, holds preliminary talks with Citigroup, but there may be no agreement. The Wall Street Journal said there are others interested in the bank.

The titles of Wachovia. They fell on Friday by 36 percent, before closing with a decline of 27 percent.

Financial institutions have been hit by a growing wave of foreclosures and loan defaults, which have generated the worst credit crisis in the United States since the Great Depression of the 1930s.

In Europe, the Belgian-Dutch group Fortis denied that it had liquidity problems, after its shares sank 20 percent to 14-year lows. Subsequently, he dismissed his interim CEO.

The US authorities closed the Washington Mutual savings and loan entity on Thursday and its assets will be sold to JPMorgan Chase.

Banks around the world accumulated cash and showed an increasing resistance to lend money, which caused a rise in interbank interest rates to a record level in London.

“What we will see is the strong strengthen and the weak will die,” said William Smith, president of Smith Asset Management in New York.

World money markets dried up, forcing an increase in cash injections by central banks because the rates for dollar loans remained high, particularly for three-month money.

The stress of the market was aggravated by the proximity of the end of the quarter next week.

FEARS ABOUT ECONOMY

To add fuel to the fire, several US data showed that the growth of the economy during the second quarter was not as strong as previously said because consumer spending increased with less vigor and companies cut back their investments, in a a sign that confidence has waned even before the resurgence of financial turmoil.

The largest bank in Europe, HSBC Holdings, has announced it will cut 1,100 jobs, or 4 percent of its workforce, due to the crisis. This adds to the loss of more than 80,000 jobs in the entire banking sector in the last 18 months.

“The bailout negotiations are souring the enthusiasm that people could have for the market,” said Rick Meckler, president of LibertyView Capital Management in New York. ‘I think without agreement, it will be difficult for the market to move forward’ ..

The credit crisis, which has lasted 13 months, reached its peak this month, when the government took control of mortgage financiers Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, rescued insurer American International Group and investment bank Lehman Brothers. filed for bankruptcy

 

The Government will again lend money to banks to support new entity mergers

• The FROB could be forced to make new debt issues.
• The reactivation of this route also likes the financial sector.
• In the FROB 1 operations that were carried out in 2010, the State loaned a total of 9,674 million euros to a total of seven groups of merged funds. Stock image of the headquarters of the Bank of Spain in Madrid. JORGE PARIS

The financial reform that the government will approve next Friday will contemplate the concession of public “loans” for the entities that participate in the new wave of mergers, according to sources from the financial sector. The Ministry of Economy, according to the same sources, has decided to reactivate a mechanism that already worked in the first steps of the restructuring of the financial sector , at the end of 2009 and 2010, and which is known as the FROB 1.

This mechanism, which was applied for example in the merger that gave rise to BFA-Bankia, BMN and Banca Cívica, among others, will be articulated through the Fund for Ordered Banking Restructuring (FROB), which will buy securities from the merged entity , in specific preferred shares. The entity resulting from the merger that receives these funds is obliged to pay interest for this investment, which will be around 8%.

This option seems to have convinced the team led by the Minister of Economy and Competitiveness, Luis de Guindos, because it is a way to support banking concentration without swelling the public deficit or costing the taxpayer money. Being a financial transaction carried out at market prices, Brussels allows not to be counted as a deficit, but as a debt.

The entity that received the most money was BFA-Bankia, with 4,465 million euros

The reactivation of this route also appeals to the financial sector, especially the entities that have proposed to participate actively in the new round of mergers , but that demanded some kind of public support to address these operations. These entities demanded a way of aid that did not imply the entry of the State into their capital, as it did with the so-called FROB 2, used last year for the rescue of NovaGalicia, Unnim, and CatalunyaCaixa.

In the FROB 1 operations that were carried out in 2010, the State loaned a total of 9,674 million euros to a total of seven groups of merged funds. The entity that received the most money was BFA-Bankia, with 4,465 million euros, followed by CatalunyaCaixa, which received 1,250 million euros, NovaGalicia, with 1,162 million, Banca Cívica with 977 million, Caja España-Duero with 525 million, and Unnim with 380 million.

To address this new round of “loans”, the FROB could be doomed to make new issues of debt , although it has about 5,500 million euros available after the last operations. The Government, with De Guindos at the helm, has defended in recent weeks that one of the objectives of the financial reform is to promote a new wave of bank mergers, in addition to imposing a greater consolidation of the sector with the tightening of provisions of real estate assets .

In this environment, entities with purchasing power have put their attention on the four that are controlled by the State that will be auctioned in the coming months, such as Unnim, Banco de Valencia, CatalunyaCaixa and NovaGalicia. The Bank of Spain “invited” a few weeks ago the rest of the funds that enjoyed the FROB 1, such as BFA-Bankia, Banca Cívica and BMN, to participate actively in this auction process.

This motivated, for example, that the entity chaired by Rodrigo Rato entered the race for Unnim, or that BMN, led by Caja Murcia, showed its interest in growing in the Mediterranean arch with the purchase of Banco de Valencia. If they succeed, these entities will once again be able to enjoy financial support from the State, as happened two years ago, while others, which have not yet participated in the mergers, such as Ibercaja, could now have incentives to do so.

The Government plans to inject money into savings banks with worse solvency

• Zapatero has argued that the pension reform is necessary for investors who want to buy Spanish debt in the long term.
• The Banking Restructuring Fund has offered investors the possibility of making temporary loans to the Savings Banks so that they can be recapitalized.

 The President of the Government, José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, together with José Blanco (center) and Alfredo Pérez Rubalcaba (left) during the meeting in Ferraz. EFE / Ballesteros

The Prime Minister, José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, acknowledged this Saturday before the Barons of the PSOE that the Executive plans to resort to the Fund for Orderly Bank Restructuring (FROB) to recapitalize savings banks , but that this would only intervene directly in the last instance in the Savings Banks that are in a worse situation and that can not access the market to obtain capital, according to several attendees at the meeting.

The FROB itself has presented investors with a brochure in recent days, which proposes as options the possibility of making the Savings Banks temporary loans so that they can recapitalize or even temporarily buy shares in their capital.

Zapatero stressed that Spanish banks have no problems and that it is in the situation of the savings banks where the uncertainty that the markets are showing towards Spain (in particular towards the debt of the financial sector) is concentrated.

The reform of the savings banks has been one of those that Zapatero has explained to the regional presidents, candidates and regional general secretaries of the PSOE in a meeting held at the headquarters of the party in Ferraz. According to the Andalusian José Antonio Griñán, who has reported later in a press conference, in the PSOE there is “one hundred percent consensus” on the need to guarantee the solvency of the Savings Banks and improve their transparency, so that the Savings Banks can go to the market and thus be able to lend money to citizens and entrepreneurs with projects that can create employment.

The meeting of ZP with the barons of the PSOE

In the meeting there have been several barons who have spoken of the situation of the Savings Banks (among them the own Griñán, the Extremaduran Guillermo Fernández Vara and the Valencian Jorge Alarte) to support the restructuring but, also, to emphasize that not all the Savings Banks They are in the same situation and it is good that citizens know who manages them and in what way. The main concern of the regional leaders is to preserve the social work of their respective savings banks.

The barons have seen ZP optimistic about a possible agreement with the unions According to the sources consulted, in his initial intervention Zapatero has made a general analysis of the economic situation , then go on to detail the pension reform and the collective bargaining . In the case of pensions, the president has defended that his reform is necessary in the face of investors who want to buy long-term Spanish debt and who want to see that a system that is a great economic burden for the State is viable.

As for collective bargaining , he stressed that it has been practically intact for 30 years and has pointed to the provincial agreements and the retroactivity of the agreements as aspects that limit flexibility more. On this matter, the barons have supported the reform but have called for the role of social agents to be reinforced , for it to be made clear that collective agreements are the fundamental instrument for setting wages and that unions have a fundamental role in representing Workers.

However, the territorial leaders of the PSOE have said to see a Zapatero determined to make pending economic reforms and optimistic about the possibility of an agreement with the unions , an agreement that would be an important asset and give “tranquility” to the Socialists facing the municipal and autonomic elections of May 22, in the words of one of those consulted.

•  

In these days what makes me feel better is the immersion in nature, in the green and in the flowers {of all kinds}. It will be that spring is so beautiful, delicate and exuberant together. Everything has blossomed and this reminds me how much I love bringing nature into the home.

A few days ago I have two new plants, a white jasmine in full bloom and a succulent rich of “foliage” that looks like a tropical tree. I would like to take a trendy cactus … fashionable? That’s right, to add to the others I already have.

Cactus and succulents (or succulents, as you might prefer) are not easy, easy seedlings of which I initially thought. No, sorry, I do not mean to say that they require particularly laborious and difficult treatments, but precise attentions . I’m experimenting with it day after day in my small way and it’s a therapeutic discovery for me: taking care of plants makes me feel good.

 

 

What I learned about cactuses is that:

• they love the light , so you have to keep them in bright, sunny rooms
• cacti prefer the soil porous type and draining mixed with sand
• during growth the cacti need a fertilized soil {nitrogen and potassium}
• the cacti drink as little as is well known, but beware: just water it a couple of times a month but in abundance; in winter the cacti go into “hibernation” so you have to reduce the supply of water (unfortunately my mistake with cacti and succulents was just to have watered them excessively, making the roots rot)
• they love the outdoors : in summer you can display the cactuses on the windowsills or on the terrace; I’m sorry a bit ‘because I love having them in front of my eyes … but I know that for their health and beauty should be exposed to the open air.

… and a trendy cactus? Yes, because even plants follow our fashions. Have you ever noticed that the flowers of our grandmothers are no longer in the gardens? or that plants were used in our homes that were used in the 70s?

The most trendy cactus of the moment … drum roll … is the columnar cactus . It has a truly remarkable visual impact, what do you think? I like it so much!

And here we are at the final image below {incidentally, you can find the red dresser from Ikea }.
I hope that in these days of celebration you can go out in the air, enjoy a nice time and a lot of nature, maybe letting you escape the purchase of a columnar cactus

I have introduced a beautiful ritual in my life, on Thursday or Friday buying cut flowers to be put on the table. A simple gesture that makes me happy {forcing me to dress and not stay in my pajamas all morning} and makes my home more beautiful. Last week I went to the florist with little money in the wallet, I saw the peonies and I decided to take two. Peony is not just one of my favorite flowers but, for me, it’s also a symbol of spring.

It will be that here in the mountains the beautiful season is struggling to take off and when the peony blooms it means that the sun is high enough in the sky to heat up the Dolomites very well. This is why I did not hesitate to take peonies, because they make spring in my heart.

And as I like it I created my little bouquet by bringing it to the table {last Friday}. Even in the simplicity of everyday objects I leave nothing to chance, especially in the combination of colors. The disharmony disturbs me, makes me uncomfortable like going out with a dress that seems to me I’m not well or that I do not want to wear. It happens to you?

I chose the white cotton tablecloth {a classic to always have} as background, then added the glasses, in the cool colors but the same shade of pink, and the cementine made and painted by hand. It would be to hang on the wall but I prefer to make more uses. In this case I put the bread on top, sometimes it happens to use it as a centerpiece.

Fatality on At {Mine} the challenge between spring bloggers was launched. So I decided it would be nice to participate with a post that represents my real life. Nothing has been prepared specifically for the competition {if you want you can see the various interpretations on Instagram through the hashtag #styleatmine}.
Enjoy!

A peony I make a summer.

 

Even in winter I could not give up floral arrangements. I need to surround myself with color, so that the mood is positive, and that silent and patient life that is proper to plants and flowers. The simple gestures relax me, without too many pretensions and yet so potentially amazing, that the floral world requires. The floral compositions in winter are even easier because made of at least what I have in mind of eucalyptus branches, which has wonderful leaves of a tender green, of red berries and branches to be put into a beautiful vase.

Floral arrangements are the way I have to warm up the winter. Together with scented candles, cinnamon chocolate and Christmas decorations. All this consoles me, I suffer because of the lack of light and the bitter cold of the Dolomites that makes every drop of water freeze. Yet I know that winter has its own beauty and I want to enjoy it. Then eucalyptus, red berries and branches to be inserted into the pots. Edings and editions to be placed on the balcony.

Floral arrangements in winter: 3 ideas for decorating the house

1. The green chaplet to hang

Mom always has one on the door of the house that changes and produces according to the season, I {I’m not so methodical, I’ve only got this year} I have a frugal on the corner cabinet, near the entrance of the kitchen. I like them rich, with flowers, leaves, colors, fruit, but I also love the essential floral compositions , only and always green that create that atmosphere a little decadent and mysterious of winter.

If you want to add a touch of color for your wreath, you can use berries or dried fruit, such as oranges and tangerines, to decorate with the autumn colors decreed by Pantone.

2. Berries and leaves in the ceramic and glass jar

What I love most about flowers is their extreme adaptability. They look good on each one of us, transforming ourselves according to our desires and their beauty does not need superstructures. So the eucalyptus leaves {that do not need anything else next to be beautiful} that we often see in rustic settings are at ease even in a more refined atmosphere.

In the same way the berries : do not be afraid to insert them in elegant rooms, accompanying them to the roses and the right vase will show off a delicacy that you do not expect. Simplicity is beautiful.

Last spring I had written a similar post, but dedicated to spring flowers .

3. The ball with the twig inside

I hope to surprise you as I am surprised by looking at this little ball that I really did not expect among the floral decorations in winter. It’s for sale in the Emily Thompson Flowers shop: there are no indications on how to make it but I think with a little ingenuity we could do it … finding balls with a fairly wide mouth and a flexible branch to apply some berries I think be a fun “do it yourself”.

If you can, I recommend write to me {benedetta@artigianamente.it} so we share the instructions.

Style tips:

it uses only real leaves and leaves, perhaps dried
abolish the fake flowers , of fake at most take the berries
do not exaggerate in quantity better not to turn home into a florist
focus on simplicity, you can not go wrong

 

Winter is a season that can prove to be merciless towards us lovers of the green: the green thumb, in fact, particularly suffers the chilblains of this period of the year denoted by intense cold. Cultivating the passion for the green is not simple: first of all because many plants can not grow in the cold months, and then because the weather conditions make it impossible objectively to care for your garden. However, the last word is not said: we can create a nice green corner at home. Interesting opportunity also from a design and furnishing point of view.

For the outside of my entratina, where there is no shortage of flowers in winter or in summer, I do my shopping twice a year (both to contain costs and for time matters):

• in spring, buying flowers that can withstand, more or less, until the end of summer
• in the fall, buying plants that arrive until the month of March

Over the years, I have experimented with various plants, discovering those most suitable for my corner, in relation to solar exposure, air currents and humidity. Now I know what “risk” when I choose some flowers and what is really resistant.

During these two weeks after the holiday in Puglia I’m trying, to the best of my ability, to live “slow” . Living slowly does not necessarily mean stopping one’s movements and going on at a snail’s pace, instead it means stealing time from the deleterious modern practice of “I want everything immediately” . I enjoy reading design magazines, summer flowers, sunny days and genuine food from my husband’s vegetable garden. I try to relax with my baby.

The concept of slow I always experience it when I’m traveling with my family. The problem is represented by the return home, when the wheel of commitments begins to turn, so fast as to make me feel incapable and, at the end of the daily run, exhausted. Perhaps, however, I have been wrong so far, thinking of having to adapt to this rhythm.

How I was imposed, as if I was not responsible. In reality it also depends on me.

I can slow down if I want it. By simply learning to give me some time and amplifying the concept of “slow” from food (by choosing local products as much as possible) to the environment (despite the high costs I’m trying to use organic detergents) coming to myself. I discovered living the slow dimension through the flowers. In the summer it is easy to find in our gardens (for me, those of my mother and my mother-in-law) and I am taking advantage of it abundantly: I can get a fresh bunch about three times a week.

 

Among the summer flowers there are my favorites, towards the end of June peonies, hydrangeas and English roses at this moment. I take the time to spend in the garden of my mother {the scissors are always resting on the small table in front of the house} I cut the most beautiful and take them to the kitchen. I love this moment, so essential to connect my home with nature. It also makes me live the summer and all of this, thinking about it, is really “slow”. I feel “in season” and I appreciate every flower as a moment in time , aware that in the long winter I will not be available to try to hear them, smell them, memorize their beauty in the eyes.

 

If you love cut flowers, there are simple actions to know to get the maximum yield from your bouquet of flowers . I put them in practice, now I’m a habit that is good for my flowers and myself.

Summer flowers: 5 useful tricks to keep the deck cool

• Remove the paper, the rubber bands and the laces, the leaves under the waterline and any dried or dried buds
• Cut the bias stems at an angle of 45 ° so that they can better absorb the water. Experts suggest that it would be better to cut them under running water to absorb water rather than air.
• It eliminates all the foliage that remains under water, since the bacteria and fungi on the surface, once immersed, could proliferate.
• Keep the styles healthy by adding a few drops of bleach in the water of the vase
• Remove the foliage quickly with this method: wear garden gloves and take a slightly damp cloth; now run the cloth along the stem in speed, starting from top to bottom.

 
Extra advice for hydrangeas: immerse them in hot water {their stalk is hard and the absorption of liquid more difficult, warm water facilitates it} while the flower loves fresh air. With these easy tips your bouquet will have longer life in the vase and you can even put it at the table .