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08-August-2008
Investment Consultants
To join Obelisk’s fast-paced, dynamic telesales team. Full Spanish contract, working hours Monday to Friday, central Marbella location, career progression and excellent rewards for hard working individuals.
Money Matters - Banks and Foreign Currency
Money Matters when Working in Spain
A major concern when working overseas is money matters and below is a short guide to Spanish currency and Spanish banks.
As part of the Obelisk commitment to helping you make a good start to your career in Spain, the H.R. Department is happy to assist you with any of the following matters.
Currency
Along with 15 other EU countries, Spain's currency is the Euro (€1= 100 cents). Euro banknotes are printed in denominations of €5, €10, €20, €50, €100, €200 and €500. Euro coins are 1, 2, 5, 10, 20 and 50 cents and €1 and €2.
Many shops do not accept €200 and €500 notes for security reasons. If you are travelling on local buses, drivers rarely give change for notes over €10.
Banks
For those working in Spain, there are numerous banks to choose from - many are situated near Obelisk offices - and several are affiliated to UK banks (although their banking systems conform to Spanish banking regulations). These are: Barclays, Halifax and Lloyds TSB.
Most banks on the Costa del Sol have employees who speak English and many offer extensive ex-pat services. All banks offer internet and telephone banking and several have English-language version websites. Solbank and Banesto are popular with foreigners who work in Spain.
Bank opening hours are usually 8.30am to 2pm (banks are closed in the afternoon). Banks open on Saturday mornings 8.30am to 1pm from 1st October to 31st March.
Opening an Account
If you have a job in Spain, opening a bank account is essential and this is a straightforward process. Simply go along to the bank of your choice with your passport, N.I.E. and proof of your address in Spain.
Credit Cards
Most businesses and shops accept credit cards and the most widely accepted are Visa and Mastercard. American Express and Diners Club are not as common - check before you buy. When you buy with a credit card, you will need to show your passport or driving licence as proof of identity. There are very few chip and PIN machines in Spain.
Theft or Loss of Credit Cards
While working abroad, you may be unfortunate enough to lose your credit cards or have them stolen. The following list provides telephone numbers for the main credit cards in Spain and UK bank numbers. You should contact the credit card company or your UK bank as soon as possible after the loss or theft of a credit card. If you are the victim of a crime of any kind, you must report it at the local police station. This is called making a denuncia and is exactly the same as reporting a crime to the police in the UK. You will need a copy of your denuncia for any insurance claims or to replace any official documents that have been stolen.
American Express - Tel: 902 375 637
Diners Club - Tel: 902 401 112
Mastercard - Tel: 900 971 231
Visa - Tel: 900 991 124
UK Bank Numbers
Abbey National - Tel: (00 44) 1908 237 963
Bank of Scotland - Tel: (00 44) 1133 809 574
Barclays Bank - Tel: (00 44) 1904 544 666
First Direct - Tel: (00 44) 1132 345 678
Halifax - Tel: (00 44) 1133 809 574
Lloyds TSB - Tel: (00 44) 1702 278 270
Nationwide - Tel: (00 44) 2476 438 996
Natwest - Tel: (00 44) 1423 700 545
Royal Bank of Scotland - Tel: (00 44) 1268 298 929