Alexandra

Kristina

Sophie

Sophie Cairns

Mathilde

Norris

Alex

Mihnea

Karolina

Melissa

Monica

Monica S

Mathilde B

Marina

Marina H

Mulenga

Mulenga Agley

Alex McFarlane

Gabby

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We're with you on the go (Global Image)

Loren

It’s bright, relaxed and colourful &mdash; and therefore it’s no surprise that more and more people are looking to relocate to Lisbon. Whether you’ve been there before or haven’t, you’ve undoubtedly heard speak of the kind locals, fresh seafood and great weather. But before buying your one-way ticket, there are essential things to know and consider to help make your new start in Portugal as smooth as possible.

From applying for a visa to setting up an account in Lisbon, Monesers working out of our Lisbon office (many of whom are foreigners themselves) share their insight to help you on your exciting expat adventure.

### Fast facts
- Lisbon is one of the oldest cities in the world &mdash; older than Paris, London, and Rome.
- It hasn’t always been the Portuguese capital. Before Lisbon came Guimarães, Coimbra... and Rio de Janeiro! 
- The city was subject to one of the deadliest earthquakes in history: the Great Lisbon earthquake of 1755. 
- The timezone in Lisbon is Western European Standard Time (WET), same timezone as the UK. 
- Lisbon has a subtropical, typical Mediterranean climate, with an average annual daytime temperature of more than 20°C!

### Cost of living
![Lisbon-1-324](//images.ctfassets.net/96dxy75w1gjr/6vAsX8JqlXyrCp15vvwJ8X/08a75372d9ff5cc9bb49365f1c3a5f53/Lisbon-1-324.jpg)

It’s crucial to have a general sense of what the [cost of living](https://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living/in/Lisbon) is like in Lisbon before moving. This way, you know how much to save and budget for before jetting off. Lisbon is known for being an ideal tourist and expat destination thanks to its rather low prices. For example, you can get an espresso (colloquially known as a *bica* in Lisbon) for less than €1 and a nice meal for two for around €35. That’s two times less than what you’d typically pay in London or Paris. But while cheap, you must also remember that the average salary in Lisbon is just €860. 

![Lisbon Table](//images.ctfassets.net/96dxy75w1gjr/4oigKwEI61MgsPAQWiQfMI/ebec2d36d71b721f9923635ba990dece/Lisbon_Table.png)

Björn from Sweden: “An awesome trick to reduce your costs is to buy groceries during promotions and discounts. Every week, various supermarkets offer different promotions with up to 50% discount, so be on the lookout for those”.

### Apply for a visa
You’ll first need to check if you need a visa to move to Lisbon. Portugal is a member state of the European Union (EU) and the European Economic Area (EEA). This means all EU/EEA nationals are welcome to enter the country with only their national ID cards. You will, however, need a residence certificate if you’re planning to stay longer than three months. 

Additionally, the country’s immigration policy also includes several international agreements with non-EU countries such as Australia, Brazil, Canada and the US. These agreements allow citizens from these countries to enter and stay in Portugal for up to 90 days. If you don’t come from one of the countries with an agreement, you’ll most likely need a residence visa and, depending on your situation, other [documents](https://gotoportugal.eu/en/visa-to-portugal/), including: 

- an acceptance letter from educational institute if you want to study in Lisbon 
- a contract of employment if you’re going to work or conduct research in Lisbon

Marina from Brazil: “I came to Lisbon on a student visa first. Once I found a job with a working contract, I became eligible for a residence permit. To apply for your visa or residence permit, be organised well in advance with the documents you’ll need to present at [SEF](https://www.sef.pt/pt/Pages/homepage.aspx), Portugal’s immigration service. You’ll want to book your appointment at SEF as early as possible as slots fill up fairly quickly”.

### Get a NIF 

If you’re planning on living and working in Lisbon, one of the first things you’ll need to obtain is a NIF. This is a tax identification number which you will need to legally work, rent an apartment, pay utility bills or even get a phone subscription. You’ll need to go to the nearest [Finanças](https://www.portaldasfinancas.gov.pt/at/html/index.html) with your ID and proof of address (either from Portugal or your home country). Keep in mind that if you’re deemed a non-resident or from outside the EU, you’ll likely need to appoint a fiscal representative who you should bring with you. After you successfully get your NIF, you’ll be able to start enjoying the benefits of being an officially recognised taxpayer in Portugal. 

Melissa (your humble author) from Canada: “After obtaining your NIF, be sure to apply for the non-habitual resident tax regime on the *Finanças* online portal if eligible. Highly skilled expats can receive a flat 20% income tax rate for ten years! Be sure to apply on time as well. You have until March 31”.

### Find housing
![Lisbon-19-resized](//images.ctfassets.net/96dxy75w1gjr/7DTzkP1zWodyFC6mdvOEz6/1ff678e638d9f1e8c0ed98150206b914/Lisbon-19-resized.jpg)

Lisbon is one of the most popular destinations for expats. With a surge of tourists and foreign investors, it’ll be tricky to find long-term accommodation straight away. This is true not only in the city centre, but the suburbs as well. With that in mind, you might want to book a short-term rental for the first several weeks of your stay. This way, you can start looking for a more permanent apartment once you’ve arrived in Lisbon and have had a chance to visit places in person. 

Many estate agents and private landlords operate on a first-come, first-served basis. To help with your search, try popular websites such as [imovirtual](https://www.imovirtual.com/), [Casa Sapo](https://casa.sapo.pt/), [Idealista](https://www.idealista.com/) or [BQuarto](https://www.bquarto.pt/) as well as Facebook groups. Don’t be shy about calling instead of emailing! Be aware that fraudsters and scammers have also been trying to capitalise on the popularity of the Portuguese city. Therefore, proceed with caution and be wary of anything that seems too good to be true.

Mathilde from France: “Living in the Portuguese capital is lovely but be prepared for a cold house during winter months. Most apartments in Lisbon don’t have heaters, so adjusting to a cold house is something that newcomers may find difficult. In the end, I did manage to convince my landlord to get me an air conditioner that doubles as a heater, so it’s worth asking”!

### Work in Lisbon
While finding an apartment may be difficult, landing a job shouldn’t be! Lisbon has been one of the most popular and fastest-growing tech hubs over the past several years. It’s no surprise many startups decide to make the Portuguese capital home to their headquarters. Along with Facebook groups and [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/), there are plenty of other sites listing job openings: 

[Indeed](https://www.indeed.pt/ofertas?q=&l=Lisboa%2C+Distrito+de+Lisboa)
[Glassdoor](https://www.glassdoor.com/Job/lisbon-jobs-SRCH_IL.0,6_IC3192045.htm)
[Emprego Sapo](http://emprego.sapo.pt/emprego/ofertas.htm/pais/portugal/distrito/lisboa)
[Startup Lisboa](https://www.startuplisboa.com/jobs)

We wouldn’t mind if you had a look at our own job listings [here](https://careers.monese.com/jobs). Apply to one of the open positions at Monese and join us on our mission to give people the financial freedom to thrive anywhere!

If you are a digital nomad or entrepreneur and need a place to work remotely - fear not. As a well-established business hub, you’ll find several comfortable spaces to work around Lisbon. You can choose between several [lovely cafes](https://wearetravelgirls.com/lisbon-best-coworking-cafes/) or [coworking spaces](https://beportugal.com/cowork-in-lisbon/). Take time to visit a few places to see what suits you best! Working around the city can also help you meet new people and build a professional network faster.

### Set up an account
![Lisbon-3-578](//images.ctfassets.net/96dxy75w1gjr/5PFdzFqudu7TO2tYj8JZXt/56d72f8054454c6fc81aaa3d2a7e4f13/Lisbon-3-578.jpg)

Your local bank account might turn out to be less cost-effective during your stay in Lisbon simply because many banks charge you for maintaining an account. So what can you do if you do need a bank account and somewhere safe to keep your money? Join Monese! With Monese, you can easily open an account even before you move, provided you’re moving from another EEA country. This way you don’t need to carry excess amounts of cash with you. With Monese, you can receive your salary, use it to pay both online and in-store and send money back home. If family members and friends join Monese, they’ll receive fee-free transfers from you instantly and vice versa!

<div data-comp="signup"></div>

Karolina from Poland: “Opening an account with a traditional Portuguese bank was a challenge for me. There were a lot of documents I needed to provide them with, including proof of employment, a NIF plus a €200 deposit to even open an account. Monese was the easiest and best solution for me”!

### Getting around
![Lisbon-4](//images.ctfassets.net/96dxy75w1gjr/26yXl0PW0ERrhQ9li1LlT9/f3b28ef3978c818cc7b8f174f09427ef/Lisbon-4.jpg)

No matter if you’re lucky enough to find an apartment in the city centre or something in the suburbs, you likely won’t need a car. Streets in Lisbon are both incredibly challenging to drive on and crowded anyway due to them being quite narrow. Luckily, public transportation is well-developed, which makes commuting to work easy and convenient, even if you live on the other side of the river or on the outskirts. You can choose from several metro lines, buses, trains, as well as ferries and trams. We do recommend leaving the latter for tourists as trams can get considerably crowded. You can use the same monthly pass to commute to work each morning and get to the beach on the weekend!

### Make friends
Leaving loved ones behind is never easy, and being on your own in a new country is daunting. But there’s no need to worry! There are a few [Facebook groups](https://www.facebook.com/groups/internationalfriends.lisbon/), other [online communities](https://www.internations.org/lisbon-expats) and [meetup](https://www.meetup.com/topics/expat/pt/lisbon/) groups for expats who have just moved to Lisbon. Making friends is made easier thanks to our [referral programme](https://monese.com/refer-a-friend), which allows you to invite new contacts to join Monese - and you both get rewarded!

### Keep reading...
If you still feel like you could use more information, there are plenty of bloggers living and working in Lisbon, so do make sure to look up some of their sites! Joanna of [The Blond Travels](https://www.theblondtravels.com/moving-to-lisbon-know-before-you-go/) writes about living in Lisbon from her own unique perspective (she’s a happy [Monese](https://www.theblondtravels.com/pl/cyfrowy-nomada-w-portugalii-jak-dbac-o-finanse/) customer as well). You can also leave us a message on [Facebook](https://facebook.com/MyMonese), [Twitter](https://twitter.com/monese), [Instagram](https://instagram.com/monese) or write to us at [community@monese.com](mailto:community@monese.com), and share any tips you may have for moving to Lisbon!

In this new blog series, we give advice on how to move and settle into popular European cities — starting with the sunny Portuguese capital

How to move to Lisbo

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Blog post > How to move to Lisbon

How to move to Lisbon | Monese

How to move to Lisbon

Another month has gone by and it’s been packed with exciting feature releases. So without further ado, here’s what’s new with your Monese app this November...

### Add a virtual card to your GBP account
![1920-Montly-round-up-Nov-1](//images.ctfassets.net/96dxy75w1gjr/68ueGzcpdOj04shfF8QImO/d78194c49ba20127ae7a3a164b66278d/1920-Montly-round-up-Nov-1.jpg)

You can now create a virtual card for your GBP account! Use it when you’re shopping online for that perfect deal, or when making contactless payments with your phone using Apple Pay or Google Pay. You can easily lock it when you’re not using it, which should give you an extra layer of security for your spending. There are more exciting updates coming soon on this front!

### A new and improved referral program
![Picture-1](//images.ctfassets.net/96dxy75w1gjr/5O0NZE5x2mqBbUU5D7GQYM/1ac4df781112fb831e4ae48bf1ae8e5d/Picture-1.png)

We’ve launched a new and improved version of our referral program! You’ll continue to be rewarded for bringing in friends who join and start using Monese, once they’ve made the first transaction with their new Monese card – and they’ll continue to get a welcome bonus as well. However, you’ll both be able to get *more* rewards when those you invite continue to spend with Monese! You can find all the details [here](https://monese.com/blog/2019/11/referral-program-update), and in the ‘Earn’ section of your Monese app.

### Business credit with iwoca
![Picture-2](//images.ctfassets.net/96dxy75w1gjr/1clOoe98miyQSssvqJ2E89/9b093c92627bcc28d4e902200897f7c3/Picture-2.png)

If you’re a Monese Business customer in the UK, you can now apply for business credit with our partner [iwoca](https://monese.com/blog/2019/11/business-loans-credit-iwoca) – to get access to the cash needed to grow your business even more. Applying is easy and you can do it straight from your Monese app!

### Send money to Hong Kong
![1920-Montly-round-up-Nov-2](//images.ctfassets.net/96dxy75w1gjr/2NuwUNQ8twoXjyYVMK4osy/1e82bc5537930fa839dc008280d33532/1920-Montly-round-up-Nov-2.jpg)

You can now use your Monese app send money to Hong Kong, at great rates, in Hong Kong dollars (HK$)! You can do this straight from your Monese app, alongside 17 other international currencies. Just head to the ‘Pay’ tab in the app to start.

And finally, we’ve also made 99 other improvements and bug fixes this month, to make your app run more smoothly than ever.

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We’re always looking to improve your experience in every way we can – so we’d love to hear what else you’d like to see in the future. Just come and say hello on our [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/MyMonese/), [Twitter](https://twitter.com/monese) or [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/monese/) (or drop us an email at [community@monese.com](mailto:community@monese.com)).

Here’s every new feature that’s landed in your Monese app over the past month

Your November Monthly Update

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Blog post > Your November monthly update

Your November monthly update

Whatever you’re doing for Halloween this year, remember it’s all in good sport – and there’s no need to overdo it with the full-on terror. Because Halloween happens to coincide with World Savings Day, perhaps it’s worth remembering that personal savings shouldn’t be a nightmare either.

That being said, in a recent survey we found that 18% of people said that they find even the prospect of checking their balance a little bit scary.

But fear not! Your Monese app offers a number of savings features and services, including easy ways to check your balance, there to banish any concerns you might have around savings and to help light the way towards really growing your money. Here are just a few things to consider...

### Add your salary
![spooked savings add salary](//images.ctfassets.net/96dxy75w1gjr/2heacxIgoWJZbgQwLu5yLP/8c47db05321d5b8fc79243c0e7097ceb/spooked_savings_add_salary.jpg)

The time to save money is when you have some. That's why 'paying yourself first', as soon as you receive your salary, is often the best way to get into good saving habits. 

It’s easy to add your salary to Monese – just tap on 'Add money' from your app’s home screen to share the details with your employer.

Once you’ve done this, you can start making use of our savings features right from the moment you get paid...

### Make the most of your Pots
![spooked savings pots](//images.ctfassets.net/96dxy75w1gjr/4LGfobrexkbweaG2p5KVQM/80cfff8779eadbe57e7793ff5076272e/spooked_savings_pots.jpg)

Monese Pots are a great way to put money aside for the important things like rent and bills – and you can quickly automate these, by setting up recurring payments to your pots shortly after your salary comes in.

They also help if you’re saving for a new phone, a winter getaway, or a costume for that crazy party this weekend. These don't offer interest, but they do keep your savings separate from your day-to-day spending, which should make it easier for you to reach your goals sooner. And you can accelerate them with round-ups, which automatically move the spare change from your card transactions (rounded to the nearest pound or euro) into your desired pot.

### Open a savings account
![spooked savings raisin](//images.ctfassets.net/96dxy75w1gjr/2x1AGcrIZJlPkf0cIjzYdp/225b5d76421066695573757e4f05fc1e/spooked_savings_raisin.jpg)

You can get more interest and less hassle with an interest-bearing savings account that you can open right through your Monese app!

We’ve partnered with Raisin to help you build your savings further. Available via the Monese Hub, it gives you access to a great choice of competitive savings products across the UK, Germany, Austria, France, the Netherlands and Spain.

### Keep tabs on your spending 
![spooked savings budget](//images.ctfassets.net/96dxy75w1gjr/7ERBgANiQzEiYNX6nucRQi/54492071ed420b508b071b74c3bdce05/spooked_savings_budget.jpg)

Your Monese app can also help you keep a close eye on your transactions with Spending Overview. Moreover, you can set up a monthly (or weekly) budget, to keep your spending targets in full view. 

<div data-comp="signup"></div>

We’re working on adding many more exciting savings features, but if you have any ideas, we’d love to hear them! Just let us know on [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/MyMonese), [Twitter](https://twitter.com/monese) or [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/monese/), or drop us an email at [community@monese.com](mailto:community@monese.com).


Saving money shouldn’t be frightening, so here’s what you can do to make it all less daunting

Don’t get spooked about your savings 

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Blog post > Don’t get spooked about your savings

Country Tag > United Kingdom

Don’t get spooked about your savings

Following [last month’s update](https://monese.com/blog/2019/09/update-preparations-brexit "Brexit update"), we want to tell you how we’re bringing you a more localised service all across Europe. 

__We’re excited to say that we’ve started rolling out European account numbers (IBANs) for Monese EUR accounts, to customers based outside the UK!__

## Where’s my new EUR account number?

![EUR IBAN account number screen](//images.ctfassets.net/96dxy75w1gjr/5u0NHa7RNJSomy7COoYvu8/4c5fa51700ba91e05ed0d961f23fdc4e/eur-iban-account-number-1b.png)

If you’re based outside of the UK or France, you can find your new account number (or IBAN) in your Monese EUR account, under ‘Account details’ – it begins with the letters ‘BE’. You can also find it in your ‘Account’ menu, in the top left corner. If you aren’t seeing this, make sure you’re using the latest version of the app.

Your old IBAN (which begins with the letters ‘GB’) and BIC will continue to be visible under ‘Account details’ – and will continue to work as normal. This means you’ll still be able to receive money to it. However, we recommend that you start using your new ‘BE’ IBAN for any incoming payments (like bank transfers) – you can easily share it with anyone, including your employer, by tapping on ‘Share’ from your ‘Accounts details’ page. 

![EUR IBAN old account details screen](//images.ctfassets.net/96dxy75w1gjr/3zCNWe3sMWimYN6dQvqgMC/1f237cc635727aac2f4226febfc9fb26/eur-iban-account-number-2b.png)

Rest assured that there are no changes to how your Monese account and card operates – you can carry on using your Monese card and account as normal, and you don’t need to do anything.

### If you’re based in the UK or France

If you’re based in the UK, your Monese account will continue to be regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority in the UK. This means that your EUR account will continue to start with the letters ‘GB’, and you can use your GBP account to set up any UK Direct Debits.

If you’re based in France, however, your new IBAN isn’t ready just yet – but we’ll have an exciting update for you soon!

## Say hello to Direct Debits

One of the great things about your new IBAN, if you’re based outside the UK, is that you’ll be able to make Direct Debit payments from your personal EUR account!

Direct Debits are an easy and convenient way to manage your payments and bills from your Monese account. They give you the peace of mind that your bills are being paid automatically, so you never miss a payment. These work through the SEPA scheme, and you can find out more about them [here](https://www.europeanpaymentscouncil.eu/what-we-do/sepa-direct-debit "SEPA Direct Debit").

To set up a Direct Debit, tap on ‘More’ from the home screen, where there will be an option to set up a Direct Debit payment. 

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We’re really excited to see how you’ll be using your new EUR account numbers and Direct Debits. If you want to read more about these changes, feel free to explore our [Help Centre](https://support.monese.com/hc/en-gb/categories/360000729699-Brexit-and-Monese "Brexit FAQs") or browse through the latest [Terms](https://monese.com/terms "Terms and conditions"). And if you have any questions, our [Customer Support team](https://monese.com/contact "Contact us") is always here to help.

[More on our Brexit preparations](https://monese.com/blog/2019/09/update-preparations-brexit "Brexit update")

Here’s the latest on how you’re getting an even more localised Monese service, regardless of Brexit

Introducing your new European account number

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 Blog post > Introducing your new European account number

Need something to keep you occupied on your return journey? 

What better way to recount your adventures – and stay on top of your money – than by reviewing your spending while you’ve been away.

Here are a few things you can do to round off a perfect trip abroad with Monese.

### Check your transactions
![Travel-S3-Taransactions-LS](//images.ctfassets.net/96dxy75w1gjr/APfXMkNDomGAm8umf7TBE/2058aa33f207260b9414068852c18960/Travel-S3-Taransactions-LS.jpg)

Checking your outgoings is always a good idea, but it can be particularly useful if you’ve been travelling abroad.

Unfortunately, fraud around the globe is on the rise &mdash; and holidaymakers are especially vulnerable, as they’re likely to carry all kinds of personal documents, and use their cards often with merchants about whom they know very little.

So within a day or two of getting home, you should check your app for things like double charges, missing refund credits, or spending that you didn’t authorise. If you do spot anything out of place, we recommend you immediately lock your card from the app, and reach out to our support team. Your card can be reported as stolen, which would get a replacement card sent out to your address. If you don’t have access to the Monese app, call or email our support team as soon as you can.

### Look at the bigger picture
![Travel-S3-Spnding-LS](//images.ctfassets.net/96dxy75w1gjr/3nNovMSJzZpp52v2XKqp4n/99f0de50251219245b23e9076dac6480/Travel-S3-Spnding-LS.jpg)

Did you manage to keep your spending under control? You can easily check this in your app, in the [spending overview ](https://monese.com/blog/2019/04/simple-spending-overview)section.

Take the time to analyse your outgoings – this will help you see what kind of things you might have overspent on, and help you better prepare for your next trip away with a more informed, organised budget. 

Speaking of budgeting, you can also use the app to set an overall spending goal each month. Creating simple goals, and keeping an eye on them, is good motivation to save more money and helps you pay more attention to what you’re spending on every day. 

### Request payments
![Travel-S3-Request-LS](//images.ctfassets.net/96dxy75w1gjr/4clUQXHCMgjjYzAGjZ9I3l/ef8fe9caaf65f8c552fcc1c48d065e3b/Travel-S3-Request-LS.jpg)

Now that you’re home, perhaps you’ve remembered that a fellow traveller owes you some money.

Maybe they just need a little reminder? If so, we have the perfect solution. We’ve made it easier than ever to request money from anyone, right from the Monese app – whether they’re using Monese or not – thanks to our friendly [payment requests](https://monese.com/blog/2019/03/request-payments). The only thing you need to do is choose a contact, type in the amount and hit 'Send'.

### Track your Avios
![Travel-S3-Avios-LS](//images.ctfassets.net/96dxy75w1gjr/jVYapPtJXQsV9WofO1MHM/3e12ac26172970f624aea03c90b3d746/Travel-S3-Avios-LS.jpg)

If you’re due to collect Avios points for your bookings, it’s a good idea to check your Monese app over the next few weeks to make sure you’ve received your points (the exact timings will depend on the offer). 

As a quick reminder, collecting reward points can make you considerable savings whenever you travel – and keeping an eye out for these when you make a booking is a great habit to get into. With Monese, you can link your British Airways Executive Club account to help you [track and spend your Avios](https://monese.com/blog/2019/02/introducing-avios).

### Start planning your next trip
![Travel-S3-Planning-LS](//images.ctfassets.net/96dxy75w1gjr/7egAhJMmKRbbp0xuy7T2bP/eb6706c5051910c1e4a4d076b6b4d2ed/Travel-S3-Planning-LS.jpg)

Already planning for your next trip? Having something to look forward to can motivate you to save a little more money. This is where Monese Pots come in handy – they allow you to create a designated place to hold your new travel fund until you need it – and keeps these savings separate from your day-to-day spending.

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In the meantime, we hope that the Monese app goes some way in easing you back into the daily grind. For more tips and tricks on how to make the most of your money while travelling, have a look at our entire travel series [here](https://monese.com/blog/2019/04/smart-money-travel-tips-1). And if you have any recommendations of your own, we’d love to hear them – just let us know via our [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/MyMonese/), [Twitter](https://twitter.com/monese) or [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/monese/?hl=en), or at [community@monese.com](mailto:community@monese.com). 


Back from your travels? Here’s how you can ease back into your daily routine without any headaches



Smart Travel Money Tips: Part 3

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Blog post > Smart Travel Money Tips: Part 3

Back from your travels? Here’s how you can ease back into your daily routine without any headaches

With just under two months to go to the key Brexit date of 31 October 2019, we want to update you on our Brexit preparations and our upcoming plans for a more localised service for our customers across Europe. 

__This includes the introduction of European account numbers (IBANs) with Monese, and direct debits with your Monese EUR account!__

## A globally-minded business from the start

Here at Monese, we are building a new kind of financial service – one that gives you the financial freedom to thrive anywhere.

In order to deliver on this ambition, we knew we would need to be set up to serve many customers, in many countries, around the world. Regardless of Brexit.

## What does Brexit mean for Monese services?

As you might know, it is still unclear on what terms the United Kingdom will leave the EU. There is a chance that it will happen without a negotiated agreement on the key date of 31 October 2019 (i.e. commonly referred to as a ‘No Deal Brexit’).

At Monese we are fully prepared for any Brexit scenario. Our licencing partner has created a new regulated entity in Belgium. This means that Monese accounts issued to customers based outside of the UK will be transferred to this entity. This ensures Monese can continue to provide the same level of service to you after Brexit.

If you are a UK-based customer and have a Monese UK GBP and/or a EUR account, it will continue to be regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority in the UK. 

__With under two months to go to this key date, we want to reassure you that there will be no change to how your Monese account and card operates – carry on using your Monese card and account as normal. You do not need to do anything.__

## What are the benefits of a ‘more localised service’?

This move to an EU entity will allow us to introduce many more localised features and services for you. We’re very excited to share what we’ve got in store at Monese over the coming weeks!

There are two updates coming to you very soon:

- We will be introducing Monese EU account numbers (IBANs) this Autumn
- You will soon be able to make direct debit payments with your Monese EUR account 

This Autumn, we will issue you with a new account number (IBAN) for your Monese EUR account. Your current IBAN account number will continue as normal and you can continue to receive money, transfers and payments to your current IBAN and your account. One of the benefits of your new IBAN is that you will be able to make direct debit payments with your EUR account.

We will be back in touch with more information soon regarding the introduction of new EU account numbers (IBANs). 

These updates are just the start, and many more features and services are coming up in 2019. Watch this space! 

## Updated Terms & Conditions

We have also updated our [Terms & Conditions](https://static.monese.com/terms-september-2019/en/terms.pdf "Monese Customer terms and conditions October 2019") for all customers, in order to account for regulatory changes to those of you based in the rest of Europe. You do not have to do anything in order to agree to these new Terms and Conditions. If you continue to use your Monese account or card after 30 September 2019, these new Terms and Conditions will apply to you. 

We have further information about what Brexit might mean for you [here](https://support.monese.com/hc/en-gb/categories/360000729699-Brexit-and-Monese "Brexit and Monese") and if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to get in touch with our [Customer Support team](https://monese.com/contact "Contact us").

With just under two months to go to the latest key Brexit date of 31 October, we want to share our plans for a more localised service across Europe



An update on how we're preparing for Brexit

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Blog post > An update on how we're preparing for Brexit

With just under two months to go to the key Brexit date of 31 October 2019, we want to update you on our Brexit preparations and our upcoming plans for a more localised service for our customers across Europe.

With just under two months to go to the latest key Brexit date of 31 October, we want to share our plans for a more localised service across Europe

So you're done with the flights and trains, you’ve checked into your accommodation – maybe you’ve even managed to find your way to the beach already. And now you’ve got plenty of time to plan the rest of your trip at your leisure! This hopefully shouldn’t involve a great deal of financial planning, as long as you keep in mind just a few handy tips.

### Be aware of hidden exchange fees
![Travel blog part2 illustr 2-blue](//images.ctfassets.net/96dxy75w1gjr/2JehwUrbU9jTGX0lMY7mfY/bc2ab46c2193b18c587cd2a8935a8f71/Travel_blog_part2_illustr_2-blue.jpg)

Spending money abroad can be expensive, as traditional banks may charge you a much higher cost for using your card abroad, including foreign exchange transaction fees and less-than-great exchange rates. With a Monese account you get access to your money wherever you are, without being charged an extortionate fee. You can spend on your contactless Monese card and withdraw your cash without the worry of paying excess charges, within the allowance your pricing plan comes with. And you can always switch your plan whenever you need to – you can find more details on that [here](https://monese.com/pricing).

### Pay in the local currency
![Travel blog part2 illustr 3-blue](//images.ctfassets.net/96dxy75w1gjr/5EamKE3kenE0ZaPf1ohQBu/ebefcc98695967ada1585ed21feebaf8/Travel_blog_part2_illustr_3-blue.jpg)

We really recommend paying in the local currency wherever possible. Holidaymakers paying with their card are also subjected to unnecessary fees due to something called ‘dynamic currency conversion’ (DCC). These are alternative exchange rates offered by firms handling transactions in anything other than the local currency. You can read more about this right [here](https://monese.com/blog/2018/08/monese-quick-tip-travel-guide).

### Avoid fixed fee ATMs
![Travel amend2 9 aug](//images.ctfassets.net/96dxy75w1gjr/52YiaGVoo25ZYYVTTqcQpY/f8cc94c18cdc6deb23fdcc85da328c0f/Travel_amend2_9_aug.jpg)

Usually, people flock to these at airports – it's a very common way to get stung with much higher fees. When they see your card is issued in another country, many ATMs will try to offer you the option of using their own exchange rates (which is the dynamic currency conversion we were talking about earlier) or charge you a flat fee for letting your banking service do the conversion.

The best decision is to avoid these ATMs altogether – if you’re prompted to pay a flat fee (the machine *has* to warn you), just cancel the transaction and look for another machine that allows you to choose the currency and doesn’t charge you a fee to do so.

### Lock and unlock your card 
![Travel blog part2 illustr 4 blue](//images.ctfassets.net/96dxy75w1gjr/6QTFEDUI2vdOC1U86tMaEn/3ad2421366085b07362867f1f2ae4c15/Travel_blog_part2_illustr_4_blue.jpg)

Another recommendation is to keep your Monese card locked whenever you’re not using it (while flying, exercising, commuting etc). Locking your card is an easy-to-use security feature accessible within the Card section of the app. One thing to remember, however, is that you will need data connectivity on your phone in order to unlock it again – so make sure to keep your phone charged.

Locking your card is also the first thing you should do if you lose it. That way, if someone tries to illicitly use it, they won’t be able to complete any transactions and the app will immediately let you know about any unsuccessful attempts by someone else.

### Pay with your phone
![mobile payment](//images.ctfassets.net/96dxy75w1gjr/5uOhF5fnKSKTXPSraQl7wq/093280375c73bc8157617f3baf3f5ba9/mobile_payment.png)

With Monese, you can also pay with just a tap of your phone. By setting up your cards on [Apple Pay](https://monese.com/blog/2019/06/monese-apple-pay-more-countries) or [Google Pay](https://monese.com/blog/2018/07/google-pay-the-easy-way-to-pay-with-monese-for-android), you can pay in-store anywhere in the world where the contactless symbol is displayed. It’s much more secure, too – because your phone will generate a code that’s unique for each transaction (it’s also called a *token*), so your card details won’t actually be exposed to the merchant.

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And there you have it... Our top tips for making the most of your money abroad! If you have any of your own you’d like to share, we’d love to hear them – just let us know on social media via our [Facebook](https://facebook.com/mymonese), [Twitter](https://twitter.com/monese) or [Instagram](https://instagram.com/monese). 


Next up in our travel series – how to make the most of your money once you’re on the road



Smart Travel Money Tips: Part 2

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Blog post > Smart Travel Money Tips: Part 2

Next up in our travel series – how to make the most of your money once you’re on the road

We’re really excited to launch our new collaboration with PayPal. Our customers travel the world for study, work, family, or retirement, and we know they’re avid PayPal users. __So now you can get all the freedom of Monese, with the added scale, speed and security of PayPal.__

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If you’re one of our customers in Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, Poland, Portugal, Spain, the Netherlands and the UK you will be able to:

- Link your Monese and PayPal accounts, to manage your PayPal balance and transactions in the Monese app
- Seamlessly add your Monese card to your PayPal digital wallet to buy from, and send money to, PayPal’s 325 million consumers and merchants around the world
- Easily select Monese as your preferred way to pay within your PayPal wallet

These features are now available to Monese personal account customers in Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, Poland, Portugal, Spain, the Netherlands and the UK, and will be coming to the rest of Europe in the coming months.

## Linking your account

![Monese Paypal Choose Account](//images.ctfassets.net/96dxy75w1gjr/4cWaW4HKWnH1TkU1Bag4Ys/4af0c0924e9c49fd326f4c53f94fdeaa/monese_paypal_choose_account.jpg)

Now, you’ll be able to check your PayPal balance or review recent transactions just by opening the Monese app. It has never been easier to manage your PayPal account, alongside your other finances and payments, from within the Monese app.

You can link your PayPal account by tapping the ‘Account’ button on the top left-hand side of the home screen, and then ‘Add account’. From there, select ‘PayPal’ and then ‘Link PayPal’. Select the Monese card (or cards) you’d like to link, and you’ll be prompted to enter your PayPal login credentials.

## Adding your Monese card to your PayPal wallet

![Monese Paypal Link Card](//images.ctfassets.net/96dxy75w1gjr/2z9AKYQ206Sr4ZqOEHK0HW/69fdc40953b76c320865289ce3fd1020/monese_paypal_link_card.jpg)

Next, add your Monese card to your PayPal wallet, for easier, faster payments at PayPal’s millions of businesses around the world, as well as for a host of other great features. This includes One Touch™, PayPal’s solution for checking out online in seconds, all without having to enter your card or password details.

## Your primary card

Finally, choose your ‘preferred way to pay online’ within PayPal. This essentially means selecting the card you’d like to make primary to your PayPal account.

By adding your Monese card in this way, you’ll be able to check out online in just a few steps and send money transfers just as quickly.

## Financial freedom

Make purchases, transfer money and send money to friends in seconds, wherever they may be in the world—without typing in your details every single time. So you can put down your device and get back to doing the things you love.

PayPal also lets you pay for your favourite things at millions of stores across the world, from big name merchants to small, unique stores.

## Added security

Send and receive money with the peace of mind afforded by PayPal’s data encryption and fraud protection. It’s always good to know that PayPal protects you, your money and your purchases even after check-out.

## Coming soon...

All these features are available to Monese personal account customers in Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, Poland, Portugal, Spain, the Netherlands and the UK, and will be coming to the rest of Europe in the coming months. We’re really excited about this partnership and we would love to hear your thoughts – let us know on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.

All the freedom of Monese, with the added scale, speed and security of PayPal

Monese with the power of PayPal

Monese Paypal Launch

Blog post > Monese with the power of PayPal

As part of our growing range of money management tools, this month we’ve released __Monese Pots__.
Monese is all about giving you the financial freedom to thrive anywhere, and so we designed Pots to be flexible and multi-faceted – enabling you save for whatever life goal you can think of, big or small. 
Whether you’re saving for a new gadget, your dream holiday, or a gift for that special someone in your life, Pots enable you to create a designated place to hold the money until you need it. These don't offer interest, but they do keep your savings separate from your day-to-day spending, which should make it easier for you to reach your saving goals sooner.
And, for those of you who aren’t in the habit of actively saving, we’ve built in a way to automatically add money to it – allowing you to set some money aside without moving a muscle. Simply create a scheduled payment and the app will do it for you!

### How to get started
![Pots social visual3v2](//images.ctfassets.net/96dxy75w1gjr/24ur3Snihh81Ef9YlJb7ZI/639e7649e8c08539a5b186bf47212892/Pots_social_visual3v2.jpg)

Setting up Pots is easy. Open your account list from the home screen, tap ‘Add account’ and then ‘Pot’.
You can set up one Pot for each of your accounts (that includes Business accounts). Once your Pot has been created, it’ll show up in your account list screen.

You can save to your new Pot at any time by opening your personal account’s Payment screen, where you’ll find it at the top of your ‘Ready to pay’ list. Then, simply type in the amount you’d like to transfer (there’s no minimum amount required), tap ‘Pay’, and you’re done!

And if you ever need to withdraw funds from your Pot, just select it from the Account list and tap the ‘Pay’ icon. Enter the withdrawal amount, and it’ll find its way into your current account immediately.

### Coming soon...
We’ll be adding more features to Pots in the coming months – watch this space!
In the meantime, we hope Monese Pots goes some way in further enabling you to make the most of your money, whatever you might be saving for.

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We’re always keen to learn more about how you’d like to see Pots evolve as a feature. If you do have any ideas, please feel free to reach out to us on our [Facebook](https://facebook.com/MyMonese), [Twitter](https://twitter.com/monese), [Instagram](https://instagram.com/monese) or write to us at  [community@monese.com](mailto:community@monese.com)

Whether you’re saving for that special something, somewhere… or someone

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