Paying Rent and Bills in Israel

loveit ↓

Wed, May 30 2007, 12:59 am

My husband and I are going to Jerusalem at the end of the summer for a year. I'm looking for information on dealing with our money. For those of you that just went to Israel for a year or two to study, how did you pay rent and bills? Do you just use your american account and deal with the bank fees and pay for everything in cash? Pay for everything on a credit card? Do landlords accept american checks? Or should we just transfer our money into an Israeli bank account? Am I even allowed?

I know I have a lot of questions, but as we are leaving in 2 months, I am beginning to get anxious. Oh, on a side note...my husband and I are looking for an apt in Ramat Eshol, are we correct in assuming $800-850 a month in rent? AND if anyone knows of a decent apt in Ramat Eshkol for long term rent starting August, please let me know! I don't expect anything fancy, however I would like something comfortable, a place that I will enjoy spending time there and, hopefully, some entertaining. Furnished is preferable, practically a must! (I don't think our parents want to furnish a second apt)

Any information you can provide would be greatly appreciated! Thank you...

hila

Wed, May 30 2007, 1:24 am

I cant help you finding an appartment - maybe someone on the list can do that.
But as for bills - most can be paid withan American credit/ debit card
And for cash - you can take shekels out of a machine using an american CC too.

There are places that will cash american checks for shekels (in downtown anyway and probably in Ramat Eshkol)

Anyone can open an Israeli account, and if you need to be paid in shekel checks you may have to do that. All banks charge fees except the postal bank, so for your needs that may be enough.

Welcome !

↑ loveit ↓

Wed, May 30 2007, 1:31 am

Thanks!

Do you recommend opening an israeli account, or do you think it would be easier to just use my american bank and credit cards? Or do I deal with fees either way and it won't really matter?

shabbatiscoming ↓

Wed, May 30 2007, 5:06 am

sarahliz wrote:

Thanks!

Do you recommend opening an israeli account, or do you think it would be easier to just use my american bank and credit cards? Or do I deal with fees either way and it won't really matter?

just so you know, if you use your american credit card as an ATM card, to withdraw money, you will be loosing a bit of money each time your withdraw. because the bank somehow knows that money is being withdraws outside of america, the fee to withdraw goes UPPP.
I know that my husband and I did not reazlie that untill we looked at a statement that said that every time we withdrew money we were being charged 6 dollars.
I personally think that it makes sense to transfer money to an israeli acct. it is MUCH easier to pay for things in israel if you have an acct here.

suomynona ↓

Wed, May 30 2007, 5:10 am

We are living here for 3 years so far and we only use an American bank account. I get paid in dollars so it doesn't pay to transfer. We pay all bills by credit card. We take cash out of the cash machine using the American ATM card. My landlord takes American checks.

YOu do end up spending 1% currency transfer fee when you use the credit card here, and when you take out cash. But on the other hand, if you're not getting paid a salary in shekels, you would anyway have to pay to change the money.

I would say that if you're only coming for a year, don't bother opening an account. If there's a need for one, you can always open one.

$850 is on the lower end in Ramat Eshkol these days. You wouldn't necessarily be able to find an apartment for that price. Especially furnished. Usually when an apartment is fully furnished, you have to buy the furniture off the previous renters which costs at least a few thousand dollars.

Good luck!

PinkandYellow ↓

Wed, May 30 2007, 6:01 am

you can only use an ame cc at an atm here if it has a 4 digit pin. when we use our ame cc at an atm here there is a $5 charge per time (so on that rare occasion we do this we take alot). when we purchase something there is no extra charge, however there is the xchange rate (which you have with an atm as well), our bank is apple bank. cheerfully changed in geula charges $1 for cashing ame checks under $500 but they give a good rate.
good luck.

↑ shabbatiscoming

Wed, May 30 2007, 6:46 am

MosheDovid'sMom wrote:

why does the american credit card have to have a four digit pin? I have never had to use my pin here in israel for anything.

but I will tell yout that some ATMs do not allow you to take out after a certain amount, lets say 1500, so sometimes, not all the time, it also happens if you use it as a credit card, that you can only make a perchase of up to 1500 dollars....

↑ loveit

Wed, May 30 2007, 12:36 pm

suomynona wrote:

$850 is on the lower end in Ramat Eshkol these days. You wouldn't necessarily be able to find an apartment for that price. Especially furnished. Usually when an apartment is fully furnished, you have to buy the furniture off the previous renters which costs at least a few thousand dollars.

Good luck!

So if, $850 is onthe lower end, what just I assume as an average rent in Ramat Eshkol, about $1000?

aussiegal ↓

Wed, May 30 2007, 3:09 pm

we use an american card to withdrawy shekels. however, recently our bank started charging us for every withdrawal ( apercentage). so I now try to pay all my bills over the phone with the credit card instead of withdrawing money.
anonymous, which bank from america do u use that doesntcharge a bank fee????

↑ aussiegal

Wed, May 30 2007, 3:10 pm

↑ suomynona ↓

Wed, May 30 2007, 4:00 pm

sarahliz wrote:

So if, $850 is onthe lower end, what just I assume as an average rent in Ramat Eshkol, about $1000?

probably. If you get a higher floor or move out further, you can probably get cheaper.
but like I said, that probably won't include furniture.

↑ suomynona

Wed, May 30 2007, 4:03 pm

aussiegal wrote:

anonymous, which bank from america do u use that doesntcharge a bank fee????

Affinity federal credit union - as far as I see, they only charge 1% currency conversion fee both for using the credit card and the cash machine in Israel.

↑ PinkandYellow

Thu, May 31 2007, 5:53 am

the pin # thing is that when you use the atm its the same pin # as when you're in ame and the atms here are only for 4 digit pins. like my mothers chase card has a 6 digit pin # (I think), so I wouldn't be able to use it here.