The thing is will the scotsman eat a big slice of banoffee pie and swallow his celtic pride and head back to his homeland to acquire a debit card? Will he or won't he? Am I right now or am I right now?

Debit Card, Smebit Cards! some of out New York Colleague FT's might say Hahaha. However, you are right, it's a serious matter and thank you for your post, bringing this important matter to our attention once again. It is quite scary actually, the realisation of how many British pensioners living in China, may well be living under the constant stress and uncertainty of not having a debit card into which their Blighty pensions can be efficiently funnelled into. How many sobbing wives of FT's around China have to risk the wrath of British hubby and serve up egg fried rice instead of lamb hotpot,day in day out, all for the lack of a debit card- lao tian! CityBank, too busy keeping the pension and hoarding the interest hasn't paid again?-and again, and again. Yes, San Mig, you are right, as about as right as right can be.

Tell you what, man - get on your Mancunian bike in China, and take a ride. I won't be replying to another Sassenach know-it-all, namely you, either. The crap you have posted merits it not!
Oh and Mary, he's not worthy of a reply. All the same, thanks for your support.
LIES are LIES. End of story.

Hello Foxy
Not a good day for me then; there's Mary Queen of Scots calling me smarmy and you piling in with 'Sassenach know-it-all'- all for my trying to be helpful.

To answer your question:- What I do know is that my wife has a British Debit card, and she tells me that she gets a better deal using that in China (better rate of exchange) even with any charges involved. In fact, I do know that there are some cards which don't charge at all.

The thing is you keep trying to drive home that these people say 'this is how we pay folk living abroad' but the fact is that they couldnt care less where you live if you had a British Bank card.

It's very kind of you to keep other posters who may come across the same problems as you informed- however, you should expect other contributers to amend and challenge what you say, if they believe that you are inadvertently misinforming others by not giving out all the options. Don't get too sensitive, please. Am I right or am I right?