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This is a common question posted on the Credit Cards Board. The answer is no, per the T&Cs.I have a Halifax Clarity card and have had it for over a year. There is a zero balance on it, could I put money into it before I go aboard and thereof have a positive balance and therefore avoid any interest charges ?16.9 You must not make payments or transfer funds from another credit or store card to your account that would leave a credit balance on your account. We may return any funds that exceed the balance owing on your account to the account from which the money was sent.Are you for real? - Glass Half Empty??
:coffee:0 -
Just a quick update - still no card 10 working days later. I emailed them when I got home from work last night and they called me first thing this morning. Going to try sending out a replacement which will hopefully arrive in 3-5 working days (though the guy said they post Royal Mail first class which is usually 1-3 working days). I've told them that I fly next Tuesday so either need the card or a refund by then (I actually fly 2 weeks today but certainly don't want to leave it until the last minute!). Waiting game again. See if anything arrives by Friday if not I'll have to ask for a refund (which I don't expect to be charged for as it's them who haven't held up their side of the 'deal' but we'll cross that bridge when we come to it!)
Just wanted to update - card finally arrived today, a bit later than I had envisaged and later than Fairfx said it would - but all worked out in the end.0 -
Maybe too late for you, but just in case...Travelling to Central America for two months. Two years ago had two Sterling Fairfx cards for Chile and Argentina (one extra in case 1st card stolen, not usable, or cloned). Worked fine and I never had to use the second card. Both cards have now expired so if I want to have two more for my new trip will cost be £9.95 per card. Existing customers do not get any of the free cards details on TCB or money supermarket.
Have read about Clarity (debit card) - any one have any advice for me? I have a Barclaycard but what I need is a card to withdraw cash in Nicaragua, Costa Rica, etc.
Would you stick with the Fairfx or get a Halifax Clarity.
Many thanks.
Spent a few months around that way earlier this year. FairFX card worked absolutely fine for me in Panama, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Honduras, Guatemala, Belize and Mexico.
As usual with central America, just be patient - you may not always be able to withdraw from every ATM. But with the FairFX Mastercard, managed to find an ATM that worked in every town.
Have a great trip - adored central America and hope you do too.0 -
Travelling to Central America for two months. Two years ago had two Sterling Fairfx cards for Chile and Argentina (one extra in case 1st card stolen, not usable, or cloned). Worked fine and I never had to use the second card. Both cards have now expired so if I want to have two more for my new trip will cost be £9.95 per card. Existing customers do not get any of the free cards details on TCB or money supermarket.
Have read about Clarity (debit card) - any one have any advice for me? I have a Barclaycard but what I need is a card to withdraw cash in Nicaragua, Costa Rica, etc.
Would you stick with the Fairfx or get a Halifax Clarity.
Many thanks.
Just to be clear on one point - the Halifax Clarity card is a CREDIT card not a debit card.
It is still an ideal card to use for cash withdrawals so long as you pay off the balance asap. Don't wait for your statement to arrive, get online, check your balance and transfer funds to clear it.
AS mentioned elsewhere, you can't (shouldn't) preload the account with funds to a credit balance in advance as this is against the Terms and Conditions of the account.0 -
Best prepaid card for Chinese Yuan?
Hello,
I was wondering if anyone could help me figure out which is the best prepaid card to use in China over the summer? I plan to withdraw cash in chunks and pay for everything with that. According to the MSE article, CaxtonFX would be the best for that EXCEPT that as far as I can figure out I would lose money by (a) exchanging to euros/dollars and then AGAIN to yuan and (b) an extra 2.75% on this. Is that right?
In that case, would a Travelex Cash Passport be the best option? Because I would pay a 2% fee to load in sterling, but then there would be no extra fee to withdraw money after that?
Alternatively, I could get FairFX and then I would lose on the conversion to euros/dollars and the fixed $2 withdrawal fee. But as long as I withdraw more than $100 at a time (which I am happy to do) the Caxton FX might beat Travelex?? Because of their better exchange rates??
I should add that I have had the Travelex cash passport twice and both times had breathtakingly poor customer service and had to spend ages on the phone sorting out all the mess-ups. So I would like to avoid them if I could. But if they are the cheapest I suppose I would go with them again!
Sorry for a complicated post. I am confused and would appreciate any help.0 -
Hi, going to Mexico soon, is there a cash card suitable to take, rather then all cash. Also can you cash them in if there is anything left on it when you get back. Should you load these cards with Sterling or peso's. Thanks .0
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rocket_girl wrote: »Best prepaid card for Chinese Yuan?
Hello,
I was wondering if anyone could help me figure out which is the best prepaid card to use in China over the summer? I plan to withdraw cash in chunks and pay for everything with that. According to the MSE article, CaxtonFX would be the best for that EXCEPT that as far as I can figure out I would lose money by (a) exchanging to euros/dollars and then AGAIN to yuan and (b) an extra 2.75% on this. Is that right?
In that case, would a Travelex Cash Passport be the best option? Because I would pay a 2% fee to load in sterling, but then there would be no extra fee to withdraw money after that?
Alternatively, I could get FairFX and then I would lose on the conversion to euros/dollars and the fixed $2 withdrawal fee. But as long as I withdraw more than $100 at a time (which I am happy to do) the Caxton FX might beat Travelex?? Because of their better exchange rates??
I should add that I have had the Travelex cash passport twice and both times had breathtakingly poor customer service and had to spend ages on the phone sorting out all the mess-ups. So I would like to avoid them if I could. But if they are the cheapest I suppose I would go with them again!
Sorry for a complicated post. I am confused and would appreciate any help.
Kalixa Pay obtained via MoneySupermarket will be the best value for you if you plan to take your cash out in relatively large chunks.
No forex charges for cash withdrawals and purchases.
Just a flat fee for withdrawals, so it pays to take cash out in large chunks. Taking the equivalent of £300 would result in total fees of 0.75%, as opposed to 2.75% for Caxton Global Traveller.0 -
Hi, going to Mexico soon, is there a cash card suitable to take, rather then all cash. Also can you cash them in if there is anything left on it when you get back. Should you load these cards with Sterling or peso's. Thanks .
See the post above. Also consider Caxton Global Traveller, ICE Global Sterling(not the cheapest at 2.85%, but you get a free backup card) and Fairfx Anywhere...0 -
Thanks very much. Seems to have a flat fee of £2.25 per ATM withdrawal.NiftyDigits wrote: »Kalixa Pay obtained via MoneySupermarket will be the best value for you if you plan to take your cash out in relatively large chunks.
No forex charges for cash withdrawals and purchases.
Just a flat fee for withdrawals, so it pays to take cash out in large chunks. Taking the equivalent of £300 would result in total fees of 0.75%, as opposed to 2.75% for Caxton Global Traveller.
Do its exchange rates compare well to the Travelex?0 -
rocket_girl wrote: »Thanks very much. Seems to have a flat fee of £2.25 per ATM withdrawal.
Do its exchange rates compare well to the Travelex?
Much better. Look here0
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