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Nationwide flex account card
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mickj88
Posts: 1 Newbie
My wife is a foreign national and although she lives in the UK with me does on occasion go back to visit her family for up to 5 weeks at a time .A number of years back I opened a flex account as they did not charge for drawing money from ATM s anywhere in the world. A couple of years ago I added her to the account (as I kept being asked for my card when paying money in and this wasn't alway possible as the card was with my wife in south east Asia).This meant we both had cards, i know many people who have done this as it is a damn sight cheaper than using transfers.
Today 3 letters arrived from Nationwide (1 addressed to me ,1 to my wife and another jointly addressed). This letter states that we will be receiving new cards between July and September but although we can use them abroad to purchase things we will no longer be able to use them at ATM machines, this will , I am sure be more than an annoyance to a large amount of people.
I seem to remember that another bank was advertising on the TV for free ATM withdrawals abroad , not sure but think it was Santrander but was only available to people with a Santander mortgage.This for me is not an issue I my mortgage is with them, the problem is that it may be on a chargeable account and as such for me and Mrs J it would not be worth it.
If any one has any suggestions i would be greatfull .
As it is , it looks like I will be going back to travellers cheques, this of course poses the problem that I have to buy them upfront where as with the card , I used to just pay cash into the account and then if my wife was abroad she could draw it from the machine within an hour or so.
Today 3 letters arrived from Nationwide (1 addressed to me ,1 to my wife and another jointly addressed). This letter states that we will be receiving new cards between July and September but although we can use them abroad to purchase things we will no longer be able to use them at ATM machines, this will , I am sure be more than an annoyance to a large amount of people.
I seem to remember that another bank was advertising on the TV for free ATM withdrawals abroad , not sure but think it was Santrander but was only available to people with a Santander mortgage.This for me is not an issue I my mortgage is with them, the problem is that it may be on a chargeable account and as such for me and Mrs J it would not be worth it.
If any one has any suggestions i would be greatfull .
As it is , it looks like I will be going back to travellers cheques, this of course poses the problem that I have to buy them upfront where as with the card , I used to just pay cash into the account and then if my wife was abroad she could draw it from the machine within an hour or so.
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Comments
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The Santander offer relates to a credit card. Whilst there's no charge for withdrawals, there WILL be interest to pay. And putting the card in credit to avoid it cannot be relied on.
The Cumberland Building Society offer a debit card that gives free withdrawals overseas - but only if you have an address in their branch area. They don't do postal.
Otherwise choose any of the main banks and work the same system as with Nationwide. OK they will be making a charge - but it will cheaper than travellers cheques unless you have a very cheap source of both getting them and cashing them.
Another possibility is that Nationwide may upgrade your card to a 'proper' debit card - you can but ask0 -
I too had a cash card account which I was keeping to use in non-EU countries for withdrawals, as they were not making any charge, unlike the Visa Debit cards.
Now I will be cancelling the account as it is no use to me. (Already have 3 flex accounts with visa debit cards)
If your credit history is good/very good, instead of asking for an upgrade to your cash card flex account, apply online for a new flex account, 2 reasons, more chance of geting approved, and the new online accounts are FPS enabled.
But if you have any defaults or missed payments or are not on the electoral role, don't bother it will be a waste of a credit search!
Cheers, Des.0 -
Apparently this relates to Cash Cards (purple colour) only and not the proper Flex Debit cards. Just upgrade. There is still a 1% charge the amount you withdraw but no commission and still a better deal than most around incl travellers cheques.....
http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=2316499&page=20 -
The Santander offer is a current account. It does have the limitation that you must fund it with £1,000 per month and have at least 2 direct debits. http://www.santander.co.uk/csgs/Satellite?appID=abbey.internet.Abbeycom&canal=CABBEYCOM&cid=1237851350496&leng=en_GB&pagename=Abbeycom%2FPage%2FWC_ACOM_TemplateT20
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Is this the end of 'free' cash withdrawals abroad? I got a letter too. The only reason I opened a Nationwide Flex account in the first place was to use it abroad with no extra ATM charges.
If I upgrade to a Nationwide Flex Debit account I take it that there will be no free cash withdrawals abroad, no that's not an option. The other thing they said I can do is to transfer to a Cash Card account (can I use this to draw money from ATM's abroad with no charges?).Instigated terrorism the road to dictatorship.0 -
The Flex account VISA Debit Card is unaffected by the Cashcard changes. Foreign transactions & ATM withdrawals have no fee within the VISA Europe area and only a 1% fee in the rest of the world - see http://www.nationwide.co.uk/current_account/foreigntransactions.htmIs this the end of 'free' cash withdrawals abroad? I got a letter too. The only reason I opened a Nationwide Flex account in the first place was to use it abroad with no extra ATM charges.
If I upgrade to a Nationwide Flex Debit account I take it that there will be no free cash withdrawals abroad, no that's not an option. The other thing they said I can do is to transfer to a Cash Card account (can I use this to draw money from ATM's abroad with no charges?).
The Cashcard is being changed to Cashcard+, which will not allow ATM withdrawals abroad.0 -
Ok, so let's see if I've got this correct; the upgrade to FlexAccount Visa debit card will mean I can still take out 'free cash from ATM's in the designated European zone. But outside of this zone I would be charged a 1% fee??
Changing to a Cashcard account would be useless, as you can't use this crap outside of the UK at all??
"At Nationwide we're always looking to improve our products to meet our customers' needs" - !!!!!!?:mad:Instigated terrorism the road to dictatorship.0 -
CorrectOk, so let's see if I've got this correct; the upgrade to FlexAccount Visa debit card will mean I can still take out 'free cash from ATM's in the designated European zone. But outside of this zone I would be charged a 1% fee??
You can use it to 'pay for goods and services in shops in the UK and abroad' but not for ATM withdrawals - http://www.nationwide.co.uk/current_account/card-changes2.htmChanging to a Cashcard account would be useless, as you can't use this crap outside of the UK at all??0 -
Hmmmmm. Well I suppose it's better than nothing. Though as with most things in life, they generally get worse as time goes by........
I can't believe that soon, the ability to withdraw money from ATM's anywhere without charges will be stolen from me. I'll be giving my Flexcard a proper burial come June time.
After 7 years together,............I might even cry.:(
The days are getting darker now.Instigated terrorism the road to dictatorship.0 -
The Santander offer is a current account. It does have the limitation that you must fund it with £1,000 per month and have at least 2 direct debits. http://www.santander.co.uk/csgs/Satellite?appID=abbey.internet.Abbeycom&canal=CABBEYCOM&cid=1237851350496&leng=en_GB&pagename=Abbeycom%2FPage%2FWC_ACOM_TemplateT2
Plus have either a mortgage or an investment with them.
But does look good if you think they will improve the customer service that Abbey users used to suffer0
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