Help needed by incompetent with travel money

theclaretvillain

I know this should be simple but can someone with a greater understanding check that I have got this right (thanks in advance).
I'm travelling to Costa Rica/Nicaragua and so need US dollars and then Colons.
The best way to obtain cash/goods would be:
Use my Nationwide VISA debit card to get some dollars at the stopover in New York airport. (Is this better that getting them from Travelex (preordered) in the UK)?
Use the same card to pay for goods/restaurant bills/withdraw cash from ATMs in Costa Rica BUT
Use my Mastercard to buy any item that might possibly "go wrong",
Any suggestions gratefully accepted.
Ken

dzug1

theclaretvillain wrote: »

I know this should be simple but can someone with a greater understanding check that I have got this right (thanks in advance).
I'm travelling to Costa Rica/Nicaragua and so need US dollars and then Colons.
The best way to obtain cash/goods would be:
Use my Nationwide VISA debit card to get some dollars at the stopover in New York airport. (Is this better that getting them from Travelex (preordered) in the UK)?
Use the same card to pay for goods/restaurant bills/withdraw cash from ATMs in Costa Rica BUT
Use my Mastercard to buy any item that might possibly "go wrong",
Any suggestions gratefully accepted.
Ken

Spot on, assuming you don't have a Nationwide Visa credit card as well.

Getting the $$ in New York will be cheaper with your NW debit card than from travelex here - the latter charge (from memory) about 3% on the exchange rate, NW charge nothing. The cash machine MAY charge you a $ or two - free ones are rare in the US - but not enough to outweigh the travelex costs.

theclaretvillain

dzug1 wrote: »

Spot on, assuming you don't have a Nationwide Visa credit card as well.

Getting the $$ in New York will be cheaper with your NW debit card than from travelex here - the latter charge (from memory) about 3% on the exchange rate, NW charge nothing. The cash machine MAY charge you a $ or two - free ones are rare in the US - but not enough to outweigh the travelex costs.

Thx for the reassurance dzug1.
What difference does the NW Visa credit card make? - have applied for NW debit and credit cards.

dzug1

theclaretvillain wrote: »

Thx for the reassurance dzug1.
What difference does the NW Visa credit card make? - have applied for NW debit and credit cards.

Your Mastercard will (most likely - there are exceptions, one being the Post Office) charge you 2.75% on the exchange rate for purchases. Nationwide won't.