Cheap Travel Money Discussion Area

landroverman06

I have a Lloyds Debit Card...card from hell re foriegn spending. If I use this to load euros onto, for example, an FX Currency Card, do Lloyds charge me? Also, if I use it to purchase Euros on an online site such as Post Office, again, do Lloyds charge me?:question:

Janbs

If I load money onto a FairFX card in dollars and I do not use it all whilst away can I have the money refunded to me when I return?

Many thanks

Janbs

Baldur

landroverman06 wrote: »

I have a Lloyds Debit Card...card from hell re foriegn spending. If I use this to load euros onto, for example, an FX Currency Card, do Lloyds charge me? Also, if I use it to purchase Euros on an online site such as Post Office, again, do Lloyds charge me?:question:

Yes.

See http://www.lloydstsb.com/media/lloydstsb2004/pdfs/banking_charges_brochure.pdf#cashpoint

1.5% of the transaction with a minimum charge of £2 & maximum of £4.50.

Granada210

Very interesting discussion

1 I think I may be a bit stupid here but why would anyone want the Halifax Clarity Card if you pay interest on what you withdraw free from ATMs even if you pay in full. Presumably you get a short period to pay if off before they charge interest? Have I missed something here?

2 My son has been using a Caxton card in Mexico, and Central America, so far, fingers crossed, with no hassle. However a word of warning - it does not work in Cuba as they don't accept Mastercard there. Whatever type of card you use, you should always have a back up card.

3 I am not sure why the section on Caxton here says ATM withdrawals are "Free outside UK or E2/$3" - what does that mean?

4 The Caxton card, and probably others, needs you to load funds on it and it is probably best not to load too much at once and have someone at home who can load it regularly on line for you unless you can be certain of having a secure internet facility when travelling.

5 For travellers to Spain who have Santander/A&L/Abbey current accounts, according to their website you can withdraw free from ATMs in Spain, however I will be double checking this before I travel in July. Has anyone found this to be the case so far?

MonkeyG0D

Aaron wrote: »

Sorry if there's an obvious answer, but why not get a FairFX or CaxtonFXCard prepaid card then?

I would if i could, i actually have a fairfx card, the problem is that its dollars only and none of the countries i will be going to use dollars (well not technically anyway) so I'd be charged for a conversion rate from dollars to whatever other currency is in the particular country. I will be going to thailand, cambodia, vietnam, laos, indonesia, new zealand, australia, peru, bolivia and chili. (perhaps argentina if i have time)

as i say, its gonna be difficult to carry money around, and unless i find a card that will both accept me to use it and be accepted worldwide I'm a bit stuck

Baldur

MonkeyG0D wrote: »

I would if i could, i actually have a fairfx card, the problem is that its dollars only and none of the countries i will be going to use dollars (well not technically anyway) so I'd be charged for a conversion rate from dollars to whatever other currency is in the particular country. I will be going to thailand, cambodia, vietnam, laos, indonesia, new zealand, australia, peru, bolivia and chili. (perhaps argentina if i have time)

as i say, its gonna be difficult to carry money around, and unless i find a card that will both accept me to use it and be accepted worldwide I'm a bit stuck

The FairFX Anywhere Card is likely to meet your needs.

MonkeyG0D

Baldur wrote: »

The FairFX Anywhere Card is likely to meet your needs.

Yeah i was just looking at that, although the 1.4% transaction charge is a bit annoying, wondering if the escape travel money card might be a better deal, i'd link it but it won't let me because i'm new


0% transaction charge, and 0% atm fee. just wondering how the exchange rates compare though, i can't find the international exchange rates on the fairfx site, just sterling to dollars and euros? any idea if the escape travel card is competative?

Saveforfuture

Hello all,
We r planning to take a car hire with Enterprse rent a car for 4 days when easter holidays,is that any way i would get the discount on this?

Baldur

MonkeyG0D wrote: »

Yeah i was just looking at that, although the 1.4% transaction charge is a bit annoying, wondering if the escape travel money card might be a better deal, i'd link it but it won't let me because i'm new


0% transaction charge, and 0% atm fee. just wondering how the exchange rates compare though, i can't find the international exchange rates on the fairfx site, just sterling to dollars and euros? any idea if the escape travel card is competative?

The Anywhere Card uses the Mastercard exchange rate applicable (less the fee/charge) on the date that the transaction is recorded, from memory - as the card is not pre-loaded at a specific exchange rate like the Euro/Dollar ones but in Sterling.

See - https://www.mastercard.com/global/currencyconversion/index.html

MonkeyG0D

Baldur wrote: »

The Anywhere Card uses the Mastercard exchange rate applicable (less the fee/charge) on the date that the transaction is recorded, from memory - as the card is not pre-loaded at a specific exchange rate like the Euro/Dollar ones but in Sterling.

See -

hrm if i have worked this out correctly (not sure if i have though) the escape travel card charges 2.87% compared to the fairfx card 1.4%. an example exchange rate is 1gbp= 47.2008 Thailand Baht on escape travel or 1gpb= 48.596922 thailand baht on the mastercard exchange matrix you linked. 2.87% difference? but of course fairfx charge 1.4% so its 1.47% more to buy on the escape card, but that card doesn't charge for withdrawing money.

Does the fairfx put a 1.4% transaction charge on withdrawing money from an atm? or is it just a fixed £1 fee on the £ anywhere card? if its just a fixed fee it will be better to use the fairfx card i imagine as the currency conversion rates are more favourable

can someone confirm my thinking here?