Cheap Travel Money Discussion Area

ManAtHome

sixtyplus wrote: »

I suppose if I manage the account online I will be able to pay balances off more quickly, but it seems complicated.

You don't have to manage the Clarity online - you can 'push' money at it from your current account (which you'd obviously need online access to).

As you have £1700 'wiggle-room' no need to be that exact - eg if you withdraw €300, make a payment of £250 on the same day (will take a few days to hit the Clarity account). Set up a 'pay full balance' DD on the Clarity to mop up any difference at the end of the month.

Then your only problem is having enough cash the current account!

mvohra

Just thought I should share some comparisons with FairFX and Caxton. Fairfx is suppose to be better because of its exchange rate, however, today when I checked, the Euro card by Fairfx gave a rate of 1.14 where as Caxton gives you 1.16. Also, Caxton do not charge for cash withdrawals outside the UK, fairfx does.

In my view Caxton is much better than Fairfx.

TakeThis

mvohra wrote: »

Just thought I should share some comparisons with FairFX and Caxton. Fairfx is suppose to be better because of its exchange rate, however, today when I checked, the Euro card by Fairfx gave a rate of 1.14 where as Caxton gives you 1.16. Also, Caxton do not charge for cash withdrawals outside the UK, fairfx does.

In my view Caxton is much better than Fairfx.

You have it quite wrong. You are mistaking the 'live Interbank rate' on the CaxtonFx home page, with the rate that they give you using their card.
Their Euro card rate for today is 1.1330, not 1.16.

The TCPG illustrated above is better value than both.

yaddayadda

Going to Thailand soon and need about £600 worth of baht. Looking at buying online but how would I cash in any remainder for the best price?

catokelly

You are better off to take a smaller amount of Thai baht and get the rest in Thailand with sterling cash, as the rates are better. Alternatively check the best buyback rates on Martin Lewis' Travelmoneymax buyback tool http://travelmoney.moneysavingexpert.com/buy-back/.

ManAtHome

mvohra wrote: »

In my view Caxton is much better than Fairfx.

Was a bit swings and roundabouts last year - if you always took your cash out €50 at a time Caxton was better, but their 'loading rake-off' seems to have gone up a lot since then (from memory was 1.7%, now 2.5%) - haven't used mine since February.

huw01

Afternoon all. I'm off to australia over Christmas. I'll be carrying my Halifax clarity reward card for purchases and the norwich and Peterborough debit card for ATM withdrawals.

My question is, do ATMs at Australian banks as a rule of thumb charge for cash withdrawals ? If so are some better than others I'm on about major banks such as ANZ, Commonwealth, NAB, Westpac and St George. Any info would be gratefully appreciated, many thanks in advance.

Aaron

huw01 wrote: »

My question is, do ATMs at Australian banks as a rule of thumb charge for cash withdrawals ? If so are some better than others I'm on about major banks such as ANZ, Commonwealth, NAB, Westpac and St George. Any info would be gratefully appreciated, many thanks in advance.

As far as I can remember, ANZ and Westpac in NZ didn't charge but I was using some bank debit card and not the Clarity then. I've not tried Commonwealth ATMs, but Commonwealth charge for every possible thing on a bank transfer, so I'd expect them to charge! Hope that helps.

huw01

Aaron wrote: »

As far as I can remember, ANZ and Westpac in NZ didn't charge but I was using some bank debit card and not the Clarity then. I've not tried Commonwealth ATMs, but Commonwealth charge for every possible thing on a bank transfer, so I'd expect them to charge! Hope that helps.

Thanks for that, I'll look out for them. I've also been told that domestically they all charge for withdrawals at each others ATM, ie it's only free at same bank ATMs for Australian customers. Not sure how that effects tourists and that NAB are the cheapest. Guess I'll have to suck it and see.

wrington

Please help!

My daughter is going to Europe in January for at least three months to learn to teach skiing.

We need a way of her having access to a card - debit or credit? to:
a) make purchases
b) withdraw cash from ATMs.
She currently banks with Santander (previously Alliance & Leicester)

We will be able to transfer funds from her UK current a/c to top this "card" up, so there should be no need for her to need an overdraft facility. Main advantages we are looking for are an ability to use internet banking to ensure all costs are paid off, no / limited charges for cash withdrawals and an ability to pay for goods whilst in Europe whilst not incurring fees (whether cash advancement or any other).

We don't feel a credit card is needed (although the PO Credit Card looks good it is unclear whether it can be used to get cash?).

We're new to this so any advice will be greatly appreciated.