Cheap Travel Money Discussion Area

delphinus_2

Thank you, for your comment Takethis. In response, perhaps you have confused membership with the time to read and retain information presented on the site.
This site is a very useful resource where we can seek advice. I have learned that it is inadvisable to purchase currency at the airport but obviously I didn't study long enough to learn more - or perhaps I was just extremely busy when I needed the currency. Additionally, I live in a rural area where many banks and other facilities have closed but the travel agent is still open. I hope my post helps someone but if it doesn't I will not feel the need to point out their failure to read everything.
Unfortunately, I fail to see how your comment helps me but if it makes you feel good, then go for it!

dontscamme

Avoid.
Two things they don't tell you (no doubt these are buried somewhere in the fine print?).

1) If you use this card to secure a hotel reservation, the hotel will take a "pending" charge that will remain on your card for 30 days!!! I got caught because I used the card to secure a reservation but paid by other means at checkout, expecting my cash passport balance to be unaffected. Instead, I had £200 of foreign currency that I could not access during the remainder of my holiday and I still can't access, thus defeating the whole point of getting the card in the first place.

2) When changing any left-over currency back to sterling you have to go through a bureaucratic process, wait 5 days and be charged a punative fee. This is in stark contrast to putting money on your cash passport that can be done online, from your debit card in a couple of minutes. Unless you are very careful this will defeat any advantage of a Travelex cash passport over a normal credit card.

Makes my blood boil.

TakeThis

dontscamme wrote: »

Avoid.
Two things they don't tell you (no doubt these are buried somewhere in the fine print?).

1) If you use this card to secure a hotel reservation, the hotel will take a "pending" charge that will remain on your card for 30 days!!! I got caught because I used the card to secure a reservation but paid by other means at checkout, expecting my cash passport balance to be unaffected. Instead, I had £200 of foreign currency that I could not access during the remainder of my holiday and I still can't access, thus defeating the whole point of getting the card in the first place.

2) When changing any left-over currency back to sterling you have to go through a bureaucratic process, wait 5 days and be charged a punative fee. This is in stark contrast to putting money on your cash passport that can be done online, from your debit card in a couple of minutes. Unless you are very careful this will defeat any advantage of a Travelex cash passport over a normal credit card.

Makes my blood boil.

Firstly, the card is a DEBIT card. It has never been recommended as an alternative for a CREDIT card.

I've never seen a Cash passport currency card recommended here. Only the Cash Passport GLOBE.
So there would be no need to change currency back to Sterling, as it stays in Sterling.

The information is all here. No need for you to make these mistakes and then come here to moan about it.

dontscamme

TakeThis wrote: »

Firstly, the card is a DEBIT card. It has never been recommended as an alternative for a CREDIT card.

I've never seen a Cash passport currency card recommended here. Only the Cash Passport GLOBE.
So there would be no need to change currency back to Sterling, as it stays in Sterling.

The information is all here. No need for you to make these mistakes and then come here to moan about it.

Well, that friendly tag asking people not to attack newbies didn't work.

I am posting to warn people here and to criticise Travelex. What is your beef?

And for your information, the cash passport is described here as a "better than normal credit card" choice and that is why I chose it!

TakeThis

delphinus wrote: »

Thank you, for your comment Takethis. In response, perhaps you have confused membership with the time to read and retain information presented on the site.
This site is a very useful resource where we can seek advice. I have learned that it is inadvisable to purchase currency at the airport but obviously I didn't study long enough to learn more - or perhaps I was just extremely busy when I needed the currency. Additionally, I live in a rural area where many banks and other facilities have closed but the travel agent is still open. I hope my post helps someone but if it doesn't I will not feel the need to point out their failure to read everything.
Unfortunately, I fail to see how your comment helps me but if it makes you feel good, then go for it!

Seems that your failure was that you did not read anything.
Then to come here and moan about it.

But thanks for reminding us that walking into a travel agent to buy currency(or currency cards for that matter) represents poor value in comparison with the best deals out there.

TakeThis

dontscamme wrote: »

Well, that friendly tag asking people not to attack newbies didn't work.

I am posting to warn people here and to criticise Travelex. What is your beef?

Nothing wrong with Travelex. The problem is with your not obtaining the correct product for your needs..

No one is attacking you, but it doesn't mean that as a newbie your post will be accepted without scrutiny.

Sandmonster

dontscamme wrote: »

Avoid.
Two things they don't tell you (no doubt these are buried somewhere in the fine print?).

1) If you use this card to secure a hotel reservation, the hotel will take a "pending" charge that will remain on your card for 30 days!!! I got caught because I used the card to secure a reservation but paid by other means at checkout, expecting my cash passport balance to be unaffected. Instead, I had £200 of foreign currency that I could not access during the remainder of my holiday and I still can't access, thus defeating the whole point of getting the card in the first place.

2) When changing any left-over currency back to sterling you have to go through a bureaucratic process, wait 5 days and be charged a punative fee. This is in stark contrast to putting money on your cash passport that can be done online, from your debit card in a couple of minutes. Unless you are very careful this will defeat any advantage of a Travelex cash passport over a normal credit card.

Makes my blood boil.

Similar things with CaxtonFx - even just withdrawing cash as you would with a debit card - I suspect the problem isn't created by Caxton (or Travelex) but a side effect of the card processing system and may even vary country by country (I was in Greece). In my case a quick (international) phone call to Caxton and the 'pending' charge is removed. As long as you take the hassle and cost of these calls into consideration, these cards are still a useful replacement for the safety of traveller's cheques (IMO).

Sandmonster

TakeThis wrote: »

The article on Prepaid cards is.....not that good.

I think it could do with an update and a bit more detail on the pros & cons

Everynamestaken

delphinus wrote: »

Be careful not to get caught out like I have been.

I needed Danish Kroner (DKK) for a work trip and went into a local Thomsons. They didn't have enough but said they could quickly order more. I was sold what they had and paid in advance for the rest (£200). As the transaction was being finalised it was suggested that I didn't take what they had because I may end up paying two guarantee fees (to exchange it back). I'd been at the counter a lot longer than I planned so agreed.
They didn't call me to collect the money for a week, a lot longer than I was expecting. Then their rate had changed dramatically and they did the new rate for the whole amount. I was suspicious but thought it must be correct because it was done through the computer. The cashier did a song and dance about improving the rate which I thought was odd (I didn't know they had any discretion on rates in-store).
When I got home and checked the rate was hugely different to their rate on-line and quite different to the one when I'd walked in and paid the week before. I had no time to go back before I left for Denmark.
Be Aware:
Thomson's on-line rate is totally different to the in-store rate.
Don't pay in advance as it does not get you the rate at the time you paid.
When they say 'a day or so' it could easily be a week.

Additionally, when I went to collect there were 2 staff and no other customers but they kept me waiting for 15 minutes as they were 'doing the banking'. It took another 15 minutes to complete the transaction (and I had already paid).

My husband spoke to the manager and was told their on-line rate is nothing to do with the shops.

I work in a Bureau for a different foreign exchange company and I never take someones money over the counter if the currency is not available there and then. You can reserve online and pay with your card and fix the rate, but if you're over the counter, I'll order it in and phone you when its ready, and then you pay on the day whatever that rate is.

Seems pointless what they did because for the sake of a couple of quid, it looks like they've lost a customer plus a few more who you tell the story to.
Customer service is key in this vital in this competitive environment, imo.

TakeThis

dontscamme wrote: »

Well, that friendly tag asking people not to attack newbies didn't work.

I am posting to warn people here and to criticise Travelex. What is your beef?

And for your information, the cash passport is described here as a "better than normal credit card" choice and that is why I chose it!

Where? Only you have written that here.