Cheap Travel Money Discussion Area

NiftyDigits

the_r_sole wrote: »

Can anyone advise here, off to vietnam next month and have found that you can't actually change any money to VND outside of vietnam, so options are limited to cards/travellers cheques, what is likely to be the best deal?
I have looked at the aqua card which I may get for emergency anyway, the pre-paid card caxton fx looks ok until you see the global one has an exchange rate fixed at 2.75% below the interbank rate - so in this case is the aqua going to be just as good for cash withdrawals? and has anyone got experience of using travellers cheques in vietnam?

cheers

Cash Passport Globe charges 1.49% to Caxton's 2.75%.

System

cheers folks - we are going to get a clarity card too, but being self employed I can't get one, which is why im'm looking at the aqua and travelex cards, think I'll just go for both and see

janash1

I have won a holiday to a Sandals resort in Jamaica. We are going in November. Neither my husband nor I have ever had a credit card, but will need to get one for the holiday. We won't be spending much because it's all inclusive, and we are only going for a week. So the question is, which card would be best - it will be paid off in full on our return.

NiftyDigits

janash1 wrote: »

I have won a holiday to a Sandals resort in Jamaica. We are going in November. Neither my husband nor I have ever had a credit card, but will need to get one for the holiday. We won't be spending much because it's all inclusive, and we are only going for a week. So the question is, which card would be best - it will be paid off in full on our return.

Halifax Clarity for both spending and ATM withdrawals.

woodentom

I have been using my clarity card for over 2years and it is a great product in my opinion. I would never use it the uk but for overseas it is great.

I take money out of the ATM on arrival and then transfer money across to pay for the transaction to stop any charges.

severn

Hi, does anyone know whether you can get a better exchange rate for your £ in the Canaries than you can get in the UK?

Shiver

CaxtonFX Security Concerns

I've just activated a CaxtonFX card for a trip later this week. I'm astounded to find that I can access my account over the phone using just the card number and my DOB! This includes an automated readback of the PIN. :shocked: If someone gets hold of the card and my passport or driving licence they can get the PIN.:eek:

I'm very surprised that given that this seems to be a well recommended card hereabouts and in other 'quality places' there has not been more concerns expressed about this on the internet. The only other post I could find is on MSE here: https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/3947819 .

I think I'll be looking at options to use one of the cards I've already got and not take the CFX card. Unfortunately, I'll have to pay the penalty to 'unload' the funds I put on when I activated the card. :sad:

CarolynCh

Just a quick warning - be very careful when using a debit/credit card abroad that you keep hold of the terminal until the transaction has finished even if the member of staff tries to get it from you (they do seem to get angry if you keep hold of the terminal so you need to be assertive - unfortunately I have not been assertive enough). It is becoming much more widespread for the card merchant to offer to do the conversion into sterling and (from my experience) the staff are being told to encourage you to do this (or to do it for you without you knowing). The rate they use is lousy and is often much worse than you would get cash for. A recent experience for me was pressing "no" when asked if I wanted to convert and then the member of staff snatching back the terminal, going back one screen and changing my instruction. A quick calculation shows that I paid nearly 4% extra.

I think we need a Martin Lewis campaign to stop this happening at all - anyone know how to go about it?

zagfles

CarolynCh wrote: »

Just a quick warning - be very careful when using a debit/credit card abroad that you keep hold of the terminal until the transaction has finished even if the member of staff tries to get it from you (they do seem to get angry if you keep hold of the terminal so you need to be assertive - unfortunately I have not been assertive enough). It is becoming much more widespread for the card merchant to offer to do the conversion into sterling and (from my experience) the staff are being told to encourage you to do this (or to do it for you without you knowing). The rate they use is lousy and is often much worse than you would get cash for. A recent experience for me was pressing "no" when asked if I wanted to convert and then the member of staff snatching back the terminal, going back one screen and changing my instruction. A quick calculation shows that I paid nearly 4% extra.

I think we need a Martin Lewis campaign to stop this happening at all - anyone know how to go about it?

Did that happen after you put your PIN in? If so I'd demand a chargeback from your bank - you did not authorise the amount being charged. You authorised eg EUR100 not GBP80. This is basically fraud - changing the amount you've authorised after you've authorised it.

murphydavid

CarolynCh wrote: »

Just a quick warning - be very careful when using a debit/credit card abroad that you keep hold of the terminal until the transaction has finished even if the member of staff tries to get it from you (they do seem to get angry if you keep hold of the terminal so you need to be assertive - unfortunately I have not been assertive enough). It is becoming much more widespread for the card merchant to offer to do the conversion into sterling and (from my experience) the staff are being told to encourage you to do this (or to do it for you without you knowing). The rate they use is lousy and is often much worse than you would get cash for. A recent experience for me was pressing "no" when asked if I wanted to convert and then the member of staff snatching back the terminal, going back one screen and changing my instruction. A quick calculation shows that I paid nearly 4% extra.

I think we need a Martin Lewis campaign to stop this happening at all - anyone know how to go about it?

If you said no then surely this is an unauthorised transaction. I think you will find that your credit card company have agreed to protect you from unauthorised transactions and if you contact them they will refund your loss.