Cheap Travel Money Discussion Area

John_Pierpoint

That RTFM message comes across as a bit unfriendly, though I did use the search-this- thread option at the top of the page and got over 20 hits, for "Canada", so I appreciate your point.

Here are the first 3:

Hi we are going to Canada for 2 weeks in mid July...

Hi we are going to Canada for 2 weeks in mid July and was wondering what best way to take the bulk of our spending money. I'll take a few 100 Canadian dollars in cash but I'll need some way of...

Forum: Flights, Currency & Car Hire Yesterday, 6:41 PM Replies: 2,226
Cheap Travel Money Discussion Area
Views: 244,394
Posted By grace2much
Hi we are going to Canada for 2 weeks in mid July...

Hi we are going to Canada for 2 weeks in mid July and was wondering what best way to take the bulk of our spending money. I'll take a few 100 Canadian dollars in cash but I'll need some way of...

Forum: Flights, Currency & Car Hire 27-10-2012, 2:56 PM Replies: 2,226
Cheap Travel Money Discussion Area
Views: 244,394
Posted By mcbob
Update on my N&P Gold light account. Used...

Update on my N&P Gold light account.

Used this debit card in more than 10 countries, from Canada to China and still impressed with the rates and ease of use.

The conversion rate is the...

tom12_2

Hi, I'm in a sticky situation to say the least and any advice is appreciated.

Basically, I've got a summer job working in a hostel in Berlin starting on Monday 10th June, and I naively went ahead and booked flights and jumped at the opportunity to get outta here asap. I didn't, however, consider that my bank card would cause me so much trouble on my travels until I read the main article on MSE.

I've got Santander debit card, which of course, is a "Card from Hell" according to MSE and it basically charges you for everything apart from breathing. Is there a fast solution to my problem as I really can't afford these charges whilst working over there?

Tom

Gloomendoom

Get paid in cash or open a German bank account?

NiftyDigits

tom12 wrote: »

Hi, I'm in a sticky situation to say the least and any advice is appreciated.

Basically, I've got a summer job working in a hostel in Berlin starting on Monday 10th June, and I naively went ahead and booked flights and jumped at the opportunity to get outta here asap. I didn't, however, consider that my bank card would cause me so much trouble on my travels until I read the main article on MSE.

I've got Santander debit card, which of course, is a "Card from Hell" according to MSE and it basically charges you for everything apart from breathing. Is there a fast solution to my problem as I really can't afford these charges whilst working over there?

Tom

If in London pop over to Metro Bank. In the worst case scenario, you can obtain a half decent Prepaid card. Perhaps the ICE Prepaid Global.

John_Pierpoint

https://www.metrobankonline.co.uk/Our-Stores/OurStores/

You can walk out with your debit card.

They have a cash counting machine which makes it a favourite with "Big Issue" sellers.

dzug1

tom12 wrote: »

Hi, I'm in a sticky situation to say the least and any advice is appreciated.

Basically, I've got a summer job working in a hostel in Berlin starting on Monday 10th June, and I naively went ahead and booked flights and jumped at the opportunity to get outta here asap. I didn't, however, consider that my bank card would cause me so much trouble on my travels until I read the main article on MSE.

I've got Santander debit card, which of course, is a "Card from Hell" according to MSE and it basically charges you for everything apart from breathing. Is there a fast solution to my problem as I really can't afford these charges whilst working over there?

Tom

Your card isn't going to 'cause you so much trouble' - if you hadn't read the article you wouldn't have known and would have used it in blissful ignorance. Indeed until a few (well maybe more than a few) years ago these charges were not spelled out so you'd have paid up regardless.

But to get it in perspective, 'card from hell' is journalistic sensationalism. OK it charges a bit more than some other cards, but it's by no means the worst option. Changing cash in the wrong place would be that

The metro bank is your best option - if you can get to London and have sufficient ID you can open an account and get a debit card on the spot - you've then got to get money in it of course. From memory they set up internet banking for you as you wait, so that may be fine.

The right prepaid card is another option - but beware, the wrong one can be as bad as your Santander card. And not all can be obtained quickly

caanro

We've just come back from a holiday on Lake Constance. Our experience was that cafes in Germany round the lake did not take credit cards, even if we were spending more than 10 euros. We had taken less cash than we might have done, on the assumption that we would use our Nationwide Select credit card. Are there other places where this is true? It would be helpful if they could be highlighted on the mse website.

shyl

I am going to Iceland in July and wondering what would be the best way to take my money. I am looking at either the Halifax Clarity or a pre loaded with sterling card? Many thanks

db3745

For 3 years I've changed money hassle-free with Asda whose bureau is some 2 miles away. From memory I've basically ordered online then collected the cash a day or two later to suit my movements. Critically, I've also paid with my debit card upfront.

Checking the MSE guide, Thomas Cook were showing marginally more for my sterling - some £1.80 - but also have a bureau even closer, so I thought "why not?" The why not now becomes obvious. Because the rate you obtain with Thomas Cook is the rate on the day you collect and pay, because I started to feel uneasy when Thomas Cook simply said online my euros were "ordered" and didn't take my card details. Of course when I checked the confirmation email, it said the rate would be the rate on the day I collected.

I ordered on Sunday and as we were away till today I said I'd collect Thursday. In the intervening days the rate has dropped such that I had to pay £8 more than I was quoted.

Nobody's fault but my own and yes I know if the rate had gone up I'd have gained but I want to know what I'm going to get, and you don't get that with Thomas Cook it seems.

murphydavid

db3745 wrote: »

For 3 years I've changed money hassle-free with Asda whose bureau is some 2 miles away. From memory I've basically ordered online then collected the cash a day or two later to suit my movements. Critically, I've also paid with my debit card upfront.

Checking the MSE guide, Thomas Cook were showing marginally more for my sterling - some £1.80 - but also have a bureau even closer, so I thought "why not?" The why not now becomes obvious. Because the rate you obtain with Thomas Cook is the rate on the day you collect and pay, because I started to feel uneasy when Thomas Cook simply said online my euros were "ordered" and didn't take my card details. Of course when I checked the confirmation email, it said the rate would be the rate on the day I collected.

I ordered on Sunday and as we were away till today I said I'd collect Thursday. In the intervening days the rate has dropped such that I had to pay £8 more than I was quoted.

Nobody's fault but my own and yes I know if the rate had gone up I'd have gained but I want to know what I'm going to get, and you don't get that with Thomas Cook it seems.

Who can tell which way the rate will go?
However doing a quick check the mastercard rate today is 1.17294 Euro/£ and Asda's cash rate is 1.1354 Euro/£ so if you get a Halifax Clarity that's 3% more. Might be worth considering. Depends if you like doing it a completely different way ie paying by credit card where you can and using an ATM for cash while in Europe or carrying cash with you.