Cheap Travel Money Discussion Area

PeacefulWaters

Kalixa.

Withdraw larger amounts less often when you need cash.

But try to minimise your need for cash and rely on purchases instead. Much better value!

Patti27

NiftyDigits wrote: »

Perhaps Ukash Travel Money Prepaid MasterCard®, as you'll likely need cash in hand.

Thanks, I think that's the one I'll go for.

Caversham_Chalky wrote: »

Hi,
I have a Santander Zero credit card which has zero foreign fee loading on purchases and cash advances similar to the currently available Halifax Clarity card. To avoid foreign cash advance interest I would pre-load the credit card by paying into it via BACS (their bill paying system wouldn't let you overpay by more than £100). This then gave me a positive credit on the card. When I arrive in country I would then get money out of an ATM ASAP or ensure that I had enough positive credit in order to pay a few bills prior to withdrawing money (I tended to leave a day or 2 between withdrawing cash and paying the normal bills). This obviously only works if you have enough money to cover you estimated cash needs and as Martin says you should pay off the total in full when your statement comes through. As I travel regularly it saves a significant amount of money.

Thanks for the reply. I don't think I'll be travelling regularly enough for this to be a benefit.

OIKY wrote: »

I thought the best option would be the uKash prepaid mastercard but just looking on their website under fees (https://www.ukash.com/en-gb/products/ukash-mastercard/fees-and-limits/) it looks like there is now a $2 ATM withdrawal fee, I don't think that was there when i looked a few months back.

I've been having a look at their website & it says that International ATM withdrawal is free but UK ATM withdrawal is $2.50 (https://www.ukash.com/en-gb/products/travelmoneycard/fees/). It's strange that their website can tell you 2 different things. Might be worth contacting them to double check.

NiftyDigits

Patti27 wrote: »

Thanks, I think that's the one I'll go for.



Thanks for the reply. I don't think I'll be travelling regularly enough for this to be a benefit.



I've been having a look at their website & it says that International ATM withdrawal is free but UK ATM withdrawal is $2.50 (https://www.ukash.com/en-gb/products/travelmoneycard/fees/). It's strange that their website can tell you 2 different things. Might be worth contacting them to double check.

No need to contact...Different cards. One is UKASH Mastercard and the other is Travel Money.

OIKY

NiftyDigits wrote: »

No need to contact...Different cards. One is UKASH Mastercard and the other is Travel Money.

thanks both, you're right, so that puts the Ukash card back on the agenda for me. though i'm not sure if they offer a secondary card for one account (which would be another plus for me), i'll have to check.

I appreciate the comment that said get the kalixa and withdraw larger amounts less often but i'm thinking from a security perspective that it might be safer to withdraw smaller amounts when necessary rather than carrying around larger amounts for longer periods of time...

It feels like at the end of the day, it'll be much of a muchness and not too much £ difference in the long run whichever method i choose.

Techn

How long did people Kalixa card take to activate?

I received the card over a week ago and have uploaded the required documents. They even told me straight away that I had passed the security checks. However I still haven't received an activation email. I told them I need it pretty soon but they say they are working on it.

Techn

Techn wrote: »

How long did people Kalixa card take to activate?

I received the card over a week ago and have uploaded the required documents. They even told me straight away that I had passed the security checks. However I still haven't received an activation email. I told them I need it pretty soon but they say they are working on it.

Never mind, it was activated today

NiftyDigits

Techn wrote: »

How long did people Kalixa card take to activate?

I received the card over a week ago and have uploaded the required documents. They even told me straight away that I had passed the security checks. However I still haven't received an activation email. I told them I need it pretty soon but they say they are working on it.

Mine arrived at much the same time they said that my docs were fine.

adindas

rarrarrar wrote: »

Having recently been in Italy and the Canary Islands, I was surprised to see the Shop front Bureau-de Change outlets offering 1.26 Euros to the pound commission free.
This is significantly better than the best rate of 1.21 I managed to get in the UK for normal amounts.
Is this normal or am I missing something ?

What is the global exchange rate from Master / Visa card at that time. If it is £/EUR = 1.26 or even 1.27 (say) it is EXTREMELY unlike that any exchange free Shop front Bureau-de Change outlets on the street will be offering 1.26.

What you need to be aware here is that Shop front Bureau-de Change outlets on the street are using various tricks for eye catching to pedestrians.
1. As mentioned by NiftyDigit. Perhaps this rate is the rate if you want to buy the £.
2. Also you said it is commission free. What I have found so far is that it might be advertised commission free but if you actually ask or do the exchange it is only free if you BUY £ from them. But If you SELL you might get £1.26 (very good) BUT + commission. Keep in mind it is commission free full stop not mentioned whether this is to buy or to sell. So no promise has been broken here. We will only know for sure if you actually did exchange and you posted the receipt you got from them.

In your other post here

rarrarrar wrote: »

... being offered at the 3/4 outlets I saw !

Your statement above will support that either 1 or 2 is probably the case it is almost certain it will not be £1.26 if at that time master/visa global exchange rate is 1.26 or even 1.27 (say). If 3/4 of Shop front Bureau-de Change outlets on the street were offering this rate without adding commission you would not see them on the street at that time you were there as they had collapsed since long time ago.

antenna

Ruben Exchange in Torremolinos,Benalmadena,Fuengirola,NO COMMISION of any kind either buying or selling 126.5 yesterday,
Google "rubenexchange" and you can see todays rate and the rate history they have paid over the last week.
Better than a reciept hey adindas.

SW17

FWIW, I was getting exchange rates around GBP 1 = EUR 1.283 in Spain this week (both ATM and purchases) on a Metro Bank MasterCard Debit card.

I think they use the MC daily rate without any extra charge (I'm happy with it), the EUR has weakened so anyone offering 126.5 would be 1.5% points below the daily rate right now. Tight margin, but I guess they might have local competition and their total margin will include what they add on the other side of the rate when selling GBP.