Cheap Travel Money Discussion Area

hybernia

Note of thanks to David and ManatHome for their help: really appreciated. Yes, I will make sure I ask for billing in Euros when eating out or buying something, it is so easy to get caught out. The ATM warnin g is a good one too, I have failed in the past to read the manual (as it were) at certain machines and that has definitely cost me for my stupidity. Some ATMs though -- I am thinking here of in Lanzarote, it does not necessarily mean anywhere else -- did seem to want me to choose some kind of currency conversion when I popped my debit card in to obtain some holiday cash.

So I guess the moral is, forget all about your home coun try currency, when in Euroland think only of Euros!

Thanks too for the reminder about giving the card provider notice of absence abroad. Last year we were in Chicago and yes, guess what, our card was blocked by Royal Bank of Scotland. Chase Manhattan bank in the John Hancock building was absolutely wonderful though, they didn't know us at all and we went in because we were almost out of money and somehow they managed to get through to RBS and explain that yes we were here with them and yes they had seen our passports and yes, they could vouch for us. I just thought that was extraordinarily kind of a bank we'd never heard of nor they had ever heard of us. They organised the cash withdrawal over their counter there and then, the whole process took no more than 10 minutes.

This time we've actually given RBS our 'holiday schedule' for this year well in advance. But it would have been so easy to forget Halifax Clarity so thank you so much for the reminder!

murphydavid

#Susan 1942
If I remeber correctly the problem with setting up a direct debit to pay in full and then doing manual payments as well is that there is a delay in registering the manual payments so the amount paid on the DD does not always take into account all the manual payments so you end up paying too much. This makes two problems in that your card ends up in debit till you spend some more and I think Halifax say there could be a penalty for loading the card in advance.
Something else in the back of my mind which may be too late for you (as it was for me) but for what it is worth. I think you can register the Clarity card for a £5 reward cash back in every month that you spend more than a certain amount. I seem to remember applying for it and being refused because I was an existing customer and being told the only way to get it was to close my account; wait; then re apply. So have a look you may be able to get it?

Susan1942

I think I would be making it too complicated for myself I will just use that card for cash and the other for purchases I Have previously used my debit card to withdraw cash but this new card will cost less even given the interest charge I will only be away for 39 days and somewhere amongst that there will be one DD debit taken Not going to worry about a few £ here or there Thanks to everyone for their advice Much appreciated Sue

kaggi

What is the best way to take money to Croatia? The hotels we are staying in all want paid in cash on arrival but I am concerned about taking lots of cash with me. I have a Santander 123 card and a Bank of Scotland card but they both charge for withdrawing cash at an ATM abroad but is this the safest way to get cash when I am there? I used to use travellers checks but they seem to have really fallen out of favour, and the pre-load cards don't appear to have a Kuna version.

NiftyDigits

kaggi wrote: »

What is the best way to take money to Croatia? The hotels we are staying in all want paid in cash on arrival but I am concerned about taking lots of cash with me. I have a Santander 123 card and a Bank of Scotland card but they both charge for withdrawing cash at an ATM abroad but is this the safest way to get cash when I am there? I used to use travellers checks but they seem to have really fallen out of favour, and the pre-load cards don't appear to have a Kuna version.

Halifax Clarity or Kalixa Pay(Some may be happy to refer you so that you get a £5 rebate)

Junep

I have been looking re best deal for US dollars am I right in understanding that the best rate is by using the Halifax credit card as I already have one of these and if my thinking is correct then I will take less US dollars (cash) and just pay using my card the majority of the time. Many thanks in advance for your advice and help

Kernow666

Junep wrote: »

I have been looking re best deal for US dollars am I right in understanding that the best rate is by using the Halifax credit card as I already have one of these and if my thinking is correct then I will take less US dollars (cash) and just pay using my card the majority of the time. Many thanks in advance for your advice and help

your right if its a Clarity card you will get the best rate , only drawback and only a small one i found that when in the US the majority of ATMs charge a dollar or 2 each time you withdraw but you will still get a more favourable rate :T

Arandorastar

Despite the various recommendations for the best cards to draw cash from ATMs in Thailand including the Halifax Clarity and the oversubscribed new Travelex Supercard, all cards, Debit and Credit and pre-loaded cards, carry a 180 baht (currently about £3.50) fee per withdrawal charged by Thai banks except at Aeon machines which are few in number and charge 150 baht per withdrawal. This is in addition to any fees charged by your card issuer.

lizbec

My daughter is currently traveling in South America and that's what she has done. She also has a Caxton card which she can load from her debit card but be warned - she has found that not all cash machines accept it. She keeps her money in an ISA and transfers it to her current account when she needs it,meaning that when she lost her debit card (!!!!arrgh!) no one could use it to empty her current account!

NiftyDigits

Arandorastar wrote: »

Despite the various recommendations for the best cards to draw cash from ATMs in Thailand including the Halifax Clarity and the oversubscribed new Travelex Supercard, all cards, Debit and Credit and pre-loaded cards, carry a 180 baht (currently about £3.50) fee per withdrawal charged by Thai banks except at Aeon machines which are few in number and charge 150 baht per withdrawal. This is in addition to any fees charged by your card issuer.

Then don't use them in an ATM....