Cheap Travel Money Discussion Area

Nessie23

kRUZO wrote: »

Can anybody help with this? I too need advice on the same thing.

Are there any circumstances where one might be refused an account with Nationwide?

some answers to yours questions...

1. I applied for a Nationwide Flex account back in Feb. and card + PIN took about two weeks overall
2. Despite their 0.84% fee the exchange rates obtained are still quite competitive.
3. I am not too sure about how tough Nationwide's credit scoring is. However they also have a Cash Card Account which (I think) also gives you a cash card that allows money withdrawls abroad. So even if you are not able to open the flexi account, you might still be able to open a basic account (but do check if the card allows withdrawls abroad)
4. If you open the flexaccount Nationwide will expect you to use the account as main account, but there is a workaround, see MSE's advice

"Nationwide wants you use this as your main current account, yet you can sneakily avoid this by setting up a free savings account at the same time as opening the Flexaccount; its e-savings plus account can be opened with just £1. Then you can just pre–load the Flexaccount for spending before travelling abroad."

moneysavingexpert.com/travel/cheap-travel-money#topcards

Hope this is of use

dan1987wales

Sorry if this question has already been answered and forgive me if this means you repeating yourself but i am in utter confusion about how much it will cost me to use my credit card abroad while taking a gap year.

I have a Abbey Zero credit card which i recieved in march of this year and intend on using it as my main source of funds while travelling - as Nationwide have declined me for a flex account for no reason that can be explained - as it seems the cheapest way of using my money abroad.

I understand that it has the benefit of 0% on foreign exchange fees and cash advances which is great, but my confusion is when speaking to Abbey they assure me that if i pay my credit card off in full every month, no matter if i take money out of cash machines or make purchases within shops it will not cost me a penny. (i have been told this by three different people form Abbey) However the guide above states that interest is still paid even if the balance is paid off in full every month, the answer i so desperatly want is, i am taking £10.000 to use while travelling for 11months and will be using my card at cash machines, restaurants, shops etc, what is the most it will cost me to do this?

Thank you for any help you can give me!

TrishaM

Hi all
I need a bit of advice, I am in the USA at the moment and want to withdraw cash from my Nationwide debit card. Does anyone know where I can withdraw cash without incurring a charge? I went into Bank of America and they charge 3% for cash withdrawals. Oh I am in North Carolina if that helps.

Thanks

Somebody

Nessie23 wrote: »

some answers to yours questions...

1. I applied for a Nationwide Flex account back in Feb. and card + PIN took about two weeks overall
2. Despite their 0.84% fee the exchange rates obtained are still quite competitive.
3. I am not too sure about how tough Nationwide's credit scoring is. However they also have a Cash Card Account which (I think) also gives you a cash card that allows money withdrawls abroad. So even if you are not able to open the flexi account, you might still be able to open a basic account (but do check if the card allows withdrawls abroad)
4. If you open the flexaccount Nationwide will expect you to use the account as main account, but there is a workaround, see MSE's advice

"Nationwide wants you use this as your main current account, yet you can sneakily avoid this by setting up a free savings account at the same time as opening the Flexaccount; its e-savings plus account can be opened with just £1. Then you can just pre–load the Flexaccount for spending before travelling abroad."

moneysavingexpert.com/travel/cheap-travel-money#topcards

Hope this is of use

Can someone please confirm that there is a difference between the Nationwide debit card (VISA) and their cash card (CIRRUS) when withdrawing cash overseas? The VISA card will obviously be subject to the 0.84% VISA charge outside Europe, but would the CIRRUS card be totally fee free as it does not go through the VISA network?

Somebody

Somebody wrote: »

Can someone please confirm that there is a difference between the Nationwide debit card (VISA) and their cash card (CIRRUS) when withdrawing cash overseas? The VISA card will obviously be subject to the 0.84% VISA charge outside Europe, but would the CIRRUS card be totally fee free as it does not go through the VISA network?

Nevermind, I think I've found the answer forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showpost.html?p=21664533&postcount=9

Double_Trouble

Can't see mentioned anywhere in the foreign currency article the Marks and Spencer CC if you have one of these and order currency there is no fee and it is treated as an ordinary purchase not a cash advance so potentially 55 interest free days to pay and they send it to you - can anyone see any disadvantages to this?

DT

Jodie99

Hi,
I am off to Spain at the end of the month and am unsure about whether to get my currency from the UK or get cash out when i'm there using my Abbey Zero credit card.

I wondered if anyone knew how the exchange rate compares between getting currency converted in the UK (using the best available rate) and getting cash out of an ATM abroad using an Abbey Zero card.

Thanks

TheGame7

..........

williamdodd

followed martins tips to get a visa by opening an flexaccount and then a e-savings account ,all done pretty quick but they sent me a cash card,when i ask for an upgrade to a visa they advised me to wait for approx 6 months for it.
so if you are wanting one to use for your holiday give yourself plenty of time.

Somebody

williamdodd wrote: »

followed martins tips to get a visa by opening an flexaccount and then a e-savings account ,all done pretty quick but they sent me a cash card,when i ask for an upgrade to a visa they advised me to wait for approx 6 months for it.
so if you are wanting one to use for your holiday give yourself plenty of time.

But I think the cash card may be better outside Europe for cash withdrawals as there is no 0.84% F/X charge applied on Visa transactions.