Cheap Travel Money Discussion Area

Baldur

Knowing LTSB's penchant for making money (even charging for Debit Card FX purchases in this country), I suspect that their Travel Money Card is likely to offer a poorer value means of obtaining currency abroad than one of the alternative pre-paid cards that are available.

student89

Am i guaranteed to be accepted for one of the prepaid cards?

Baldur

student89 wrote: »

Am i guaranteed to be accepted for one of the prepaid cards?

Don't know, never had to use them as I have a couple of Nationwide Debit Cards - I don't see why you wouldn't be able to obtain one as they are not extending you credit, you simply precharge them, the same as the LTSB one from a quick look at the blurb on that one.

Have a look at the pre-paid cards article here - http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/travel/cheap-travel-money#prepaid

jago25_98

I have a Nationwide credit card.

Is it worth getting the Santander credit card? That's what I'm trying to figure out.

The Nationwide has a 1% load outside of Europe... unlike the Santander... but outside of Europe I'm more likely to have to need cash... so I would have that 27% cash advance fee... and does that make it worth it? I can't figure it out

dzug1

student89 wrote: »

i have a silver account with lloyds tsb (listed as a debit card from hell to use abroad).

The 'cards from hell' epithet (a bit overhyped anyway) relates specifically to an extra fee for making purchases abroad. For getting cash it's in the mainstream of cards - not good, but not that awful.

You may find your choice lies between it and one of the better prepaid cards - Caxtonfx and Fairfx are the two best

NewYorkNewYork

I wonder if you could please give me some advice. I am off to New York on 24th April and I am trying to figure out the best way of taking money over. I would like to have some cash for travel, food etc but the majority I was going to put on a pre-paid card before I leave.

I have been looking at Fairfx and it says the exchange rate would be the same as the day I loaded the card, but what about if I load again before I go? For example, if I put £400 on it today at an exchange rate of 1.51, then £400 next week at a rate of 1.48, how do they determine which money is at which rate?

Obviously, I need to order my card soon before I go so I need to get cracking on making a decision!!

Baldur

NewYorkNewYork wrote: »

I have been looking at Fairfx and it says the exchange rate would be the same as the day I loaded the card, but what about if I load again before I go? For example, if I put £400 on it today at an exchange rate of 1.51, then £400 next week at a rate of 1.48, how do they determine which money is at which rate?

First loading - £400 @ 1.51 = $604 available balance
Second loading - £400 @ 1.48 = $592 added to available balance

Total available balance on FairFX card = $1,196

Lieutenant_Thrift

I had a money exchange experience this afternoon.

Based on info given on the travel money maximiser, I went to supposedly second best option Change Group's branch near Trafalgar square to find the rate advertised was 2 cents less than what appears online at $1.48 to the £. Yet, only about 100 yards up the street was a tourist tat shop with about the flimsiest bureau de change I've seen: a small booth with a plastic front.

Having left Change Group's place in disgust (apart from the uncompetitive rate, the buying price of $1.99 is just blatant profiteering), I went up to Tourist Tat and spoke to the woman in the booth and asked if they took Debit Cards, she called over a friendly cockney bloke who said they didn't. When I said I would go and get cash from the machine, he said:

"What's the rate on the board?" to which I said:

"1.51" and he replied to my delight

"I'll give you 1.52 then"

When I came back with £250 cash, I got $380 back from odd piles of mixed up cash.

Not the glossiest operation but very friendly and much better value with me getting almost $10 more than if I'd gone with the second best recommended. He said he gets a lot of business from people disappointed by the other place down the road.

For your reference, it was the Tourist Souvenir shop at the top of Whitehall next to Pret a Manger.

John_Pierpoint

If you need to take cash then one of the best exchange rates I find is with the Change Group. Generally beat all others including Thomas Exchange Global..................

The TEG shop is on the North side of the Strand about 5 minutes walk away To quote the TEG web site:
.
[[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]If you have any queries about our services, please don't hesitate to get in touch. [/FONT][FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Our staff will be happy to assist you with all your queries and foreign exchange requirements.
[/FONT]

• [FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Our Strand office hours are Monday to Friday, from 8.30 am to 6.45 pm. We are open on Saturday between 9.00 am and 5.45 PM and Sunday between 10.00 am and 3.45 PM[/FONT]
  
  
• [FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Our Victoria office hours are Monday to Friday, from 8.00 am to 6.45 pm. We are open on Saturday between 9.00 am and 5.45 PM and Sunday between 10.00 am and 3.45 PM[/FONT]
  
  
• [FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Our Hammersmith office hours are Monday to Friday, from 8.00 am to 9.00 pm. We are open on Saturday between 9.00 am and 5.45 PM and Sunday between 10.00 am and 3.45 PM [/FONT]
  
  
• [FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Our Liverpool Street office hours are Monday to Friday, from 8.00 am to 6.45 pm.][/FONT]

Look at the notes carefully - I'm amazed at how primitive USA dollars security seems to be when compared to Euros Sterling and Aus Dollars.,

poilah

where should i go for the best rate to exchange my holiday euros back into sterling please?