Cheap Travel Money Discussion Area

lukl1983

Hi all

I know Metro bank came up a few times in this thread - it looks too good to be true... has anyone used it abroad to withdraw cash? Are there literally no fees to withdraw cash?

I've looked at all the options like different prepaid cards just to withdraw cash but there is always some extra charges. I've got my santander zero credit card to make purchases but would rather not use it for ATMs.

dzug1

lukl1983 wrote: »

Hi all

I know Metro bank came up a few times in this thread - it looks too good to be true... has anyone used it abroad to withdraw cash? Are there literally no fees to withdraw cash?

I've looked at all the options like different prepaid cards just to withdraw cash but there is always some extra charges. I've got my santander zero credit card to make purchases but would rather not use it for ATMs.

It probably hasn't been going long enough for anyone to have had much experience of it - but all their publicity/T&C do suggest just that - no charges of any sort.

The only thing I'd worry about is that as it's a new card, it might not yet be in all the right databases to be recognised by every ATM. That often happens when 'new' cards come out. Pure speculation on my part though.

jnm21

dzug1, that is a very good point - very well made, in an open & balanced way - excellent!

zeke

iblametheparents wrote: »

You know you can normally get better deals when buying stuff in Turkey if you pay in Sterling too.. they seem to like it more than Liras.

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/2636905

It was a simple question why is it so difficult to get a straight answer?

I want to take liras, I don't want to take sterling/ euros/dollars/travellers cheques/plastic.

I have been to Turkey many times I know what I am doing.

The only thing I need advice on is whether BFE are reputable.

Hopefully that is clear enough.

dzug1

zeke wrote: »

It was a simple question why is it so difficult to get a straight answer?

I want to take liras, I don't want to take sterling/ euros/dollars/travellers cheques/plastic.

I have been to Turkey many times I know what I am doing.

The only thing I need advice on is whether BFE are reputable.

Hopefully that is clear enough.

And that's entirely a matter of opinion so there isn't a simple answer

My view: Best Foreign Exchange are part of Thomas Global Exchange who have an excellent reputation. If you search these boards you will find ONE post (repeated often) slamming them in a very unfair way for a situation that was beyond their control and eventually resolved in the postee's favour anyway. The rest praise them.

But this isn't a personal Q&A board - others can benefit from the superfluous advice that you disdain

zeke

dzug1 wrote: »

And that's entirely a matter of opinion so there isn't a simple answer

My view: Best Foreign Exchange are part of Thomas Global Exchange who have an excellent reputation. If you search these boards you will find ONE post (repeated often) slamming them in a very unfair way for a situation that was beyond their control and eventually resolved in the postee's favour anyway. The rest praise them.

But this isn't a personal Q&A board - others can benefit from the superfluous advice that you disdain

Thank you. Shame it took me a few goes to get there.

iblametheparents

zeke wrote: »

It was a simple question why is it so difficult to get a straight answer?

I want to take liras, I don't want to take sterling/ euros/dollars/travellers cheques/plastic.

I have been to Turkey many times I know what I am doing.

The only thing I need advice on is whether BFE are reputable.

Hopefully that is clear enough.

That's me told...

jnm21

Yeah - be more concise when helping in future! LOL

jnm21

dzug1 wrote: »

My view: Best Foreign Exchange are part of Thomas Global Exchange who have an excellent reputation. If you search these boards you will find ONE post (repeated often) slamming them in a very unfair way for a situation that was beyond their control and eventually resolved in the postee's favour anyway. The rest praise them.

If you are referring to this thread: https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/2567151, I think that you are way off the mark - the company mentioned sold currency in notes that were overdue to be removed from circulation & left their client high & dry. From what I read in the posts, re-imbursement for costs has not happened, let alone compensation for the experience.

Donnie

jnm21 wrote: »

If you are referring to this thread: https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/2567151, I think that you are way off the mark - the company mentioned sold currency in notes that were overdue to be removed from circulation & left their client high & dry. From what I read in the posts, re-imbursement for costs has not happened, let alone compensation for the experience.

Again it is you who is way off the mark.. again. This is occurring with alarming regularity.

From the thread:

We bought Pula and Rand from this company on 23.3.10. for a 2 week trip to Botswana and a 2 week trip to Namibia in May. The company offered good rates and the transaction went well. However, when we arrived in Botswana we found that the currency supplied was out of date, the Botswanan government had changed it on 31.3.10. This turned out to be quite a common occurrence and it is typical for the government to give little or no notice!

This is from the OP. Hardly looks like the fault of the Forex company.

No ground for the Forex company to be paying compensation, but a matter for one to make representations to the Botswana government.

The fact that they gave a full refund for the currency showed good faith.

In fact I can't find a single reference to this bank note change anyway. The only information that I can find is that new banknotes were introduced on the 23rd of August 2009 and the old were only changeable at main Bank of Botswana branches after November 2009.

So if TEG supplied notes other than these new ones, the OP would have a case. But the OP infers that his notes ceased being changeable other than at these city banks a full six months later.

So the full facts are not clear. You especially are in no position to know or understand the facts, so you should refrain from facile comment.

I'm especially interested in what you expect they could have done in the situation. They are not a bank. They sell currency.