Cheap Travel Money Discussion Area

samsyerman1

I too am going to be disadvantaged by Nationwide's charges on debit cards post November.

However my main concern is that my daughter is working in Turkey on her placement year from university. Her pay and anything I send her goes into her nationwide flex account, but from 1st november she will be charged every time she uses an ATM or pays for anything with her card.

I have wriiten to Nationwide twice asking for a responce but they will not answer my question. My daughter stands to be charged £200 over the course of the next year for access to her own money.

Any suggestions?

jnm21

Get her a FairFX anywhere card, then post it to her - keep the load small until it arrives with her using cheapest postage option & use her NW debit card to fund it. NW do not care - got a written letter from them today - talking like a big PLC/bank - they don't care - they don't want you to leave, but if you don't like the changes, tough. They even mentioned terms & conditions!!!

PS That way she'll lose just under 1.5%, instead of 2.33 - 20% (withdrawing the equivalent of £300 to £5). At least she will pay for none of "the bubbly at the shareholders meeting" - remember that ad?

shezie

Hi newbie here and not sure if this is the right place to post!!?
My boyfriend is working in Germany for 3-4 months, each week he will be flying from Stanstead to Hanover (Sun-Fri)
This is his first week and iv been looking online at all the cheap air fares for next week but they are al coming up about £200+
Does anyone know of a more cost effective way of doing this?
Thanks
Sheree

jnm21

I can see short notice sunday/friday flights being costly. Try to be flexible on airports & times is all I can suggest. What dates are you looking at?

petey

Hi, all of this confuses me here. I am going abroad for a long while so will probably end up getting a local bank account. However, i currently have a nationwide flexaccount which was ideal for withdrawing cash from an ATM despite being outside of the EU and being charged 1% since last year. Which card offers the best rate PURELY for overseas (outside EU) ATM withdrawls? from what i;m reading it says the FairFX anywhere card is good but the rate is not (it's at it's own rate rather than visa/mastercard but is better than other prepaid cards) plus there's a $2 withdraw fee. is it's rate worse than the specialist credit card rates? alternatively the halifax clarity credit card is the alternative even though for ATM withdrawls? I'm confused, which card is best literally for overseas (outside EU) cash withdrawls on a regular basisi?

petey

i figured out now that the fairfx euro, dollar, anywhere card are options. if i get a fairfx euro or dollar card and go to a non euro/dollar country and withdraw cash from an ATM am i given the mastercard wholesale rate or a lower rate + the 1.5 euro/2dollar charge? am i better off opening a local bank account? does the rate i get transferring funds from my sterling bank account to the foreign bank have a bad rate?

jnm21

Petey, get the FairFX anywhere. They do not use their own rate, they use the mastercard wholesale rate. With the other cards, you get charged an ATM fee (Caxton should generally beat them - lower rate, but no ATM fee abroad). Edit: Obviously check for your usage pattern, but I believe Caxton $/€ cards offer better ATM value.

Ilan

Like most people will be giving up on nationwide come November.

If I get the Halifax clarity card and load money onto it before I travel will I avoid paying interest if I withdraw money at an ATM (assuming it remains in credit)?

luci

No as it's against their T&C's to put the card into a credit balance.

jnm21

As has been said many times.