Best debit card for an overseas holiday?

steef2004

Hi there, just wondering if anybody could help me. I'm travelling on a gap year starting in march and obviously money is very important.

I need to know which banks/building societies have the lowest charges for purchases on debit cards as well as cash withdrawals please! I know Nationwide's flex account is supposedly free but i've had no end of trouble trying to even get credit with them (no other banks have given me such grief). So, any other options to avoid paying Lloyds TSB an extortionate amount for each time I spend MY money?!

BernadetteN

Nationwide Debit Card.

Both my husband and myself work in Northern France and live (unfortunately) in Dover and we use the Nationwide debit card and opened the current account specifically for this purpose. Loads of my colleagues do this too. It makes a great difference when withdrawing small amounts (cf our Halifax account charges us £1.50 for taking 10 euros out, Nationwide charges nothing AND the exchange rate is better).

steef2004

Thanks, but not meaning to be rude here, but I need to know an account which ISN'T Nationwide!

innovate

only other credit card I know of is SAGA (0% on purchases in Europe, 1% elsewhere) - but you sound too young for a SAGA card.

Don't know of any other debit card that doesn't charge.

Be nice to Nationwide.......looks they are your only chance. You say they wouldn't give you credit - does this mean you applied for a loan or a credit card to start with? May be try opening a current account first, deposit some money into it, and then ask again for a credit card? Once you have one account with Nationwide, they allow you to apply for other accounts (incl credit card) from your online account space.

steef2004

Hmm no that's not really the problem, apologies if I gave the wrong impression. Pretty much all they are offering me is a cash card facility, ratehr than the useful Visa Debit I need. Several calls, and two letters later, still no reply other than 'computer says no'. I'm not impressed with them at all. However, I am about to check my credit score with experian to see what on earth is their problem with me!

BernadetteN

How about getting someone else to open a Nationwide current account, they get the delta card, then you apply as a second card holder? My dh got a debit card with them when he became the second card holder on the account within days (although I don't know what sort of checks they did in to his credit history first).

Nationwide have all those cheesy TV adverts about treating people fairly and the same... tut tut.

innovate

Didn't realise that they do a 'cash card' and a VISA Debit Card, and can't find anything about this on their site. Not for the Flexaccount, anyway. What account did you apply for?

steef2004

I applied for the Flex account, and it seems to be a problem that occurs with young people a lot. My experian credit rating is fine, and only reinforced what I thought! Is there anything I can do?

pjala

Talk to the manager, my kids have just got a cash card - on the basis that it would be easier for them later on to get a debit card etc. It allows them to monitor their account over a period of time, and builds up their credit rating.
Why not approach them and ask to open up an account, and then regularly transfer money in, then ask for the debit card?

steef2004

I've got the account, and only eight weeks before i set off around the world, so I 'm not sure that would work. I've written a letter to their 'Retail underwriting' department in protest at my treatment, although I imagine it will be ignored based on how helpful Nationwide have been to me so far...

grumbler

steef2004 wrote:

... all they are offering me is a cash card facility, ratehr than the useful Visa Debit I need. ...

Their cash card is not that useless as you think. It can't be used for purchases, but you can withdraw cash abroad for free - the same as with their debit card. This is even safer with all this Direct Currency Conversion scam spreading around.

And in 6 month you can ask for upgrade to a debit card.

BernadetteN wrote:

How about getting someone else to open a Nationwide current account, they get the delta card, then you apply as a second card holder?

Second card holder can be only for a credit card. For a debit card you need to have a joint account to have two cards.