Credit Cards Abroad Article Discussion Area

MSE_Martin

To discuss using credit/debit cards abroad.

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This discussion relates to the following article - click here.  (NOTE: This article has been updated since the discussion started, therefore some questions immediately below may be out of date)

jack62uk

I've just read your article on this subject (credit cards abroad) and it concentrates on using credit cards in Europe. Or was it too early in the morning for me to absorb all that info :-/

I already have the Nationwide Credit Card (thanks to this site ) which i always use in Europe, but i'm going to Thailand in a couple of weeks and wondered if you had some advice on the right card to use there.
8) I never withdraw cash abroad, I just use the card to buy most things and pay off the balance when the bill arrives.

MOCHA

Your Nationwide card should be okay for Thailand as well. They impose no loading on ANY foreign transactions, I've used mine to pay for goods on the CD-WOW site in US dollars and have bagged some real bargains due to the greenback's current weakness.

System

I have an amex corprate card, I don't believe there is any loading on that in europe, But i am going to autralia in May will that be the case.

System

I lived in Ireland for a while and I found a loophole to get charge free cash withdrawls on a AIB Visa credit card.

They couldn't charge you for withdrawls abroad if your credit card account had money put into it, so you were in a positive credit situation.

I withdrew money charge free for months, just making sure I never dipped in to the credit on the card.

Is there any way this would work here in the UK.

System

DEar Martin,
If I go to the states,
is it worth taking travelers cheques, paying with Visa as I go along
or
withdrwing cash from the bank
or
opening a dollar account
as I regularly recieve albe it small payments for work done there
do something else you reccomend
Regards
Charlie
charlie12@totalise.co.uk

System

>:( My daughter is backpacking in Australia. She has taken an HSBC debit card with which she can withdraw cash at atm, min charge £1.75 and the exchange rate is poorer. The card is being denied by the swipe machines in shops but HSBC cannot explain why, so she has to keep making withdrawals before she can make purchases. She also has an HSBC credit card and has been told by an Australian employer that if we keep the account in credit, the charges will be lower than using the debit card. Any ideas?

murphydavid

Hi

Good artical Martin. It will change the way I pay abroad in future. I presume the Nationwide current account you refer to as best (Debit Card) is their Flex Account. I already have one and will use that in future. I was a bit surprised to see you say its not worth opening just for overseas spending, I found it just as easy to get as yet another credit card. (I am on the capital one circle cash back and pay it all off at the moment). Anyway if one gets a Nationwide Flex and a Nationwide internet savings at the same time you can put your cash in the savings account (4% AER interest at the moment) and use the internet to transfer the money instantly to your flex account when you need it. Thus I will now keep excess money handy when abroad, there it is earning 4% (less tax) till I spend it.
Lovely

Thanks

DM

System

Are credit cards universally accepted in Tunisia, please?

Galstonian

I didn't manage to venture off the toilet for long enough to find out I'm afraid.

From what I can remember (more than 15 years ago know), I don't think so but it may have changed.

System

Hi Martin,

Thanks for the info. on different loading using credit cards abroad. I use credit cards for purchases in Ireland on a frequent basis and wondered if you had done any comparisons on the exchange rates applied by credit card companies. I've noted that on the same day I can get different rates applied by different cards and am not sure if this due to different rates from each company or different rates at times of the day.

Any information would be useful.

HM