Withdrawing money when abroad.

theronkinator

I was looking at this: http://www.caxtonfxcard.com
In particular the Global Card
http://www.caxtonfxcard.com/feesncharges.asp?dist=CAXTGENL
It seems pretty good (I can't see any hidden charges)!

Otherwise I heard the nationwide card is still the best as it's only 1% fee?

Basically I leave on the 5th May and am going to
Hong Kong
Austalia
New Zealand
USA.

Thanks.

dzug1

theronkinator wrote: »

I was looking at this: http://www.caxtonfxcard.com
In particular the Global Card
http://www.caxtonfxcard.com/feesncharges.asp?dist=CAXTGENL
It seems pretty good (I can't see any hidden charges)!

Otherwise I heard the nationwide card is still the best as it's only 1% fee?

Basically I leave on the 5th May and am going to
Hong Kong
Austalia
New Zealand
USA.

Thanks.

Main 'hidden' charge (and it's not really hidden but it took a lot of finding ) is a 2.5% or 2.75% currency markup charge when the card is used for a currency other than that loaded on it. And loading in currency will attract a similar markup.

So the Nationwide is still better - but I doubt if you could get a card by 5 May.

For this type of card it looks a good deal.

theronkinator

dzug1 wrote: »

Main 'hidden' charge (and it's not really hidden but it took a lot of finding ) is a 2.5% or 2.75% currency markup charge when the card is used for a currency other than that loaded on it. And loading in currency will attract a similar markup.

So the Nationwide is still better - but I doubt if you could get a card by 5 May.

For this type of card it looks a good deal.

I thought that was only the Euro or Dollar card:
Please note that if you use your Euro or Dollar card outside the Euro zone or United States respectively there is a 2.75% charge on all transactions, including ATM withdrawals.

And not the Global card?

dzug1

theronkinator wrote: »

I thought that was only the Euro or Dollar card:
Please note that if you use your Euro or Dollar card outside the Euro zone or United States respectively there is a 2.75% charge on all transactions, including ATM withdrawals.

And not the Global card?

If you dig into the T&C there's a charge on the global card as well

FX Mark Up – for Euro and Dollarcards 2.75% of transaction amount, for Global Traveller 2.5%, where transaction is performed in a different currency to the card currency.

theronkinator

Stupid Nationwide said I need an income to be able to have a Visa Debit card, !!!!!!, thats stupid.

omelette451

theronkinator wrote: »

Stupid Nationwide said I need an income to be able to have a Visa Debit card, !!!!!!, thats stupid.

Not really - most banks have similar clauses. If there's a reason you don't have an income (e.g. are a student or retired) they'll usually waive it - they certainly did for me.

moggitymog

look into abbey national zero credit card, we used it recently in usa and found it a god send

RaiderHammer

moggitymog wrote: »

look into abbey national zero credit card, we used it recently in usa and found it a god send

Not open to new customers now unfortunatly. I was offered one when I had some dealings with Abbey last year and stupidily turned it down.

theronkinator

omelette451 wrote: »

Not really - most banks have similar clauses. If there's a reason you don't have an income (e.g. are a student or retired) they'll usually waive it - they certainly did for me.

I'll be a student in September, I have my Uni acceptence letter I'll take that with me, also I have a ton of money (well £6000), I've never been in debt, used my credit card twice ever and paid it off the next month, always pay my phone contract, and have had a halifax visa debit for almost two years and they don't need an income for it.

The whole point of a visa debit is so you can't spend what you don't have (as long as you decline the overdraft).

Edinburgh-foodie

Nationwide is still the best as far as I know, but if you can't get one then you'll probably have to just make do with what you have.

If you want to get another debit card, get one different to the one you already have (eg if you have a visa get a maestro), found a couple of places when I was traveling that didn't accept my main card (maestro) so had to use my backup (visa).

If you are worried about transaction charges, get large chunks of money out. Don't bother with £10, get at least £50-100, and don't use your card in shops or restaurants unless you have to.

Although it is a bit dangerous to carry large amounts of cash around, stash it in a few different pockets (both on you and in your bags) and then if you lose any or get mugged you won't be totally broke. For the same reason I'd advise keeping your back up cash card not in your wallet.

Get good travel insurance and it will cover cash anyway. Best to keep the ATM receipt, but if pushed they'll accept a bank statement showing when you took the money out. I lost £150 in Peru (was on my way to buy a flight, turned up at the travel agent without a wallet) but got it back on insurance, and used my back up card to buy the flight.

Sorry for the essay!

omelette451

theronkinator wrote: »

The whole point of a visa debit is so you can't spend what you don't have (as long as you decline the overdraft).

No: that's what a Visa Electron is for. A visa debit card can still be used the old-fashioned way (i.e. not-electronically), either with a special machine or rubbing a piece of paper over it to make an imprint, which means that theoretically you could spend what you don't have. The way to check is to see whether the card has raised numbering: visa debit cards do, while Electron cards do not (the numbers are just printed on).