Which Credit And Debit Cards Are Best For Worldwide Travel

iblametheparents

proeleche wrote: »

I recently used the Caxton FX dollar card and it was geat. Whilst the conversion rate is not as good as FairFX (the difference is minimal!) - Caxton do not charge for using your card at POS or for withdrawing cash, and you can top up using your debit card via the website or text.

Overall, Caxton is cheaper than FairFX, especially if you will be using the card for cash withdrawals and I cannot recommend it highly enough - I am going to Thailand in February and I plan on taking the Caxton anywhere card with me.

Sorry, you're incorrect. The FairFX Anywhere card is cheaper than ALL of the Caxton cards.

belly1

i have gone for the Fairfx card, hope i have chosen the right one. is this a much better option than if i had just used my normal HSBC debit card?

Still waiting on a few credit card companies to get back to me. anyone know what kind of fees i would typically pay, on for example:
15 transactions over the 6month trip, totalling around £2500
i'm not talking interest, just fees each time i use the card.

cheers

proeleche

iblametheparents wrote: »

Sorry, you're incorrect. The FairFX Anywhere card is cheaper than ALL of the Caxton cards.

I'm sorry but you're incorrect.


FAIRFX ANYWHERE:

• CARD-£9.95 (unless you get a deal from somewhere)
• INTERNATIONAL POS = 1.5% FEE
• INTERNATIONAL ATM = 1.5% FEE
• CARD LOAD = FREE

CAXTON ANYWHERE:

• CARD - FREE
• INTERNATION POS = FREE
• INTERNATIONAL ATM = FREE (only 2 withdrawals per 24 hours)
• CARD LOAD = FREE

The only criticism I would apply to Caxton cards is that they have minimum top up requirements, so for the anywhere card I believe it's £100.

Although FairFx have marginally better rates (well, for the dollar and euro cards), Caxton is cheaper when you take into consideration the lack of fees.

Regards

belly1

your missing that caxton actually does tecnically have a 2.5% fee per transaction. its hidden in the exchange rate.

fairfx is 1.5%
fairfx card is also actually free if you load at least £500 on.

fifeken

belly1 wrote: »

your missing that caxton actually does tecnically have a 2.5% fee per transaction. its hidden in the exchange rate.

fairfx is 1.5%
fairfx card is also actually free if you load at least £500 on.

There are a few places to get the card free without loading this amount on if you want to. Check the travel section here on MSE and you'll find them. Another tip is to order two cards. You can easily transfer the balance from one to the other if a card is lost or stolen.

As above, the FairFx Anywhere Card seems to get the vote as better than the Caxton whenever it's discussed on the forum.

iblametheparents

proeleche wrote: »

I'm sorry but you're incorrect.


FAIRFX ANYWHERE:

• CARD-£9.95 (unless you get a deal from somewhere)
• INTERNATIONAL POS = 1.5% FEE
• INTERNATIONAL ATM = 1.5% FEE
• CARD LOAD = FREE

CAXTON ANYWHERE:

• CARD - FREE
• INTERNATION POS = FREE
• INTERNATIONAL ATM = FREE (only 2 withdrawals per 24 hours)
• CARD LOAD = FREE

The only criticism I would apply to Caxton cards is that they have minimum top up requirements, so for the anywhere card I believe it's £100.

Although FairFx have marginally better rates (well, for the dollar and euro cards), Caxton is cheaper when you take into consideration the lack of fees.

Regards

Please check your facts before posting as you people could read your comments and think they were getting the better card, when in fact they aren't.

proeleche

iblametheparents wrote: »

Please check your facts before posting as you people could read your comments and think they were getting the better card, when in fact they aren't.

Those are the facts as per both websites.

If I'm wrong, please explain how I'm wrong - as opposed to just telling me that I'm wrong.

Like everyone else, I'm after the best deal and if I have misunderstood something or missed something, then tell me what.

Regards

iblametheparents

proeleche wrote: »

Those are the facts as per both websites.

If I'm wrong, please explain how I'm wrong - as opposed to just telling me that I'm wrong.

Like everyone else, I'm after the best deal and if I have misunderstood something or missed something, then tell me what.

Regards

Belly1 has already told you, please read their post.

proeleche

belly1 wrote: »

your missing that caxton actually does tecnically have a 2.5% fee per transaction. its hidden in the exchange rate.

fairfx is 1.5%
fairfx card is also actually free if you load at least £500 on.

Can someone explain to me, how the 2.5% fee actually applies? Well for the Caxton Global Card - as I understand it, they will charge a 2.5% fee if you use the $ or euro card in a place of a different currency denonimation, but what about with the Global Card?

In the USA this summer, when I used the Caxton $ card at a POS, and I spent $50 on the card, only $50 was deducted from the balance - no fee was added on top.

Similarly, when I withdrew from an ATM, only the amount I withdrew was deducted from my balance, whereas if I'd used a FairFx $ card at an ATM, they'd have deducted the cash withdrawal and a $2 ATM fee.

So, using today's exchange rates:

FAIRFX: £1=$1.5425

£100X 1.5425= $154.25

$154.25 - $50 = $104.25

$104.25 - $2 = $102.25 CLOSING BALANCE

CAXTON: £1 = $1.5370

£100x 1.5370 = $153.70

$153.7- $50 = $103.70 CLOSING BALANCE

I have always admitted, that FairFX have the better rate and if you aren't making any cash withdrawals, it is definitely the better deal.

As I previously mentioned, I am going to Thailand at the end of February - so I'm looking for the best deal.

What I don't understand is where this 2.5% fee pops up(with the Caxton Global Traveller Card) - how can Caxton say on their website that there are no fees for international POS or ATM withdrawals and then charge the 2.5%? Can someone give me an example/show me how it would apply?

Thanks for your help.

belly1

If you're going to be mostly in the Euro Zone or in the US, then the Euro or Dollar card make sense.

I think they make their profit on these cards through the exchange rate they give you when you 'load' the card with cash, which is then stored in Euro's or Dollars so you're not charged anything at the time you use that money.

If you are travelling to many different countries then the Global Traveller card is the most suitable of caxtons, HOWEVER,

With this card the funds you 'load' onto it are stored in Sterling, so any transaction will incure a fee in the form of 2.5% off the stardard exchange rate.

Therefore, everytime a transaction is made and the sterling is changed into what ever currency you are using, the exchange rate will be 2.5% lower than the standard rate, this is equivalent to a 2.5% fee. Still a useful card but as always, they have to make their money somehow.

Fairfx is cheaper:j