Best 12 Month 0% Purchase Card For Abroad?

belly1

I am looking for the best credit card to use for my 6 months travelling the world (USA, Fiji, NZ, Oz and Thailand).

I won't be using the card as a main source of cash, just for the odd big payment, i.e hostel/hotel/tour bookings. My estimates have the total expenditure at £2500 over the 6 months; a total of about 20 transactions.
For ATM withdrawals/other small purchases, I have got a FAIRFX card (this will carry the majority of my money, topping up when necessary from my HSBC OB)

The MOST important thing needed for this credit card is a 12 month 0% on purchases. This is because I will be keeping repayments low/minimum until after I come back, where I will have 5/6 months to repay the remainder before time runs out.

I am aware of the 'specialist' travel cards available e.g. Clarity/Zero/Post office. however, these aren't suitable because they don't offer the long 0% on purchases that I need.

Therefore, i've realised that I may just have to take the fees on the chin. What I would like to know is; how much extra in fees am i likely to be paying over the 6 months, using a standard card such as Halifax or Virgin etc.

I have been accepted for a Halifax card which seems like it will do the trick. Just looking for opinions really as i don't fully understand the charges/fees involved. In the summary box under 'charges' it says foreign exchange commission = 2.95% is this the total in extras I will pay per transaction? Need some expert advice here really. Never had a credit card, nevermind used one abroad.

Any help/constructive critisism would be appreciated. Preferably help though, go easy on me, i'm financially inexperienced.

dzug1

Most credit cards charge 2.75% on foreign exchange transactions - or very close to that figure. They don't charge any extra on purchases - no other fees.

You probably won't actually be conscious of it - it's buried in the exchange rate and it will be just another transaction.

Donnie

Virgin 0% for 12 months on card purchases

As dzug1 has written, your only cost will be the foreign exchange commission. Though it's not something about which you should worry, as even after that is taken, the rate will still be as good or better than the tourist rate available in country.
One thing is imperative, you must set up a Direct Debit so that the minimum payment is taken out automatically every month. If you fail to do that you are likely to become a cropper.

belly1

right i've decided i'm going to go with halifax then.

is there any way to set up a direct debit so that it takes whatever is owed or do i need to set one up that will cover every months payment, taking into account that it will steadily rise.

I did a quick rough calculation before. Halifax's minimum payment is the greatest of either £5 or 1% of balance owed:

1st month = £5
6th month = somewhere around £26

Whats the best thing to do?
i want to keep my outgoings to a minimum while i'm away.
cheers

dzug1

You can (with most companies) have a DD:

for the minimum payment
OR for the full balance

Some may allow a fixed monthly payment as well

Bear in mind that the DD may take a month to kick in - don't rely on it being there until your statement says it's active