debit card abroad

brown-eyed-girl-oz

Im going away for 6months to australia and want to take a debit card, not a credit card with me. On the website it suggests a nationwide account as it doesnt charge for transactions, although it then says thats soon to change and no longer recommends it, but doesnt offer an alternative. Just wondered if anyone had any advice on which debit card is the best to use? would appreciate any help!!!!

Degenerate

Metro bank if you can get to central London to open an account in branch.

lisyloo

Why does it have to be a debit card and not a credit card?
The best deal may well be a credit card.

brown-eyed-girl-oz

I dont live near london, what a pain!!
i wouldnt trust myself with a credit card, if i had a debit card i know i wouldnt have an endless supply of money.

chattychappy

It probably still will be Nationwide then.

Or you can look at pre-pay cards....

Or trust yourself (a bit)!

Strangely I wouldn't trust myself in Australia without a credit card!

Degenerate

brown-eyed-girl-oz wrote: »

I dont live near london, what a pain!!

There's also Cumberland BS if you live in this area:

http://www.cumberland.co.uk/about/branch-finder

moonrakerz

brown-eyed-girl-oz wrote: »

i wouldnt trust myself with a credit card, if i had a debit card i know i wouldnt have an endless supply of money.

If you do take only a debit card with you, ONLY use it in ATMs - nothing else. Tourists are seen as a "soft target" for card fraud - if they "nobble" your card it is YOUR money they are stealing - your money will run out a lot quicker than you expected

Any

On top of the protection against fraud etc... what about "back up"? What if you need an emergency? How are you going to get extra money then?

Noone in their right mind should travel without a credit card back up. You never know what can happen - for example in America if car runs over you they won't operate on you without you showing them credit card no matter how good your insurance is.

moonrakerz

Any wrote: »

in America if car runs over you they won't operate on you without you showing them credit card no matter how good your insurance is.

Bit of an old wives tale that one .............

My wife had to use two hospitals in the USA, one as day patient and one as an inpatient for 4 days - no one asked for credit cards.
We gave them our details and insurers details - they were completely happy with that.

chattychappy

moonrakerz wrote: »

Bit of an old wives tale that one .............

My wife had to use two hospitals in the USA, one as day patient and one as an inpatient for 4 days - no one asked for credit cards.
We gave them our details and insurers details - they were completely happy with that.

Yep, a friend of mine had a heart attack (whilst visiting a friend in a NY hospital!) and was never asked for CC details. He wasn't so bad they couldn't have done. He told them he had insurance and they sorted it out later.

But I do agree with the "emergency" thing. Credit cards are great for that - eg if you suddenly need to buy a flight ticket home or need non-emergency medical treatment. Also cards get lost or stolen. In the absence of a backup, you can literally be left on the street or forced to pay very high charges to people like Western Union to get money sent over.

I used to have an office opposite the main post office in Saigon. At the time it was about the only place in Vietnam that could receive Western Union payments. There was always a healthy queue of western backpackers who had "cash emergencies" and were getting parents to send it over.

brown-eyed-girl-oz

Thank you for all your comments!
I think il be taking a credit card with me, just incase!!
THANKSSSSS for the advice!