Cheapest travel money option

Legacy_user

We are off to the US at the beginning of June. For many years we bought currency and travellers cheques when going to the US and then we changed to some currency and loading our Nationwide debit card. Now I don't know what is the cheapest option.

We think we will need about £2k spending money and DH has a Halifax Clarity card with limit £1400 and I have a Nationwide Gold credit card with limit £4900 and then our joint Nationwide flexaccount card.

I had thought about buying some currency and travellers cheques until I learnt the rate for the travellers cheques was less with some providers and I don't fancy carrying $3K in cash around with us. So would we be better getting some currency and then just using the Halifax and Nationwide credit cards whilst we are away and pay them off when we get home?

Also if we chose to order currency online to be delivered I understand payment has to be by bank transfer rather than credit or debit card so are there any companies ie: Best Foreign Exchange, Thomas Exchange Global etc which I should avoid due to problems which anyone has had in the past?

stilltheone

Sign up for Internet banking, use the Clarity card for cash withdrawals and the Nationwide CC for deposits etc. Pay the Clarity balances off via Internet banking. e.g. withdraw US$500, check the amount you are charged online and then pay that balance immediately or asap. That way, you keep within your credit limit and keep interest charges very low.