Multi Currency travel!!

fairlysure

Hi all, In a couple of months I'm off travelling for a month and I'm going to be visiting Scandinavia, Russia and a bit of Europe. So I'm going to need lots of currencies!

I'm trying to decide the best way to carry money - changing money all the time wont be very practical and friends who have done the trip before have said they took money out on credit cards/debit cards which obviously is going to rack up the charges!

Do you think a currency card would work?

Any advice would be appreciated!

Thanks :j

Baldur

fairlysure wrote: »

I'm trying to decide the best way to carry money - changing money all the time wont be very practical and friends who have done the trip before have said they took money out on credit cards/debit cards which obviously is going to rack up the charges!

Do you think a currency card would work?

A sterling pre-paid card, such as the Travelex Cash Passport Globe which would charge you 1.49% on transactions may suit, as may the Halifax Clarity credit card, if you pay it off as soon as possible to reduce the interest incurred.

For totally fee free access to your cash abroad, Metro Bank, Norwich & Peterborough and Cumberland Building Societies all issue debit cards with no foreign loading or transaction fees - you simply get the prevailing Mastercard/VISA rate applicable to the transaction.

dzug1

It's by no means obvious that using cards will 'rack up the charges' - the right ones have little or no charges. Read the article in travel and motoring, accessed through the link at the top of this page.

A currency card would work - yes. One in sterling might be best.

Advice - Read the article in travel and motoring, accessed through the link at the top of this page. Just to repeat it.

SaveTheEuro

Baldur wrote: »

For totally fee free access to your cash abroad, Metro Bank, Norwich & Peterborough and Cumberland Building Societies all issue debit cards with no foreign loading or transaction fees.

I'd recommend you get hold of one of these debit cards and withdraw cash from machines on arrival in each country. You'll avoid all charges.

Santander also do a fees free Zero debit card but you'll need savings or a mortgage with them to get it.

One tip: always have Euros on you. If you arrive somewhere and have difficulty getting hold of the local currency, it's a good fall back position. I walked up to a taxi driver in Bosnia flashing some euro notes once when I needed to get across the border to Croatia. How could he have said no?

fairlysure

Thank you for those with useful advice. Of course I have read the article, and I am actually very well traveled. I was only looking for advice from someone who has made a similar journey about their experiences.

I already have a credit card that does not charge for transactions abroad, so I think with the addition of a currency card I should be sorted.

Thank you again.

CountryGoose

And as you leave one country for the next, plan your exit strategy for the currency..... Settle your final nights hotel bill using all but essential local currency. (If on expenses, I prepay a taxi to the airport via the hotel and hand over all local cash to settle the bill). If more cost conscious - work out the cost to the place of departure and how much local currency you'll need. Maybe factor in food & drink - though many places take cards and you'll need a 2nd mortgage to buy any food at a Moscow airport......

Obviously, you don't need to do this for a currency you'll re-use - usch as Euros - but you don't want to be left with Roubles or Swedish Kronor if you're not going back.