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Need your help! Best debit card to use overseas??????

MichaelTA
MichaelTA Posts: 9 Forumite
in Budgeting & bank accounts
Hi everyone, really need as much help as i can get! I'm moving to Turkey next month as i'm going tobe a holiday rep. I'm with santander at the moment and they charge quite a high amount for withdrawls abroad!! Can anyone recommend a bank account which does not charge a lot or dosent charge at all? Or have any tips??? I know nationwide never used to charge but they do now! My mind is boggled looking at all the different banks, really hoping you guys can help! :cry:
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Comments

  • barak
    barak Posts: 1,258 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    edited 3 March 2012 at 1:09AM
    I think somebody on the MoneyBoxLive programme on Feb 29th said that the only debit card now available for use abroad free of charges is the one issued to Norwich & Peterborough current account holders, so that may be what you need! Have a listen.
    http://www.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/series/moneybox

    - also mentioned with plenty of other info on this very site -
    http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/travel/cheap-travel-money#halifax
    ".....where it is corrupt, purge it....."
  • samwsmith1
    samwsmith1 Posts: 922 Forumite
    There's metro bank as well if you can get to London.
    https://www.metrobankonline.co.uk/
  • labp04
    labp04 Posts: 296 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 100 Posts
    Agree with samwsmith1 but would suggest that you do get to a MetroBank branch given the savings you will make. You might also want to look at their credit card offering too. We have used this bank's facilities in Turkey and across Europe without a single hitch. Highly recommended - and, no, I do not work for them! Enjoy Turkey.:beer:
  • andrewburfort
    andrewburfort Posts: 16 Forumite
    I use Post office credit card purposely created to use overseas.. works better than normal debit cards.
  • barak
    barak Posts: 1,258 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    andrewburfort wrote: »
    I use Post office credit card purposely created to use overseas.. works better than normal debit cards.
    .....but not surely for withdrawing cash :undecided
    ".....where it is corrupt, purge it....."
  • iblametheparents
    iblametheparents Posts: 629 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture Combo Breaker
    edited 4 March 2012 at 4:20PM
    I have a Norwich & Peterborough account purely for when I go abroad, perfect VISA exchange rate, no commission taken off by N&P and no ATM fees. I get charged for the account if there are less than 5 transactions per month on the account so I have five standing orders of £1 going into it from my Barclays account on payday.
  • Lith
    Lith Posts: 897 Forumite
    Tenth Anniversary 500 Posts Combo Breaker
    isn't the nationwide flex account good for abroad? or has that changed now ?
    • HSBC (Main A/C)
    • Halifax Back up A/C
    • Lloyds (Spending) A/C
    • RBS Back up A/C
    • Barclays Old A/C
    • Nationwide Old A/C
  • rb10
    rb10 Posts: 6,334 Forumite
    Lith wrote: »
    isn't the nationwide flex account good for abroad? or has that changed now ?

    http://www.nationwide.co.uk/current_account/foreigntransactions.htm

    It's still better than most banks, but no longer free.

    The Nationwide Select Credit Card is good for purchases, or there's the Halifax Clarity Card, which is good for both purchases and ATM withdrawals.
  • RetiredInThailand
    RetiredInThailand Posts: 478 Forumite
    barak wrote: »
    I think somebody on the MoneyBoxLive programme on Feb 29th said that the only debit card now available for use abroad free of charges is the one issued to Norwich & Peterborough current account holders,..

    You heard right but unfortunately the "experts" on Moneybox don't always have a clue what they are talking about.
  • barak
    barak Posts: 1,258 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    RetiredInThailand wrote: »
    You heard right but unfortunately the "experts" on Moneybox don't always have a clue what they are talking about.
    Maybe sometimes, but on this occasion iblametheparents seems [above] to have endorsed what was said, which will be helpful to MichaelTA.
    ".....where it is corrupt, purge it....."
This discussion has been closed.
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