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

benjus

I have a Metro Bank card and it's very useful.

However, given the choice of a Visa debit card with no fees for overseas use and a Mastercard debit card with no fees for overseas use (Metro Bank's is Mastercard), I'd prefer the Visa card, all other things being equal. I've had a few experiences recently (Argentina, Ukraine) where Mastercard cards had to pay an ATM withdrawal charge and Visa cards didn't.

RetiredInThailand

steflarne wrote: »

Actually, as it turned out the area am I now working in lacks any cash machine which can take any Visa debit card, so the account is useless ....

You should be able to make a withdrawal using that card inside a bank branch even if they have no ATM, though they may want to charge you an extra fee for manual processing, so ask first. You will still save on the weighting.

steflarne

Thanks for the advice, I never thought of that, will give it a go. Though they do have atms, they just don't accept visa cards from what I can tell. I have a local account anyway for my wages but it would be nice to be able to access the rest of my money.

RetiredInThailand

I tend to only use my card for purchases, to save on withdrawal fees, but on the rare occasions when I use my card for overseas cash withdrawals I always go inside the branch. There are too many errors with ATMs for my taste, and if something goes wrong with them it's almost impossible to prove anything. With an in-branch withdrawal at least you have a proper paper trail and you know that you have received your cash.

GooliesOfFire

After reading T&C and Charges and Interest Rates I can say N&P account is good for spending/money withdrawals overseas but that's about it. Everything else doesn't seem so attractive.
And their £250 overdraft they are giving me seems like a rip-off (£5 + 17.9% EAR). I know there are worse offenders on the market (i.e. LTSB, Halifax, Santander etc.), but still I don't think I will ever use that overdraft haha

Anyway I'm happy with a progress so far and I'll make it my main sole account and see how it goes. I know my account details now I just need my debit card and pin. It seems I'll get those before I go abroad

woodencupboard

I'm looking to setup a N&P account soon (for the free international withdrawls) But not sure of the exact differences between the Light and Classic versions of the account?

As I see it for the Classic you have to pay in £500 a month (but can take it out again after) and for the Light the monthly 'limit' is to do more than 5 transaction (again pay in then out is possible) doing either of those both get you the account for free, with only the Classic having some 'Exclusive Gold Saving Account' option attached if you need it?

Will never use the overdraft so will be safe there.

GooliesOfFire

The Light seem to be more basic, but with a debit card you want anyway. The only thing is to do 5 transactions per month.

The Classic same as the Light, but instead of 5 transtactions a month they need only one of £500+ to be paid to your account every month. You get a debit card that is fee free overseas again, but also get some other "benefits" you may not need i.e. overdraft, "special rate"lol saving account.

I've got the Classic one as my wages will be going into it. I suppose you can always switch from Light to Classic if you want. I don't see any real benefits of doing so at the moment - overdraft charges are high, saving account rate is poor.
If I wanted this account purely for overseas usage and my wages were not going into it I would go for the Light account.

woodencupboard

Sound advice