Halifax Clarity Card - can you avoid interest on cash withdrawals overseas?

Elektriksheep

If you pre-load the card with funds before you make a cash withdrawal overseas (I know you're not supposed to do this, but you can), will you still be charged interest?

I kinda figured you wouldn't be charged interest if your card was always in credit, but you never know.


Thanks.

tomsco

That's correct. Your money, they can't charge you interest on it. There may still be a cash withdrawl fee and an international charge, though.

HoneyAndLemon

The transaction would still appear on your statement as a cash withdrawal so yes, you will pay interest from the date of transaction until its paid off in full.

As you said, it breaches the T's and C's of the card, so you may risk having the card closed if you do.

Fruit_and_Nut_Case

Elektriksheep wrote: »

If you pre-load the card with funds before you make a cash withdrawal overseas (I know you're not supposed to do this, but you can), will you still be charged interest?

I kinda figured you wouldn't be charged interest if your card was always in credit, but you never know.


Thanks.

Believe it or not, you're not the first person to think of this.

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/35366309#Comment_35366309
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/35745055#Comment_35745055
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/2925908

chattychappy

I would always pay a few pence (or even a couple of quid) rather than risk having a card blocked.

CCs have a tendency to get blocked when used overseas anyway - why make it even more likely to happen?

jsoap

I actually did this by accident a few weeks ago. I transfered money to the card rather than a savings account, putting the card into £1000 credit. The final statement for the month is still slightly in credit, and I've taken about £500 of foregn cash out.
So far I've heard nothing from the Halifax.