Table of best pre-paid cards

TakeThis

Doshwaster wrote: »

Not quite true. Caxton may have free withdrawals and no loading/spending fees but they make their money on the exchange rate you get which is slightly worse than TravelEx.

For example, today Caxton are quoting €1.2150 to the pound. The interbank rate is 1.23946. That's a 1.97% difference.

If you are going to be spending mostly by card payments then the TravelEx card will be cheaper. If you make a lot of ATM withdrawals then Caxton can be cheaper - but on a typical holiday spend of £500 then there's only going to be a few quid in it and so it's not worth losing sleep over. Both cards are much better than using your normal High Street bank card which have exchange rate loadings of approx 3% + withdrawal fee.

Another thing to bear in mind is if you use a Euro (or Dollar) card then you are locking in at one exchange rate. This could be good or bad depending on what the pound does while you are away. With the Sterling cards you get the daily rate (minus the loading). However, as above, on a few hundred pounds this may be only a few quid difference.

The Mastercard rate is 1.244635. Caxton rate is 1.2170.
Cash Passport Globe 1.2260

Bob_the_Saver

travellerboy wrote: »

Never use them myself, much prefer to use a Zero transaction card like Hailfax Clarity. Be aware if you use these preloaded cards and don't spend all the money within normally 3months you will be charged a dormant fee each and every month.

This is spherical and plural (b*lls) in most cases

I normally use a ZERO transaction debit card with NO INTEREST unlike the Halifax card, but a Fairfx (other cards are available) is superb as a back-up and unlike most
'mainstream' cards both debit and credit, which many of the banks seem to block just for the fun of it, DOES NOT charge a dormant (sic) fee.