credit card to use in usa?

xlauracx

Hello

I've never had a credit card, have no idea what I should be looking for, but want to get a credit card to use on a trip to New York. It will be both to pay gore things and potentially withdraw money. I plan to pay it off right away when i get back and probably not use it for anything else after.

Can anyone advise what I should look for? I've looked through the website and can't understand a lot of it, its really confusing and scary.

Thanks

Laura

june.elizabeth

If you bank with Nationwide, a Select Credit Card. Or a Santander Zero Credit card. Neither of these have additional charges for USA.

xlauracx

Thanks for your quick reply, ill look into those just now.

chattychappy

Consider also Halifax Clarity, Post Office, Metrobank, Sainsbury Gold.

I believe Zero is no longer available to newcomers, and Select requires you to open and run a current account with Nationwide.

Getting cash on a CC is usually expensive - a loading on the exchange rate, interest from date of withdrawal, a cash advance fee. The cards above are good because some/all of the above drawbacks don't apply.

BUT, you say you've not had a CC before. You might struggle - often the better cards are only available to people who've got some decent credit history.

(I should add that Sainsbury Gold includes insurance and there's a monthly fee. One poster reported problems with making a claim on the insurance.)

xlauracx

Thank you. Ill certainly look into them. I've got a little while to explore eligibility and such. Its so confusing. I wish we were taught more of this in school. (though id maybe have forgotten by now!)

sleeps

If you already have the necessary funds to take on your holiday I would suggest you look at these visa/mastercard travel cards Caxton and Faifx. Especially as you won't be using a CC on a regular basis.

putout

If you are near London and have the funds for the holiday then I recommend a Metrobank debit card, which you receive the instant you open the account in branch. Like Halifax Clarity it uses the Mastercard rate with no extra charges, which beats all of the prepaid cards (Fairfx, Caxton) hands down. It is also free for withdrawing cash as it's a debit card (and is probably much easier to get than a credit card if you don't have one previously).

EDIT: Just saw that you intend to pay it off once you come back, so I guess you don't have the funds yet? In that case Halifax Clarity and Metrobank Credit Card are both good contenders, especially for cash withdrawals.

keeleyjadex

I just got the Halifax Clarity card for my upcoming trip to Orlando. Simple process - would recommend.

cardsearcher

i am looking for the same thing as yourself laura. so this info is helping me out too. i intend to take as a back up incase of added expenditure and also safer to buy rather than carrying alot of cash around.
does anyone know if i was to take a card out now but not use till november, whether the conditions on the card (ie free cash withdraws etc) may change between now and then? then i may be paying alot more.
also how does the currency exchange work with them? is it just the rate that day?
thanks

pacontracting

If you don't have the funds before you go - certainly take a debit card if you can.

US immigration can be funny if you turn up for a holiday without obvious funds e.g. Credit Card / Debit Card.

Also take your driving license. Most shops want to see see ID if you pay be card. Rather than carrying your passport around with you, most places seem to accept a UK drivers license (photo part) as acceptable ID.