card for travelling

jarvo91

Hi

I’m am taking some extended leave from work to go travelling around Europe for the next 6 months and am wondering what would be the cheapest option. I would like to take a credit card as though I have saved up, I think I could use the extra protection that a credit card gives for purchases such as flights, accommodation and maybe emergency funds.

Would it be better to get a long 0% interest card and use that for the 6 months I’m away, the problem being that there is usually a fee for non-sterling transactions and cash withdrawals. I was looking at the Barclaycard platinum which is 0% for 14 months with 2.99% fee for both this would give me enough time to pay it off before the 0% ends.

The other option I have seen are the specialist travel cards such as Halifax clarity which don’t charge for cash or non-sterling transactions but I do have to pay interest on the balance of about 12.9% APR with Halifax even if i was to pay it off each month there would be some interest I believe.


Any help and advice is much appreciated
Sam

Farside

i use my nationwide select creditcard when i go travelling and want to buy stuff as you get unlimited commision free purchases abroad, But you still get charged for using it to withdraw cash from ATM's so i only use it to buy stuff. I use my normal debit card to withdraw. There must be some good card out there for cheap/free overseas ATM withdrawels, I just haven't found one yet.

grumbler

jarvo91 wrote: »

I’m am taking some extended leave from work to go travelling around Europe for the next 6 months and am wondering what would be the cheapest option. I would like to take a credit card as though I have saved up, I think I could use the extra protection that a credit card gives for purchases such as flights, accommodation and maybe emergency funds.

Would it be better to get a long 0% interest card and use that for the 6 months I’m away, the problem being that there is usually a fee for non-sterling transactions and cash withdrawals.

Also there is no 0% for cash withdrawals.

I was looking at the Barclaycard platinum which is 0% for 14 months with 2.99% fee for both this would give me enough time to pay it off before the 0% ends.

The other option I have seen are the specialist travel cards such as Halifax clarity which don’t charge for cash or non-sterling transactions but I do have to pay interest on the balance of about 12.9% APR with Halifax even if i was to pay it off each month there would be some interest I believe.

Pay it earlier, several times per month, and the interest will be very small. Also, I don't think that cash will make a big proportion of your all spending.
Alternatively, use CCs only for purchases and debit cards for ATMs:Your Card's Overseas Charges

If you have money, currency conversion fees overweight any introductory 0%, especially for such short term like 6 months.

guesswho2000

Halifax Clarity all the way if you're going to need cash, which at some point over six months you will

If you draw out cash, simply send a faster payment from your bank account to repay the card same day and you won't be hit with the interest. In any case, it's the best exchange rate you'll get for obtaining foreign cash.

However, I'd recommend having more than one card - there's a possibility one could get blocked, leaving you stranded. Nationwide Select, Post Office, Aqua Reward or Advance (Reward also give 3% cashback, so highly recommended for abroad) or Sainsbury's Gold (£5 monthly fee, but inclusive travel insurance, no cash fee and an interest free period on cash) if you're looking for credit cards; N&P, Cumberland BS or Metrobank current accounts will give you a fee and commission free debit card for abroad.

Personally, I never use debit cards abroad - if it gets cloned/stolen, the thief has access to your bank account - with a credit card they don't.

Farside

Well only if you write your pin number on the back of your card haha

guesswho2000

Farside wrote: »

Well only if you write your pin number on the back of your card haha

Lol, yes that's one way, I personally don't do that, but the risk of skimming, use online etc is still there, aside from immediate cash withdrawals!

Which, incidentally, is the only way (online use) my card has been used fraudulently - Tesco Mobile topups following a festival in 2007. I pretty much haven't used my debit card for anything other than paying credit cards since.

Farside

guesswho2000 wrote: »

Lol, yes that's one way, I personally don't do that, but the risk of skimming, use online etc is still there, aside from immediate cash withdrawals!

Which, incidentally, is the only way (online use) my card has been used fraudulently - Tesco Mobile topups following a festival in 2007. I pretty much haven't used my debit card for anything other than paying credit cards since.

Luckily i have a nationwide debit card so everytime i use my card online they ask for a password verification, No chance of anyone using it online without them knowing the password. It does annoy me though as i keep forgettting it, its really long and has both lower and upper case letters lol

zerog

Farside wrote: »

Luckily i have a nationwide debit card so everytime i use my card online they ask for a password verification, No chance of anyone using it online without them knowing the password. It does annoy me though as i keep forgettting it, its really long and has both lower and upper case letters lol

But anyone who knows your date of birth and address can reset the password.

grumbler

Farside wrote: »

Luckily i have a nationwide debit card so everytime i use my card online they ask for a password verification, No chance of anyone using it online without them knowing the password. It does annoy me though as i keep forgettting it, its really long and has both lower and upper case letters lol

It's up to a retailer, not NW, to use or not to use Visa Verified. It's fact that not all retailers use it as it costs them more to process the transaction with Visa Verified.