Halifax credit card not in Goa

mike_2323

Hi, gulible old me took Martins and others views about the clarity card for obtaining cash abroad without checking the small print, as opposed to "Card Overview" or "Main Features".

I would normally take £ notes abroad with me and change them as required. Going to Goa for four weeks to celebrate our 50th W/A I was a tad concerned about taking enough £ notes with me to support a memorable holiday.

So I accepted the view that there were "No Charges" for drawing cash abroad other than interest from the moment the cash was drawn until the full ammount was paid back. I can live with that, as opposed to taking bundles of cash.

On arriving in Goa I headed for the first ATM I could find, and asked for about £500 worth of Rupees, request refused, only 10000 Rupees per day allowed, about £120. Ok I can live with that, but hold you hard there. The generally talked about "No Charges" for cash withdrawls abroad turns out to have "Proviso's" hidden in the small print, naturally.

Each time you make a withdrawl (in Goa at least) you are charged 250 Rupees, about £3.08 for any ammount up to the maximum of 10000 Rupees.

Had I not been so gulible I would not have obtained the Clarity card for the holiday, but have taken cash instead, but I ignored my own philosphy, if it seems to good to be true, it probably is, as well as , always read the small print and not the headline sales pitch.

I wonder how many countries this "No charges" for cash withdrawls applies too. I aim to hand the card back and revert to my PO card for emergencies and stick with £ notes in future.

grumbler

Halifax don't have any hidden charges. There is no any small print. Full stop.
However, some local ATM providers can charge you - the same as some do in UK.

dzug1

mike_2323 wrote: »

to my PO card for emergencies .

Why do you think that would be any better? The same local restrictions would apply and a not especially good exchange rate as well.

grumbler

dzug1 wrote: »

...and a not especially good exchange rate as well.

How come?
They do charge for ATM withdrawals, but the rate is the same.

NiftyDigits

mike_2323 wrote: »

Hi, gulible old me took Martins and others views about the clarity card for obtaining cash abroad without checking the small print, as opposed to "Card Overview" or "Main Features".

I would normally take £ notes abroad with me and change them as required. Going to Goa for four weeks to celebrate our 50th W/A I was a tad concerned about taking enough £ notes with me to support a memorable holiday.

So I accepted the view that there were "No Charges" for drawing cash abroad other than interest from the moment the cash was drawn until the full ammount was paid back. I can live with that, as opposed to taking bundles of cash.

On arriving in Goa I headed for the first ATM I could find, and asked for about £500 worth of Rupees, request refused, only 10000 Rupees per day allowed, about £120. Ok I can live with that, but hold you hard there. The generally talked about "No Charges" for cash withdrawls abroad turns out to have "Proviso's" hidden in the small print, naturally.

Each time you make a withdrawl (in Goa at least) you are charged 250 Rupees, about £3.08 for any ammount up to the maximum of 10000 Rupees.

Had I not been so gulible I would not have obtained the Clarity card for the holiday, but have taken cash instead, but I ignored my own philosphy, if it seems to good to be true, it probably is, as well as , always read the small print and not the headline sales pitch.

I wonder how many countries this "No charges" for cash withdrawls applies too. I aim to hand the card back and revert to my PO card for emergencies and stick with £ notes in future.

I know that we are supposed to be nice to newbies....

Did you try any other bank's ATM machine than HDFC whilst you were there? State Bank of India, Axis and ICICI?

guesswho2000

NiftyDigits wrote: »

I know that we are supposed to be nice to newbies....

Did you try any other bank's ATM machine than HDFC whilst you were there? State Bank of India, Axis and ICICI?

Indeed, and this is something not confined to India, for example Thailand charge 150 THB (£3) for each withdrawal (with the exception of Aeon ATMs).

This is nothing to do with Halifax or their card, and OP is still a lot better off than had you not used the Clarity card.

opinions4u

I wonder how many countries this "No charges" for cash withdrawls applies too. I aim to hand the card back and revert to my PO card for emergencies and stick with £ notes in future

Halifax haven't charged you. The ATM provider has.

If you'd used a Barclaycard you'd have paid a further fee of 2.75% on top of the ATM fee.

The likelihood is that the exchange rate you got is also better than that you'd have got for cash.

So your rant is misdirected.

guesswho2000

opinions4u wrote: »

Halifax haven't charged you. The ATM provider has.

If you'd used a Barclaycard you'd have paid a further fee of 2.75% on top of the ATM fee.

The likelihood is that the exchange rate you got is also better than that you'd have got for cash.

So your rant is misdirected.

Almost agree, however Barclaycard are on the fence now between good and bad for abroad - 2.99% fee for foreign txns (with no minimum), but no cash fee and interest free on non sterling cash if paid in full.

OP would still have been stung by the ATM provider though, so wouldn't have been any better off (in fact would have been worse off!).