Credit Card Abroad

YorkshireBoy

slopemaster wrote: »

What I do is to pay off just the cash withdrawal straight away, but leave the purchases to be paid by direct debit.

In order for this to work reliably though, you need to
a) NOT pay off the cash withdrawal until it appears on your online statement - maybe 2 or 3 days

By "online statement" do you mean your 'recent transactions' list?

If so, what you're doing (and getting away with!) seems to go against their published policy, ie condition 6.1 I quoted earlier?

dzug1

Buzby wrote: »

I'm surprised nobody has mentioned the fact that using any credit card in a non-sterling area means you will be hit with currency conversion charges and possibly even a foreign purchase fee.

.

Given that this thread has been almost exclusively about Halifax Clarity which has neither conversion charges nor a purchase fee it's hardly surprising.

malcolmffc

Best cards to take are Aqua Reward for spending and Halifax Reward for cash withdrawals.

grumbler

Aqua Rewards is not available any more to new customers, so there is no point in mentioning it.

slopemaster

grumbler wrote: »

Aqua Rewards is not available any more to new customers, so there is no point in mentioning it.

Oh, didn't know that!
We applied for one for OH and sent the necessary ID off a week or so ago... so hopefully it will still arrive!

bigadaj

slopemaster wrote: »

Oh, didn't know that!
We applied for one for OH and sent the necessary ID off a week or so ago... so hopefully it will still arrive!

Don't think it's been available for a few months now, but could be wrong.

Aqua issue other cards but the reward on has definitely been withdrawn.

reclusive46

bigadaj wrote: »

Don't think it's been available for a few months now, but could be wrong.

Aqua issue other cards but the reward on has definitely been withdrawn.

It disappeared then came back about a month ago and then went again.

212

Reward being the 3% cashback one? It was only withdrawn recently (during late March/April). I applied and got my card in late March. My friend applied days later and it got withdrawn whilst waiting for documentation. A card showed up a few days ago, so presumably they've honoured the 'Reward' application but haven't checked yet.

Do Aqua charge no loading/fees etc either then? So better for purchases because of the cashback, and Halifax for ATM due to lower interest? I have both so just wanted to check. I've only ever done POS abroad once (car hire so had to), normally just take the cash out and end up using that, but will be useful to check for future

reclusive46

212 wrote: »

Reward being the 3% cashback one? It was only withdrawn recently (during late March/April). I applied and got my card in late March. My friend applied days later and it got withdrawn whilst waiting for documentation. A card showed up a few days ago, so presumably they've honoured the 'Reward' application but haven't checked yet.

Do Aqua charge no loading/fees etc either then? So better for purchases because of the cashback, and Halifax for ATM due to lower interest? I have both so just wanted to check. I've only ever done POS abroad once (car hire so had to), normally just take the cash out and end up using that.

No loading fees for Aqua on the reward or the one where the interest lowers over 3 years.

slopemaster

212 wrote: »

Do Aqua charge no loading/fees etc either then? So better for purchases because of the cashback, and Halifax for ATM due to lower interest? I have both so just wanted to check.

Yes, Aqua is better for spending because of the cashback, but has a low limit - mine is £500. (Though, if you can be bothered, you can spend up to near the limit, then pay it off, then spend more.)
Halifax pays £5/month if you spend £300*, and has much lower interest rate for cash withdrawals (and much higher limit for spending).

*This is the Clarity Reward card - you need their Reward current a/c to get it.