Nationwide non sterling transaction fee and/or a non sterling cash fee

NowRetired

I had a Nationwide flexaccount current account that as far as I remember, did not charge a fee when I withdrew euros from a cash machine abroad.

It's been a while since I used it.

I've just opened a FlexDirect account and was abroad and used it to pay a bill and also withdraw euros from an ATM.

I've just come home and checked my account online and see that every time I used my debit card I have been charged a non sterling transaction fee and/or a non sterling cash fee.

So does that mean my FlexDirect account does not have free cash machine withdrawals?

However totalling all the charges and the euros I withdrew, I find that if I had changed the exact amount of sterling into the same amount of euros, where I originally got some euros, the amount is almost same.

I paid £208.41 for 238.30 euros and when I bought my euros before I went I paid £87.38 per 100 euros.

So even paying fees I was not any worse off.

grumbler

I don't understand what you mean by saying 'exact amount' and 'same amount of euros', but it's long time since nationwide debit card stopped being one of the best cards for using abroad: using your cards abroad
It's 2% for € transactions for both Flex and FlexDirect plus £1 for ATM withdrawals.

There are better cards for this.

If you mean that you paid about the same 2% when buying € in UK, you could have done this a little better too: TravelMoneyMax.com Find the cheapest online holiday cash

Thrugelmir

NowRetired wrote: »

I had a Nationwide flexaccount current account that as far as I remember, did not charge a fee when I withdrew euros from a cash machine abroad.

If there's no handling fee. Then the charge is made in the exchange rate when converted into sterling. So never been fee free.

grumbler

Thrugelmir wrote: »

So never been fee free.

Wrong. It was free - no loading and no fees.

MSE News - Nationwide kills cheap overseas spending for current account customers

NowRetired

Wrong. It was free - no loading and no fees Wrong. MSE News - Nationwide kills cheap overseas spending for current account customers

Ah! I never realised it has been that long since I took money from a foreign ATM.

I wonder which will be better to use abroad now, my BOS Vantage or my Halifax reward .

I'm to old to bother about any more bank accounts.

I don't understand what you mean by saying 'exact amount' and 'same amount of euros'

I paid £87.38 for 100 euros in the UK and I paid £208.41 for 238.30 euros abroad, which works out at approx. £88 for 100 euros.

Which is what I would have paid if I had went elsewhere for my euros before going abroad.

If my calculations are correct of course.

Sensory

NowRetired wrote: »

However totalling all the charges and the euros I withdrew, I find that if I had changed the exact amount of sterling into the same amount of euros, where I originally got some euros, the amount is almost same.

I paid £208.41 for 238.30 euros and when I bought my euros before I went I paid £87.38 per 100 euros.

So even paying fees I was not any worse off.

You weren't worse off in comparison to where you originally bought the 100 euros, but you obviously would've saved money by using a load/fee-free card.

opinions4u

I wonder which will be better to use abroad now, my BOS Vantage or my Halifax reward .

In most cases your Natiowide card will be better.

But you should investigate the Halifax Clarity credit card.

System

Nationwide gives free ATM withdrawals on the FlexPlus but it costs £10 per month. It wouldn't be a new account; just your exisiting one re-designated.

BOS and Halifax current accounts are about the worst to use abroad.

NowRetired wrote: »

Ah! I never realised it has been that long since I took money from a foreign ATM.

I wonder which will be better to use abroad now, my BOS Vantage or my Halifax reward .

I'm to old to bother about any more bank accounts.



I paid £87.38 for 100 euros in the UK and I paid £208.41 for 238.30 euros abroad, which works out at approx. £88 for 100 euros.

Which is what I would have paid if I had went elsewhere for my euros before going abroad.

If my calculations are correct of course.

simpywimpy

I still use my flex account abroad and withdraw approx £100 in currency every week and so far I havent found anything worth drawing me away from them

System

It is amongst the cheapest of the major banks/building societies but I would look elsewhere if using every week - You'd probably be better off with the FlexPlus even at £10 per month.

Barclays has a reduced free option (Global Alliance) and Santander give free access to their Spanish ATMs for some card holders so these may suit those not wanting a specialised card.

simpywimpy wrote: »

I still use my flex account abroad and withdraw approx £100 in currency every week and so far I havent found anything worth drawing me away from them