Best card?

Butterscotch-

We've messed up with the prepaid card and are left with Tesco Credit Card, Lloyds TSB Debit Card or BOS Debit Card. I've had a look and it looks like the Tesco card is best. Is that correct?

Also, is it better to withdraw a lump sum at the beginning of the holiday? And does it make a difference if I login and pay it off as soon as I've withdrawn?

Thanks for any help.

Butterscotch-

Anyone?

...

Neil49

You would start to incur interest charges straight away if withdrawing cash on a credit card, so yes, it would make sense to logon and pay off the balance asap.

Alternatively, use your credit card to make purchases as these wouldn't incur interest charges until your payment date. Just make sure they don't debit you in £stg (i.e. do the currency conversion on the card machine) as the exchange rate would be poor.

Robdz63

Hi Butterscotch,
In the future,when you go abroad, you should consider getting the Halifax Clarity credit card. Possibly the best card to use abroad. Being a BOS customer your application should be a formality.

Robdz

simongregson

Your best option is to pay by card where possible on the Tesco credit card, you will pay a fee of about 3% but this is on the far better mastercard exchange rate and you are unlikely to make any significant savings on this by exchanging cash even with a best buy bureau de change. Use the debit card to withdraw cash, the lloyds and BOS cards are 'cards from hell' for paying as they have an extra fee for every card payment in addition to a fee of around 3%, but are fairly bog standard for taking cash out of a machine (fee + 3%ish fee which is standard with the exception of best buy for travel accounts. If you use the Tesco card for this you will incur interest + a fee + a transaction charge of about 3%.

You may be able to get a reasonable rate for travel cash if you look and buy online and collect at the airport.

As mentioned, if offered the choice on any machine then select to pay in euros. And read the wording of the question as some machines reverse the question so there is no straight yes/no answer to press each time.

[Deleted User]

simongregson wrote: »

read the wording of the question as some machines reverse the question so there is no straight yes/no answer to press each time.

Of course, especially when the machine says "Are you not sure that you don't not want to refrain from paying in a currency not dissimilar to the one that is not the home currency of your card?" :rotfl:

Butterscotch-

Thanks everyone for the help. I'm going to order a bit more online and use the cards as advised.

Bri1

A vote here for the Halifax clarity card, excellent rates whilst in the US & absolutely no charges, what more can you ask for?