How do you take your spending money abroad?

MancBrel

poet123 wrote: »

Is the Nationwide Flex card still fee free for ATM withdrawals?

Not any more, alas. They use the wholesale Visa rate, then take a load of (from memory) 2%, plus a pound for each ATM withdrawal. I'm off to Ireland in a few weeks, and the other weekend I filled one side of A4 with transaction options, using the "best" rates for pre ordered money found on this site, compared to multiple maximum ATM withdrawals when in Ireland. The upshot being that even with the new charges, the Nationwide still came in only a few pence more.

Thebestmumalive

The cash machines in Stoupa are very reliable. But don't rely on paying anywhere with cards - most restaurants and bars still want cash. And please don't worry about the financial state of Greece, you won't notice any hardship in Stoupa.

AlexMac

I'm no fan of travellers cheques; few traders accept them and they are fiddly and expensive to cash; who wants to queue in bakns and pay for the priveledge? If you can't get a debit card (which I always use- and my Nationwide one works out cheaper than buying Euros here), try a pre-paid card- detail on this website at http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/travel/cheap-travel-money

And if you do change cash here- don't ever buy at the airport at their poor 'walk up' rates. At least pre-order online; again via this website at http://travelmoney.moneysavingexpert.com/v1/ where you'll get up to 1.165 Euros to the pound compared with 1.11 in a bank or PO

zagfles

Doshwaster wrote: »

Yes, the Clarity card does accrue interest daily but if you have their lowest rate (12.9%) and pay the balance off within a month then you'll only be paying about 1% which is cheaper than most debit cards once you take charges and FX loadings into account.

Yes, I really don't know why people are so hung up on the fact they'll pay a bit of interest and instead they go using debit or pre-paid cards where the charges are much higher than the interest they'd pay on the Clarity!

I've just been trying to work out whether I'd be better off making ATM withdrawals in NZD using the Clarity or using my Nationwide Flex Plus, both are fee free but the Clarity charges interest, I'm coming to the conclusion the Clarity is better as Mastercard rates seem to be on average over 1% better than VISA rates!

Kathy535

Thebestmumalive wrote: »

The cash machines in Stoupa are very reliable. But don't rely on paying anywhere with cards - most restaurants and bars still want cash. And please don't worry about the financial state of Greece, you won't notice any hardship in Stoupa.

That's really useful to know, thank you. Do the two supermarkets take cards easily?

maman

poet123 wrote: »

Is the Nationwide Flex card still fee free for ATM withdrawals?

ManAtHome wrote: »

Not the 'old' one (dunno about the newer incarnations) - from memory they charge 2% plus a quid - so around 2.4% on €300-worth. Haven't used mine since they changed the charges a few years ago.

I cut up my Nationwide card that I used to use as an emergency for holiday currency when they introduced charges a couple of years ago. I think now you have to have a certain (largish) amount paid into your account monthly to avoid charges.

elantan

wantonnoodle wrote: »

I would certainly use the card to pay where possible but be careful about ATM withdrawals. Halifax charge interest from the moment the transaction takes place not from the statement date, which means the charge can add up.

If you have the app you can pay before you lift the money hence doing away with any interest charges :-)

zagfles

maman wrote: »

I cut up my Nationwide card that I used to use as an emergency for holiday currency when they introduced charges a couple of years ago. I think now you have to have a certain (largish) amount paid into your account monthly to avoid charges.

Their current accounts now all charge except the Flex Plus for ATM withdrawals (the FlexPlus does charge for purchases).

The Select credit card doesn't charge for purchases.

See http://www.nationwide.co.uk/current_account/managing_your_account/using-your-cards-abroad.htm

Tap_dancer

poet123 wrote: »

Is the Nationwide Flex card still fee free for ATM withdrawals?

We just used in France and it charged us £2 to withdraw 100 euros.