BarclayCard Foreign Exchange Rates?

[Deleted User]

I need another card for travelling. I have a Halifax Clarity already, but the amount they gave me isn't enough and i'm not eligible for any of the other cards mentioned on the Travel Money Guide.

So i wondered FAIRfx or Barclaycard (which i already have).

The FAIRfx gives a lower exchange rate. $1.4820 to the pound.
But the current exchange rate according to Google is $1.5

So what does Barclays use? I can't seem to find an answer on their website.

Because if Barclays do use an exact exchange rate then i'd be better off using the Barclaycard at 3% commission.



Any help or comments is/ are appreciated.

NiftyDigits

http://corporate.visa.com/pd/consumer_services/consumer_ex_rates.jsp

FairFx is currently $1.4760 for the US$ card. If you meant the Anywhere card, then you should write Anywhere.

[Deleted User]

Thanks for the reply.

Yes it was the US dollar card. Forgot to mention that!

That link is quite helpful. Didn't realise Visa did the exchange rates.

With the 3% it says $156 to £100

I'm not sure if i have to take the 3% off that? Even if i do, then i get £3 more with Barclaycard per £100

I think that's right!?

chattychappy

Barclaycard is good for overseas ATM withdrawals. Pretty much the interbank rate with 3% fee. OK there are fee-free cards out there, but:
1) You get up to 56 days interest free (they treat it like a purchase)
2) You can get £500/day (well at least I can on Barclaycard Plat). My other cards are usually less.

[Deleted User]

chattychappy wrote: »

Barclaycard is good for overseas ATM withdrawals. Pretty much the interbank rate with 3% fee. OK there are fee-free cards out there, but:
1) You get up to 56 days interest free (they treat it like a purchase)
2) You can get £500/day (well at least I can on Barclaycard Plat). My other cards are usually less.

Thanks for the reply.

I've decided to stick with it because i need to take it anyway. And don't fancy taking 4 cards as well >.<

Tbh i shouldn't be needing £500 per day cash

zagfles

My Barclaycard is MasterCard (they might do VISA as well?). If it's MasterCard the rates are here:

https://www.mastercard.com/global/currencyconversion/index.html

Also the VISA rates for European cards are here strictly speaking (there's a link from the rates page above): http://www.visaeurope.com/en/cardholders/exchange_rates.aspx You can enter the bank fee.

[Deleted User]

zagfles wrote: »

My Barclaycard is MasterCard (they might do VISA as well?).

Thanks for the reply.

I'm not sure why these links aren't listed on the Travel Money page!?

dzug1

nick4130 wrote: »

Thanks for the reply.

Yes it was the US dollar card. Forgot to mention that!

That link is quite helpful. Didn't realise Visa did the exchange rates.

With the 3% it says $156 to £100

I'm not sure if i have to take the 3% off that? Even if i do, then i get £3 more with Barclaycard per £100

I think that's right!?

No - I think you've got it back to front - buying £ rather than buying $$

With 3% commission it's something like 1.46 to the £

reclusive46

The MasterCard exchange rate checker is broken 90% of the time, so there wouldn't be much time in linking that :P

[Deleted User]

reclusive46 wrote: »

The MasterCard exchange rate checker is broken 90% of the time, so there wouldn't be much time in linking that :P

The Visa one is okay though? My Halifax is Mastercard but that shouldn't matter.

dzug1 wrote: »

No - I think you've got it back to front - buying £ rather than buying $$

With 3% commission it's something like 1.46 to the £

You're right, what an idiot. I knew i was doing it backwards but couldn't figure out why i couldn't get a whole number for £s. But obviously it's designed for checking after purchasing and not for exchanging.

haha. Thanks!


I checked again. Seems as they're both sat at 1.46 rate. The 3% is included (which i couldn't figure out before, bad day?!) so no worries either way then.


Double thanks for that buddy!

zagfles

reclusive46 wrote: »

The MasterCard exchange rate checker is broken 90% of the time, so there wouldn't be much time in linking that :P

Slight exaggeration. It's broken occasionally but usually works. When it's broke you can use the Kalixa tool, which gives the same answers as they use Mastercard and don't markup the rate http://fx.kalixa.com/en-GB/Guest-Areas/About-Kalixa/kalixa-exchange-rates/