The Great "Using plastic abroad" Hunt

sixtyplus

Just returned from a month in Canada at Calgary Stampede, then drive through the Rockies to Vancouver, with a cruise up The Inside Passage to Alaska. We use Halifax Clarity cards when abroad, for cash withdrawal from ATMs and paying for goods. Absolutely perfect everywhere with NO charges, not even for cash withdrawal. Can't recommend this enough. We used it Round the World last year - Brazil, Peru, Chile, NZ, Australia and Singapore. Faultless. Go and get one now and save yourself a lot of hassle. Our bill has only just arrived and we have been home for 2 weeks, and there are no extras on it at all. As long as we pay off the whole amount, there are no charges incurred.

stretebaby

We had a nightmare in Dubai when we visited 2 years ago. We had no currency so went to get £ out when we arrived at the airport - nothing. We used our Nationwide, HSBC & Barclay cards. Eventually we found that the machine in our hotel would "sometimes" work. It ruined my stay as I was constantly worried that our credit card would be refused after a meal out etc & we had no cash!

NiftyDigits

sixtyplus wrote: »

Just returned from a month in Canada at Calgary Stampede, then drive through the Rockies to Vancouver, with a cruise up The Inside Passage to Alaska. We use Halifax Clarity cards when abroad, for cash withdrawal from ATMs and paying for goods. Absolutely perfect everywhere with NO charges, not even for cash withdrawal. Can't recommend this enough. We used it Round the World last year - Brazil, Peru, Chile, NZ, Australia and Singapore. Faultless. Go and get one now and save yourself a lot of hassle. Our bill has only just arrived and we have been home for 2 weeks, and there are no extras on it at all. As long as we pay off the whole amount, there are no charges incurred.

Erm...if you withdraw cash and don't pay off immediately, there will be interest charges.

onesixfive

In Crete when using various ATM's a few weeks ago....

At the final stage when withdrawing cash, you are given the option to select left or right button to choose which conversion rate you'd like,

the right appears to give you the greek conversion rate (low), and the left option buttons give you an "unknown" conversion rate, (this is apparently undisclosed UK bank rates).

After testing both options whilst there & quickly checking via online banking, there was a big difference in conversion rates. The right hand (Greek) button gave you around 1.09 ; whilst the left (UK) button gave you 1.17.

Needless to say it was always the "unknown" left hand button thereafter!

rhodes1968

We always had trouble with our Visa Credit card in Australia, paying for petrol, & ended up paying in cash.
ATM's were usually no trouble, but your daily allowance may be refused if, for instance, you drew out your max DA at 10.30 one day, & tried to withdraw it again at 10.15 the next day. -because it was within 24 hours.
About 200 miles north of Perth, they only had four ATM's, & our card wouldn't work with two of them, & the other two were always empty. -until we got there early one morning. It seems that they only filled them once a day.

johnedwards3005

Having fee-free (and no-load) cards for foreign ATM withdrawals, I'm always anxious to ensure that I don't incur local charges in often far-flung countries. However, I've found recently that such fees are increasingly hard to avoid - and usually not advertised physically (and occasionally not even electronically, before committing).
There's a limit to the number of banks' machines I'm prepared to try before deciding - and in any event, I don't know what the local customs are - eg ALL banks may charge, but not necessarily the same, and is it a percentage or a flat fee?).
What would be really useful would be for MSE to produce (and keep updated!) a comprehensive listing of which banks' ATMs offer the best value in each country - I'm sure subscribers would be happy to help keep it updated.

johnedwards3005

NiftyDigits wrote: »

Erm...if you withdraw cash and don't pay off immediately, there will be interest charges.

You CAN be sure of avoiding those interest charges on Halifax Clarity ATM withdrawals by leaving the account in credit (sufficient to cover your withdrawals for a trip). I've been doing this successfully for a couple of years - topping up as required before each trip. It effectively becomes a no-load and fee-free debit card.

For simplicity, I use a Santander Zero card for purchases (of unpredictable amount), but I'm sure you could interchange the cards if you wished.

johnedwards3005

FelixTCat wrote: »

I don't know about FairFX but when I travel to South Africa each year I have no trouble getting cash from ATMs with my debit card or using my credit cards in restaurants, supermarkets etc.

I seem to remember (from a few years ago!) that virtually no petrol stations in South Africa accept cards. Do check if you're driving.

NiftyDigits

johnedwards3005 wrote: »

You CAN be sure of avoiding those interest charges on Halifax Clarity ATM withdrawals by leaving the account in credit (sufficient to cover your withdrawals for a trip). I've been doing this successfully for a couple of years - topping up as required before each trip. It effectively becomes a no-load and fee-free debit card.

For simplicity, I use a Santander Zero card for purchases (of unpredictable amount), but I'm sure you could interchange the cards if you wished.

I wrote in reply to the specific circumstances of the writer. They made no mention of pre-loading.

Personally, I just use a fee free debit card in the first place, as opposed to using the Clarity against it's T&Cs.
But if it works for you...

Jennifer_Jane

johnedwards3005 wrote: »

I seem to remember (from a few years ago!) that virtually no petrol stations in South Africa accept cards. Do check if you're driving.

Yes, good point. This is correct, and a bit surprising in a country with quite a few good reasons for doing everything by card rather than having cash! Nevertheless, cash it is at petrol stations.