Halifax clarity

Al.mce

Hi I've got a halifax clarity and intend to use it abroad. I need a float of around 200 euro for arrival and want to get it here. Can I use the card to get euros in uk ? Would it be sensible to put the card in credit before I go ? Thanks

Gromitt

Putting the card in credit may be a violation of your cards terms and conditions - have you read them?

YorkshireBoy

Al.mce wrote: »

Hi I've got a halifax clarity and intend to use it abroad. I need a float of around 200 euro for arrival and want to get it here. Can I use the card to get euros in uk ?

Yes, but you'll be charged interest from a couple of days later...so settle straight away (including any pre-existing purchases).

Would it be sensible to put the card in credit before I go ?

On the contrary, it would be very foolish. They can either freeze your account, or send the payment back to where it came from.


Now might be a good time to read your T&Cs? Start with condition 16.9

grumbler

Al.mce wrote: »

Hi I've got a halifax clarity and intend to use it abroad. I need a float of around 200 euro for arrival and want to get it here. Can I use the card to get euros in uk ?

You can use it for buying anything you want in UK from a seller accepting credit cards.

However it will be cheaper just to withdraw €€ from an ATM abroad.

Vortigern

grumbler wrote: »

...it will be cheaper just to withdraw €€ from an ATM abroad.

It would be sensible to get some euro cash before travelling - just in case the card doesn't work at the foreign airport, leaving you without the means to pay for a taxi.

grumbler

Vortigern wrote: »

It would be sensible to get some euro cash before travelling - just in case the card doesn't work at the foreign airport, leaving you without the means to pay for a taxi.

Very unlikely, and you can always have some ££ on you just in case. Not to mention a spare card that is a must.

formidible

I have been accepted for this card and intend to use it in Iceland when I go on holiday soon. I have no intention of using it here. ATM's are very reliable abroad unless you are going to a third world country. You can always put it in an ATM here just to see that it is properly recognised before you go. I can't quite believe i will not be paying any fees or interest whatsoever (providing I pay the balance off within the time period) and also you can't get a better exchange rate anywhere, not even at the cheapest exchange bureaux, and it saves you all the hassle of exchanging anyway. Amazing.

grumbler

formidible wrote: »

ATM's are very reliable abroad unless you are going to a third world country... I can't quite believe i will not be paying any ...interest whatsoever (providing I pay the balance off within the time period)...

You are right in not believing.
If you pay the statement balance you will be charged the interest on card withdrawals.

It's not that I am saying that it's a lot, and you can make it very small by paying earlier.

Vortigern

grumbler wrote: »

Very unlikely, and you can always have some ££ on you just in case. Not to mention a spare card that is a must.

Maybe unlikely, maybe I was just unlucky, but I could not get cash from any of several ATMs when I landed in Abu Dhabi. I'd told Halifax I was going there. Fortunately I didn't need cash (or a taxi) and I had a few other cards with me.

My advice to the OP would be to get a handful of Euros from a UK bureau de change before travelling. There's no benefit from using Clarity for this; better to use a debit card (or £££)