Spending Overseas: The cheapest way to pay Article Discussion Area

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ash333 wrote: »

My Nationwide card is a cashcard not a Visa. it has a Cirrus logo on the back.
Will this be the same rate?

Mastercard rate is slightly different from Visa, but not a huge amount and it won't affect you too much, if at all.

gr0undh0g

Applied for the Post Office card 4 weeks ago online. Heard nothing. Rang call centre last week (27th), they said that (after 3 weeks) they had sent a letter requesting ID confirmation. This letter has never arrived, when I rang again they said it was due to the postal strike. At first I thought this was funny. Not now.:mad: Still nothing in the post and I am going on holiday in 2 weeks.

Complete waste of time and would suggest to anyone applying to use for summer holidays, you stick with the No 2 option, Nationwide.

Not the first time I have had issues with the Post Office over service. The sooner they privatise it the better (and this from a Socialist!)

ahall41116

does anyone know what rate amex would use if i bought something in the US? would there still be a 1-2% loading, as UK credit cards charge?

ash

dzug

I think amex charge 2.73%.

No UK card charges 1-2%. It's either nil (Nationwide) 2.75% (most) or 3% (a few). Why amex is trivially different I don't know

I'm assuming we are talking credit cards

squawk2003

Warning to all Halifax debit card users abroad please note that currency transaction charges apply to ALL FOREIGN Currency transactions even refunds as I found to my cost when paying a refundable deposit of £1000 by card in to euros and then claiming a refund from my supplier via the card. The supplier gave me a full refund but halifax took a total of £90 for the debit & credit. They subsequently confirmed that this is correct

jap220171

I need to buy some Euros in the next 10 days, but having read through this site I am even more confused. I don't like using cards abroad due to the charges, and because I got into a few problems racking up balances a couple of years ago, so now I try to use cash.

Before I read the articles on the site, I always used Barclays as they say that they buy back any unused currency free of charge. According to the calculator on the site I am better off going to a whole host of other companies like Saga, Tescos, or Travellex, but what will they do about any unused currency?

dzug

Barclays do NOT buy back your currency free of charge. They will charge you at least 5% (on top of the 5% they charged you when you originally bought it) in the form of an exchange rate spread.

You don't have to change money back at the place you bought it - anywhere will do. You are best off keeping it for a future trip or selling it to a friend at a mutually advantageous exchange rate.

catundaseskin

Hi, we're going to Austria and Italy in 2 weeks...for spending, we got a Nationwide credit card to take advantage of thier fee free uses...although I'm a tad worried about the chip and pin bother some people on this forum have had while travelling with Nationwide cards!
Also, we do not have a Nationwide debit card as our main account is with LLoyds Tsb...but their cash withdrawal rate is horrendous!!
Waht's the best way to get cash abroad ..any help? We can take hard cash with us and pay for hotels etc on credit, but would like to have had the option of withdrawing extra if needs be ...any ideas?
thanks!

GlennTheBaker

I've used my Nationwide debit and credit cards in the USA, France, Germany, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Latvia, Holland and Spain without a single Chip & PIN related problem. I wouldn't worry, just have another card as backup in case.

I use my debit card to withdraw cash as and when I need to. Even if you don't get the full VISA debit card with a Nationwide account, you can still use the cashcard to do this.

dzug

catundaseskin wrote: »

Hi, we're going to Austria and Italy in 2 weeks...for spending, we got a Nationwide credit card to take advantage of thier fee free uses...although I'm a tad worried about the chip and pin bother some people on this forum have had while travelling with Nationwide cards!
Also, we do not have a Nationwide debit card as our main account is with LLoyds Tsb...but their cash withdrawal rate is horrendous!!
Waht's the best way to get cash abroad ..any help? We can take hard cash with us and pay for hotels etc on credit, but would like to have had the option of withdrawing extra if needs be ...any ideas?
thanks!

As you only have a NWide credit card, you are probably better off taking a bit of euro cash with you and only get more, using the CC, in an emergency. Try and get a good rate in the UK - M&S maybe, or see if you can buy some from friends.

Difficult to know if the NW fee/interest on the cash will be more or less than using your TSB debit card to get cash. Depends on the amounts and how soon you pay it back I guess.

Do not get Travelex (for example) cash with your TSB debit card - you'll lose in their fee all you have gained on the rate.