Halifax Clarity Abroad?

Xeorix

I'm off to Florida at the end of April and just looking at holiday money, when my Dad tells me about the Halifax Clarity Card.

Can I really use it in Florida as I would any credit card in the UK without any charges at all if I pay it off in full when I get back?

It just seems a little too good to be true that there are no charges whatsoever give that my Amex will charge 3% conversion fee and then 3% overseas fee.

bsms1147

Just like at home. Purchases will be 0% if paid off in full, cash withdrawals will charge interest from the day of withdrawal until repayment (pay off by faster payment as soon as you can). Both will have near-perfect exchange rates.

Xeorix

bsms1147 wrote: »

Just like at home. Purchases will be 0% if paid off in full, cash withdrawals will charge interest from the day of withdrawal until repayment (pay off by faster payment as soon as you can). Both will have near-perfect exchange rates.

Something that isn't too good to be true then. Thanks!

GromitFan

Except if you were already to have a credit card with Halifax. Then you can't get it. Has just happened to us, when we tried for it.
My husband took the time to go into a Halifax after getting told this online, only to be told our only option was to cancel our current credit card and apply for the clarity card, which they advised him would take minimum of 1 month. So, right now, I'm looking for the next best alternative.
Another case of new customers getting things existing customers can't. We'd have got it no problem if we hadn't already had a Halifax credit card, which incidentally is our only credit card.

So, any ideas on alternatives? Thinking of maybe the Post Office Credit Card. Not quite as good (no overseas transaction fee for purchases, but think there is for cashline), but £45 on quidco just now. Anyone any experience of it?

Sorry OP for taking the original thread on a tangent.

YorkshireBoy

GromitFan wrote: »

Except if you were already to have a credit card with Halifax. Then you can't get it. Has just happened to us, when we tried for it.
My husband took the time to go into a Halifax after getting told this online, only to be told our only option was to cancel our current credit card and apply for the clarity card, which they advised him would take minimum of 1 month. So, right now, I'm looking for the next best alternative.
Another case of new customers getting things existing customers can't. We'd have got it no problem if we hadn't already had a Halifax credit card, which incidentally is our only credit card.

So, any ideas on alternatives? Thinking of maybe the Post Office Credit Card. Not quite as good (no overseas transaction fee for purchases, but think there is for cashline), but £45 on quidco just now. Anyone any experience of it?

Sorry OP for taking the original thread on a tangent.

You keep talking of "we", "us", and "our" when what you should be saying is "he", "his", and "him" as it's his existing Halifax card that's preventing him getting the Clarity card.


So...why don't you apply for it instead?

GromitFan

I don't because I am a stay at home parent and don't have a regular income. I did get a credit card a few years back from Bank of Scotland, it was only with a limit of £500, which isn't the limit we would want on a card for going abroad.
So, yes - I could probably get a credit card, but the limit most likely would not be sufficient for a 2 week holiday where we will be driving and probably spend about £500 alone in fuel.

YorkshireBoy

GromitFan wrote: »

I don't because I am a stay at home parent and don't have a regular income.

Is Halifax also your current account provider? If so, and you've a joint account there, then an application in your own name may prove fruitful.

GromitFan

Bank of Scotland is current account, and yes it's a joint account, though they have links to Halifax, which is where we got the Halifax card in the first place. And like I said in the past I got a Bank of Scotland credit card, but with a limit which would not be sufficient for what we want.

CLAPTON

GromitFan wrote: »

I don't because I am a stay at home parent and don't have a regular income. I did get a credit card a few years back from Bank of Scotland, it was only with a limit of £500, which isn't the limit we would want on a card for going abroad.
So, yes - I could probably get a credit card, but the limit most likely would not be sufficient for a 2 week holiday where we will be driving and probably spend about £500 alone in fuel.

Whilst I don't know about Clarity card, my stay at home wife has successfully applied for several CCs over the years.

One has a higher credit limit than mine.

You have nothing to lose by applying; even if you get a small limit of a few hundred that can still be useful and the limit may well increase with usage over time.

chattychappy

Does it work both ways?

I mean, if you take away their CCs, do wives stay at home?

(dives for cover....)

bouncydog1

GromitFan wrote: »

Except if you were already to have a credit card with Halifax. Then you can't get it. Has just happened to us, when we tried for it.
My husband took the time to go into a Halifax after getting told this online, only to be told our only option was to cancel our current credit card and apply for the clarity card, which they advised him would take minimum of 1 month. So, right now, I'm looking for the next best alternative.
Another case of new customers getting things existing customers can't. We'd have got it no problem if we hadn't already had a Halifax credit card, which incidentally is our only credit card.

So, any ideas on alternatives? Thinking of maybe the Post Office Credit Card. Not quite as good (no overseas transaction fee for purchases, but think there is for cashline), but £45 on quidco just now. Anyone any experience of it?

Sorry OP for taking the original thread on a tangent.

You're not quite correct as I was able to swap my existing halifax card for a clarity. just called and asked. DH kept his ordinary Halifax card as has good BT offers on.