halifax clarity mastercard to purchase euros in england or spain via atm?

moneysavinggirl40

so plan to get a little euro cash then use clarity to draw money out in spain, and to pay it off asap, any1 recommend where to get small amounts of euros and good exchange rate?

dzug1

For small amounts your local High Street - you'll need to trog round to find out who is cheapest. It can vary from day to day


Check out cheque cashing outfits - they used to be good but my recent experience with one chain is that they are now much the same as the BdeC

Doshwaster

moneysavinggirl40 wrote: »

so plan to get a little euro cash then use clarity to draw money out in spain, and to pay it off asap, any1 recommend where to get small amounts of euros and good exchange rate?

For small amounts (say less than €100) it probably isn't worth spending the time and effort to find who is the cheapest as the difference isn't going to be that much.

If you have a local Tesco with a currency exchange then pre-ordering for collection usually works out well.

knightstyle

NiftyDigits has the right idea, we do it all the time, set up a payment to the Clarity card to be paid a few days after we arrive abroad to cover cash withdrawal and a bit more. Then if we make any large withdrawals later I phone my bank to make another payment to Clarity.
It is worth noting that payments always go to the highest interest balance first so even if you use the card in shops before the payment to cover the cash arrives the cash will be paid of first.

moneysavinggirl40

knightstyle wrote: »

later I phone my bank to make another payment to Clarity.

Out of interest how much was your phone bill to bank, did they leave you on hold? or is it automated so quite easy?

callum9999

moneysavinggirl40 wrote: »

Out of interest how much was your phone bill to bank, did they leave you on hold? or is it automated so quite easy?

Spain is littered with free wifi hotspots, it would be far easier and cheaper to just use your phone (assuming you have a smartphone) and do a transfer using the Halifax mobile app.

Even if you're paranoid about using wifi hotspots, it would be cheaper to roam onto a Spanish network (maximum of 16p per MB - a simple transfer will probably use less than 1) and do it than to call back to the UK.

Biggles

moneysavinggirl40 wrote: »

Out of interest how much was your phone bill to bank, did they leave you on hold? or is it automated so quite easy?

As already stated, the interest is so small, it's not worth sweating over. Relax, draw out what you need - not until you get there - and settle up when you get back.

Unless you're a really massive spender, that might cost you a couple of quid maximum.

moneysavinggirl40

yep will set up a payment in advance for couple of days after i have withdrawn as i know how much i want to withdraw, then will settle rest when i get back, can't be hassled with taking phone, it's a holiday after all.

YorkshireBoy

Biggles wrote: »

As already stated, the interest is so small, it's not worth sweating over. Relax, draw out what you need - not until you get there - and settle up when you get back.

Unless you're a really massive spender, that might cost you a couple of quid maximum.

Indeed. At the representative 12.9% APR it'll be just over 3p per day per £100.

So working on £500 withdrawn (linearly) over a 2 week holiday the interest will amount to the princely sum of £1.17 if settled on your day of return to the UK.

And if you go away for only a week, why are we even discussing it!

You go on holiday to relax...not to spend time shuffling money around!

knightstyle

moneysavinggirl40 the call is usually free from our French phone, I pay extra each month for this or I use my Toggle mobile sim card to call UK at local rate.
I phone as I had problems with hacking when in Italy and did a transfer using an internet cafe.