Using a credit card abroad

pacontracting

NiftyDigits wrote: »

I think that you are more confused than anyone else on this thread.

First of all, reclusive46 is not the OP.
Secondly, what you wrote is not what he was saying.

What reclusive46 wrote was:

Obtaining a Select card does not make the rest of your Nationwide cards fee free. That is nonsense.

As to your other statement.... the Halifax Clarity is not the best card for overseas travel. It is the best value credit card for cash withdrawals overseas and even then you have to be mindful to pay your bill asap, certainly before statements are even produced.

You could argue that different credit cards are better under differing circumstances. If you wanted to spread your holiday and holiday spends over a year to fifteen months, a newly acquired Nationwide Select card would be better. Couple it with the card below.

The best debit card would be from the N&P Gold Classic Current Account

As an aside; I have a Nationwide Flexaccount account and I don't have a Select CC, but yet my Nationwide CC charges; No Fee within Visa Europe region
1% added to Visa Exchange Rate if outside the Visa Europe region
The OP has another card altogether than mine.

Perhaps it's best that you don't try to put your words in other peoples mouths...

Since the OP "won't be withdrawing cash" the answer to her question is the Nationwide CC, as after her commission free spending, she will be charged 2%. The others charge higher commissions. I would guess 2.75% for Tesco and 2.99% for Barclays.

I would certainly echo the advice on getting better cards overall.

I didn't realise that your were unfamiliar with internet naming standards but that's ok.

If you look in the little green box on your 'reply' it says "Originally Posted by: reclusive64). That gives away the game somewhat. Easily confused though so apology accepted.

The rest of the reply is rambling hypothetical rubbish so I won't even deign to reply. I'll reiterate that the best card for overseas spend is the Halifax Clarity.

NiftyDigits

pacontracting wrote: »

I didn't realise that your were unfamiliar with internet naming standards but that's ok.

If you look in the little green box on your 'reply' it says "Originally Posted by: reclusive64). That gives away the game somewhat. Easily confused though so apology accepted.

The rest of the reply is rambling hypothetical rubbish so I won't even deign to reply. I'll reiterate that the best card for overseas spend is the Halifax Clarity.

We already have a Queen, but thanks for your comments.

OP usually refers to the person who starts the thread.... Original Poster.

The reason why this is used, is that other people ask questions within a thread. So there is often a need to refer to the OP.

You wrote:

What the OP is saying

. So did you mean "What the originally posted is saying...."?

It doesn't make any sense. Just admit that you are wrong and move on. Don't act like a little girl.

As to rambling..... (of writing or speech) lengthy and confused or inconsequential....I think that it describes your post perfectly.

Perhaps you can deign to explain why the Halifax Clarity is better than the N&P debit card for overseas travel?

zerog

I think reclusive46 meant to say fee-free on all *purchases* with the Select card.

zagfles

NiftyDigits wrote: »

Perhaps you can deign to explain why the Halifax Clarity is better than the N&P debit card for overseas travel?

Oooh can I?

The N&P debit card is a VISA card, the Clarity is Mastercard. Mastercard do seem to give better average rates than VISA, particularly outside Europe. So purchases will on average be cheaper with the Clarity. In some cases cash withdrawals could be cheaper, I had a look at NZD and worked out it'd be better to withdraw cash on the Clarity and pay a weeks interest or so than it would to be to withdraw on my FlexPlus account (VISA) fee free.

In Europe the difference is fairly marginal (maybe 0.1-0.2%), but again if you pay withdrawals quickly it could be cheaper to use the Clarity.

Day to day it varies as to who's the best as the timing of the exchange rate snapshot is probably different, but I worked it out using the rates a foreign card would get in the UK and compared to the rate a British card would get abroad on the same day.

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/4189433

guesswho2000

zagfles wrote: »

Oooh can I?

The N&P debit card is a VISA card, the Clarity is Mastercard. Mastercard do seem to give better average rates than VISA, particularly outside Europe. So purchases will on average be cheaper with the Clarity. In some cases cash withdrawals could be cheaper, I had a look at NZD and worked out it'd be better to withdraw cash on the Clarity and pay a weeks interest or so than it would to be to withdraw on my FlexPlus account (VISA) fee free.

In Europe the difference is fairly marginal (maybe 0.1-0.2%), but again if you pay withdrawals quickly it could be cheaper to use the Clarity.

Day to day it varies as to who's the best as the timing of the exchange rate snapshot is probably different, but I worked it out using the rates a foreign card would get in the UK and compared to the rate a British card would get abroad on the same day.

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/4189433

I second this. Also! Using the clarity card, being a credit card, protects your current account if something goes wrong - if I have a card cloned, I'd much rather it be a credit, rather than debit (especially as my mortgage payment goes from my FlexPlus account!).

I have the Clarity as my main card for abroad, for cash, the Select CC for purchases (as it has a higher limit, and was 0% for 12 months when I took it out, so I just used it by default), and the FlexPlus debit as a backup for cash only.

I also carry a Barclaycard, since, while they charge 2.99% flat fees for overseas transactions, with cash there is no minimum and, crucially, no interest if the balance is paid in full.

Also, having a Visa and a MasterCard helps when an ATM accepts one or the other - I've had an RBS machine in Romania not accept a RBS debit card as it only took MasterCard and ATMs in China and Ukraine not take MasterCard (Clarity card) so I've had to fall back on Visa (very urgently in Ukraine, as in I'd have missed a flight without it). I also carry at least one Amex - I've never come across a situation where I've had to use an amex because you couldn't use anything else, but you never know.

NiftyDigits

guesswho2000 wrote: »

I second this. Also! Using the clarity card, being a credit card, protects your current account if something goes wrong - if I have a card cloned, I'd much rather it be a credit, rather than debit (especially as my mortgage payment goes from my FlexPlus account!).

I have the Clarity as my main card for abroad, for cash, the Select CC for purchases (as it has a higher limit, and was 0% for 12 months when I took it out, so I just used it by default), and the FlexPlus debit as a backup for cash only.

I also carry a Barclaycard, since, while they charge 2.99% flat fees for overseas transactions, with cash there is no minimum and, crucially, no interest if the balance is paid in full.

Also, having a Visa and a MasterCard helps when an ATM accepts one or the other - I've had an RBS machine in Romania not accept a RBS debit card as it only took MasterCard and ATMs in China and Ukraine not take MasterCard (Clarity card) so I've had to fall back on Visa (very urgently in Ukraine, as in I'd have missed a flight without it). I also carry at least one Amex - I've never come across a situation where I've had to use an amex because you couldn't use anything else, but you never know.

You seem to have it covered. Definitely a good idea to have both if you travel worldwide.
I also have the SAGA Platinum card (thanks to my mum) which charges 2% for cash withdrawals, again with no interest if statement balance paid in full.
Alway a good idea to have a Plan B, C, D....unless you like winging it....which I do sometimes.
Sometime I take a fixed amount of cash and no cards, just to force myself to survive on that fixed amount.
Backfired spectacularly when I somehow lost the cash I had, perhaps when taking something else out of my pocket. Could not even pay for my hotel room.
Took hours try to organise a Western Union transfer and went back to the hotel exhausted. Only to find that someone had found it on the floor near the hotel reception and handed it in.

NiftyDigits

zagfles wrote: »

Oooh can I?

The N&P debit card is a VISA card, the Clarity is Mastercard. Mastercard do seem to give better average rates than VISA, particularly outside Europe. So purchases will on average be cheaper with the Clarity. In some cases cash withdrawals could be cheaper, I had a look at NZD and worked out it'd be better to withdraw cash on the Clarity and pay a weeks interest or so than it would to be to withdraw on my FlexPlus account (VISA) fee free.

In Europe the difference is fairly marginal (maybe 0.1-0.2%), but again if you pay withdrawals quickly it could be cheaper to use the Clarity.

Day to day it varies as to who's the best as the timing of the exchange rate snapshot is probably different, but I worked it out using the rates a foreign card would get in the UK and compared to the rate a British card would get abroad on the same day.

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/4189433

No, you can't. Butt out!

But since you did anyway

Actually you got it wrong. Visa is much worse in Europe.

US$ transaction on the 02/09/2014
VISA: 1.6561007439
Mastercard: 1.657501

So yes, if you withdrew the equivalent of £500 from an ATM, you would get US$0.70(42p) more via Mastercard. Balance that against the stress of having to cover each and every one of your cash withdrawals as soon as possible. A week of interest on £500, at best, would be around £1.16.

There would certainly be an argument for having one of each. Especially as Visa is more useful in certain locations.

PS: Best to ignore the Euro exchange rate.

chattychappy

OP: Your Barclaycard is relatively good for cash. They do charge a loading of 2.99%, but that's all they charge. No additional fees. Plus it's treated like a purchase - so you get up to 56 days' interest free to pay it off.

For cash on a CC, you won't do any better except with Clarity - which doesn't charge anything upfront, but will charge interest from day one.

I know you said you wouldn't be drawing cash, but bear in mind that if you are buying Euros over the counter in the UK or changing £ in France, it will probably cost more.

Ianwzzz

I phoned Tesco to see if I would be charged for using my credit card in Jersey in restaurants etc. I was told I would be charged a small percentage. My wife who recalls us using it last time we went to Jersey without being charged, phoned them and she was told we would not be charged. Back now and waiting for the statement.

NiftyDigits

zerog wrote: »

I think reclusive46 meant to say fee-free on all *purchases* with the Select card.

That makes sense.