I Don't understand

PeteDoff

Why are some many questions asked about the 'best place to by Euros' etc when people only have to read these pages and the answers are there.

Spending worldwide - Kalixa

Spending/ATM Europe (see web-site for exact area) - Metro Bank debit card.

(other cards AND CASH are available)

zagfles

Clarity is better than the Kalixa for worldwide spending.

111KAB

zagfles wrote: »

Clarity is better than the Kalixa for worldwide spending.

Hence the reason people keep asking the question 'best places to by (sic) Euros' etc as some people post misleading information.

benjus

It's a complex topic. Many people are used to changing cash before travelling and never really consider other options. The spending abroad page on this site is pretty complicated - there are lots of different charges and fees to consider. The Post Office and other exchange houses perpetuate the widespread idea that using cards abroad is very expensive, and use their "no commission" signs to fool people into thinking they are getting a good deal.

Finally, in a few cases cards are not the cheapest option. e.g. I'm going to Argentina later this year and will be taking my spending money in USD cash. Another one that comes up a lot is Thailand where most ATMs impose a charge for foreign cards.

rustyboy21

TBH, the issue is ( and I fall into this category too) I like having the money to hand and know prior to my holiday that I have the funds readily available to support myself on holiday.

I always take the currency used with me , so get it beforehand.

This ( for me) is after going on holiday 6 years ago with no euros, going to an ATM at a Barclays bank in Spain and the machine eating my card, even though there was more than sufficient funds in the account. It took ages to get sorted, whislt leaving me unable to obtain more money whilst away.

This followed on from an incident a few years earlier, where I was stood in an El corte Ingles dept store in Mallorca buying a coat and it taking an hour to take my card payment. It involved my passport, 3 telephone calls to my bank and them having to describe me to someone on the phone, even though I reported to the bank that I was going away, date/times/resort/accommodation etc.

With my experiences, yes I do take my cards with me, but I do get currency before hand and use this first.

Hence the amount of posts on this site on where to buy currency by people, not everyone is happy to use their cards abroad and this isn't even looking at cloning and identity fraud whilst away.

NiftyDigits

zagfles wrote: »

Clarity is better than the Kalixa for worldwide spending.

Actually in terms of exchange rates, there are the same. The OP stated spending(purchases).
Of course the Clarity is much more versatile, but not everyone can obtain a credit card.

NiftyDigits

rustyboy21 wrote: »

TBH, the issue is ( and I fall into this category too) I like having the money to hand and know prior to my holiday that I have the funds readily available to support myself on holiday.

I always take the currency used with me , so get it beforehand.

This ( for me) is after going on holiday 6 years ago with no euros, going to an ATM at a Barclays bank in Spain and the machine eating my card, even though there was more than sufficient funds in the account. It took ages to get sorted, whislt leaving me unable to obtain more money whilst away.

This followed on from an incident a few years earlier, where I was stood in an El corte Ingles dept store in Mallorca buying a coat and it taking an hour to take my card payment. It involved my passport, 3 telephone calls to my bank and them having to describe me to someone on the phone, even though I reported to the bank that I was going away, date/times/resort/accommodation etc.

With my experiences, yes I do take my cards with me, but I do get currency before hand and use this first.

Hence the amount of posts on this site on where to buy currency by people, not everyone is happy to use their cards abroad and this isn't even looking at cloning and identity fraud whilst away.

That was your fault, for not having a backup. Ludicrous to depend on a single card. Wasn't even a good card by the looks of it.

Doshwaster

NiftyDigits wrote: »

That was your fault, for not having a backup. Ludicrous to depend on a single card. Wasn't even a good card by the looks of it.

This is another advantage credit cards over prepaid ones. If your credit card is swallowed then you can just use another one. If you prepaid vanished into the ATM then it can be very hard to access the balance.

NiftyDigits

Doshwaster wrote: »

This is another advantage credit cards over prepaid ones. If your credit card is swallowed then you can just use another one. If you prepaid vanished into the ATM then it can be very hard to access the balance.

Prepaid cards are often for people who don't have access to the best mainstream cards.
The best mainstream cards are well advertised here. People tend to need more help with Prepaid cards.
So if one is limited in their choices, the best value might have to be balanced with the ability to have a spare card to which the balance can be shifted; such as the ICE Sterling card.

zagfles

NiftyDigits wrote: »

Actually in terms of exchange rates, there are the same. The OP stated spending(purchases).
Of course the Clarity is much more versatile, but not everyone can obtain a credit card.

The exchange rate is the same, but the Kalixa has a charge to buy (though it may be possible to get it free via a cashback site?), also you'd need to work out how to spend the exact amount you have left on the card, plus of course as the Clarity is a credit card you could have the money sat in an interest paying account and get a bit of interest until you have to pay it off.

So all in all the Clarity it better for spending, though as you say it might not be an option for some people.

zagfles

NiftyDigits wrote: »

That was your fault, for not having a backup. Ludicrous to depend on a single card. Wasn't even a good card by the looks of it.

Plus ATMs swallowing cards and great commotions about them being accepted seem to be pretty rare these days. Not happened to me for over 20 years, and that's with a lot of usage home and abroad. When we've got 6 cards each it's simply not a risk worth worrying about. Losing your cash is a much bigger risk.