Nationwide or Citibank debit card to withdraw money in Oz

Mayday

Up to now, we've always used my Nationwide debit card to withdraw
holiday spending money when away.

Going to Oz for 4 weeks in November and just wondered if my Citibank account would be cheaper?

NiftyDigits

Halifax Clarity will be much better.
If you can't get a mainstream card, look at Kalixa Pay Prepaid Mastercard. Both the Clarity and the Kalixa give you access into the Mastercard exchange rate. For today: NZ$1.98693

So pull out the max of NZ$690 with Kalixa Pay and you'll get a rate for today, of NZ$1.971 for that cash withdrawal, after taking into account the £2.25 ATM withdrawal fee.

Clarity is best, as it has no ATM withdrawal charge. Just cover withdrawals via online banking asap to eliminate any interest charges.

Gloomendoom

As above. We use the Clarity for cash and purchases in Oz. We always seem to incur some interest though. Last time it was about 70p for over a month away. I can cope with that.

Mayday

We have already transferred a fair amount of money via TransferWise .com to our son who has arranged a prepaid debit card.

Any other largish bills will use Post Office credit card.

Don't want to apply for yet another card so back to original question - Nationwide or Ciutibank?

Neil49

Gloomendoom wrote: »

As above. We use the Clarity for cash and purchases in Oz. We always seem to incur some interest though. Last time it was about 70p for over a month away. I can cope with that.

You will always incur interest charges on cash withdrawals from day one but the exchange rate you get with a Clarity card is second to none. Just pay off the balance asap to minimise such costs. Go online to check the balance, don't wait for your statement to arrive.

NiftyDigits

Mayday wrote: »

We have already transferred a fair amount of money via TransferWise .com to our son who has arranged a prepaid debit card.

Any other largish bills will use Post Office credit card.

Don't want to apply for yet another card so back to original question - Nationwide or Ciutibank?

Why did you do that?? Would have been cheaper to use a UK card.
The Transferwise transfer may have been at a decent rate, but then you had to pay for a Prepaid card as well as possibly having to limit yourself to a particular ATM or face more fees, dependent on the card involved.
I guess you'll just leave what is left over with your son.

Neither of your choices are particularly good. But Nationwide is your best at 2% plus £1.

Rather than obstinately suggesting that you don't want to apply for another card....get another card.
The ones that you have now, aren't much good anymore.

spottydog

NiftyDigits wrote: »

as well as possibly having to limit yourself to a particular ATM or face more fees, dependent on the card involved.

Given the banks here charge fees unless it is your home bank or they have one of the few agreements with other banks you are very likely to be charged ATM fees anyway unless there are any UK banks that actively refund fees paid to overseas banks (in Oz it's not the bank you are with that charges but the cashpoint owner)

NiftyDigits

spottydog wrote: »

Given the banks here charge fees unless it is your home bank or they have one of the few agreements with other banks you are very likely to be charged ATM fees anyway unless there are any UK banks that actively refund fees paid to overseas banks (in Oz it's not the bank you are with that charges but the cashpoint owner)

I never got charged fees when using a cashpoint in Oz. It is the domestic customers that get charged.

benjus

This is fairly common - a similar situation in Spain. Foreigners with a fee-free card are in a better position than local residents, as they can use any ATM without fees, while locals have to find one operated by their own bank to avoid fees.