Travelling for 6 months, What card do I take?

kieranyeh

Hi all, New to the forum,

I've been saving to go "travelling" on December 15th and I've only just realised I've probably got to sort a card out for use over there.

I currently have 3 current debit accounts with Lloyds HSBC and Halifax.

I've looked in to it and they all charge to withdraw cash abroad, which is the main way I intend to look after myself when I'm out there (they seem to be around 2% with a minimum fee of £2 each) not to mention the exchange rate, which I assume is organised by Visa themselves rather than the provider?

I'll be away for a good 6 months and I'll be in many different countries including Nepal, India, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Malaysia, etc. Most of SE Asia.

I've searched the site and looked through this website with the following extension

/travel/cheap-travel-money#halifax

but it's all a bit irrelivent..

I'll be taking a good £5k+ with me, and I'm not concerned on earning interest on my money or saving when spending in stores, I just want to have a card that allows me to withdraw my hard saved money as cash, as I wish, for free or as little as possible


Knew this would be the place to come, and hope you can help :j

Kernow666

as you already have an account with halifax then a clarity card will do the job

no doubt i will get shot down in flames for suggesting it though

callum9999

Kernow666 wrote: »

as you already have an account with halifax then a clarity card will do the job

no doubt i will get shot down in flames for suggesting it though

Any particular reason for thinking that, considering it's heavily promoted as almost the perfect travellers card on these forums?

I'd personally get the Clarity and a N&P debit card though, the N&P debit card being slightly better for cash withdrawals.

NiftyDigits

Unless the OP is willing to be cycling money in and out of the N&P account, they'll be charged £5 per month for the privilege.

I concur with getting the Halifax Clarity, but apply for it now. You'll be lucky to get it before you leave.
As a backup, get yourself a Kalixa Pay Prepaid Mastercard.
For purchases, it is on par with the very best(Clarity) and it is also very good value for when it comes to large ATM withdrawals.
If you can get a current owner to refer you, you get £5 credited to your account.
Don't ask me, as I don't do referrals. I only mention them as there appear to be no working Promo codes at the moment.

kieranyeh

Hi guys,

Awesome speedy responses

As I'm going so soon I'll be lucky to get a credit card in time, and I can almost guarantee I won't be accepted one being that I have currently 0 annual income as a post graduate.

I'm looking more in to debit accounts or cash cards, I've looked more at the link I mentioned on this website and am tempted by the Ukash cash card, as it has no fee for cash withdrawals.. though they have their own exchange rates so I'm not sure if the savings would outweigh the effort to open a cash card and transfer my funds over etc..

Did a bit of hunting and found on Which's website they have a table showing the fees etc and my HSBC current account charges 2.00% or £1.75 min, £5.00 max which didn't look too bad compared to some of the worst.

Thanks again

NiftyDigits

kieranyeh wrote: »

Hi guys,

Awesome speedy responses

As I'm going so soon I'll be lucky to get a credit card in time, and I can almost guarantee I won't be accepted one being that I have currently 0 annual income as a post graduate.

I'm looking more in to debit accounts or cash cards, I've looked more at the link I mentioned on this website and am tempted by the Ukash cash card, as it has no fee for cash withdrawals.. though they have their own exchange rates so I'm not sure if the savings would outweigh the effort to open a cash card and transfer my funds over etc..

Did a bit of hunting and found on Which's website they have a table showing the fees etc and my HSBC current account charges 2.00% or £1.75 min, £5.00 max which didn't look too bad compared to some of the worst.

Thanks again

Did you post here as a joke?
You have been given the best options. Take note of them, rather than imagining that you will find something better or even comparable, with reference to the research that has already taken place.

UKASH?? In which currency would that be then?
HSBC...you neglected to mention the 2.75% forex commission in addition to the figures you have posted.

kieranyeh

NiftyDigits wrote: »

Did you post here as a joke?
You have been given the best options. Take note of them, rather than imagining that you will find something better or even comparable, with reference to the research that has already taken place.

UKASH?? In which currency would that be then?
HSBC...you neglected to mention the 2.75% forex commission in addition to the figures you have posted.

Hi, sorry I didn't mean to upset you

Not sure what you mean by the joke question, so assume not.

I have no idea what a forex commission is, so that's something I'll also look in to

I've been given a chart that states vaguely that some cards are better that others, they are not individual specific. My needs are different to most people going in to Europe for 2 weeks.

Ukash was recommended to me on the cheap travel money section of this very website bud, so wake up :T

Is it just that you can use these cards in Europe or Dollars then?

kieranyeh

NiftyDigits wrote: »

Did you post here as a joke?
You have been given the best options. Take note of them, rather than imagining that you will find something better or even comparable, with reference to the research that has already taken place.

UKASH?? In which currency would that be then?
HSBC...you neglected to mention the 2.75% forex commission in addition to the figures you have posted.

Also, the best options have been given to me?

If you're suggesting that this thread has solved my problems, I've learnt nothing useful as I've just said, I cant take out a credit card

NiftyDigits

kieranyeh wrote: »

Also, the best options have been given to me?

If you're suggesting that this thread has solved my problems, I've learnt nothing useful as I've just said, I cant take out a credit card

Was there only one suggestion? I am awake...are you?

On what subject your Post Grad? I hope not Economics.

If you've learned nothing useful, you've only yourself to blame.

Forex commission(Foreign loading fee in the Which guide) is specifically mentioned in both the MSE and Which guides(which has errors).

bud?

kieranyeh

callum9999 wrote: »

Any particular reason for thinking that, considering it's heavily promoted as almost the perfect travellers card on these forums?

I'd personally get the Clarity and a N&P debit card though, the N&P debit card being slightly better for cash withdrawals.

This is actually quite useful, I'll look in to N&P, however I've never heard of the company.. they have some good feedback

Similarly Nationwide also have an account which offers no fees on Link cash withdrawals on their FlexDirect accounts that I may look in to.. and they're on my high street too

NiftyDigits

kieranyeh wrote: »

This is actually quite useful, I'll look in to N&P, however I've never heard of the company.. they have some good feedback

Similarly Nationwide also have an account which offers no fees on Link cash withdrawals on their FlexDirect accounts that I may look in to.. and they're on my high street too

Seems that you didn't read my post.....

You'll come unstuck with a FlexDirect account. You really need to pay attention.
FlexPlus perhaps....but that is a waste of money under your circumstances. £10 per month for nothing and you'll still be hit on purchases.

At least with N&P, worst case is £5 per month.

Have you actually checked out all of the suggested options and costed them?