Travelling for 6 months, What card do I take?

NiftyDigits

In addition to what has been posted, you should also get a Caxton FX Global Traveller Prepaid card as a second backup for smaller ATM withdrawals.
So if you fail to get the N&P account, you have the Caxton card to hand for ATM withdrawals (of £80 equivalent and under)

Example, withdraw the equivalent of £50 via ATM.
Caxton Global £1.38
Kalixa Pay £2.25 Kalixa Pay comes into it's own for ATM withdrawals of over £80 equivalent. Use Kalixa for all purchases.
HSBC £3.13

So a combination of Caxton Global and Kalixa Pay is the best for you if there is no chance of N&P and the Halifax Clarity.

I would apply for both of the Prepaid card now, so as have them in the even of failing to get the N&P or Clarity account.

NiftyDigits

kingrulzuk wrote: »

I use the Caxton FX Euro card so its very easy to use and top up.
What i do is whenever i see a good rate on the website i do the bank transfer.
IE: Today on XE it shows the rate is £1 = 1.26 and on Caxton FE i will get 1.2330 which is way better then bank or post office or high street.
and

Perhaps you will learn something from this thread.

NiftyDigits

kieranyeh wrote: »

Very useful, so this forex fee is applied to cash withdrawals as well?

I thought the forex fee was just for transactions aside from cash withdrawals.. for some reason

Yes.

As I've written, apply for the Prepaid cards suggested and top up with the minimum. A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.
Once done, you can endeavour to apply for the Clarity and the N&P Gold Classic account.

kieranyeh

NiftyDigits wrote: »

Yes.

As I've written, apply for the Prepaid cards suggested and top up with the minimum. A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.
Once done, you can endeavour to apply for the Clarity and the N&P Gold Classic account.

Thanks for the clarification

Caxton FX looks ideal.

I figured it would be best as I need to be able to withdraw money regularly to save carrying lots of cash, the pleasure of which I don't mind paying a little more on top of the exchange rate.

And N&P I'll get on to tonight also

thanks!

NiftyDigits

kieranyeh wrote: »

Thanks for the clarification

Caxton FX looks ideal.

I figured it would be best as I need to be able to withdraw money regularly to save carrying lots of cash, the pleasure of which I don't mind paying a little more on top of the exchange rate.

And N&P I'll get on to tonight also

thanks!

Ignoring the Kalixa Pay again? Beginning to think that you may have a thick skull.
Get both!
You will not just be withdrawing cash and it is stupid to pay 2.75% on every transaction when it is not necessary.
If you buy a internal flight or a bus ticket online, are you going to pay with cash...for which you have already paid 2.75%?
Please, try to utilise your brain.
Cover all bases.
In addition, Mastercard rates are often better than VISA. Kalixa Pay is Mastercard. Caxton Global, VISA.
Try to listen....

kieranyeh

NiftyDigits wrote: »

Ignoring the Kalixa Pay again? Beginning to think that you may have a thick skull.
Get both!
You will not just be withdrawing cash and it is stupid to pay 2.75% on every transaction when it is not necessary.

You're right, I did.. sorry.

They don't seem too impressive though? Good rates, given, but £2.25 per withdrawal? I'd be withdrawing regularly so it would be £2.25 a time.. assuming I withdrew £50 that's almost 5% :eek:

I will be almost exclusively withdrawing cash, so however useful they are, I don't think they're for me.

I wont need a 3rd card to put in to my already cluttered walled assuming I get an account with N&P

kieranyeh

NiftyDigits wrote: »

If you buy a internal flight or a bus ticket online, are you going to pay with cash...for which you have already paid 2.75%?
Please, try to utilise your brain.
Cover all bases.
In addition, Mastercard rates are often better than VISA. Kalixa Pay is Mastercard. Caxton Global, VISA.
Try to listen....

If I buy online I doubt I'll be paying cash..?

I expect the rates are negligible..

kieranyeh

N&P are no good for me as you need to have a minimum of £6000 a year gross income.

I'm pretty sure I'm the only person in the world that's having this problem at the moment. My circumstances are so unique.

NiftyDigits

kieranyeh wrote: »

You're right, I did.. sorry.

They don't seem too impressive though? Good rates, given, but £2.25 per withdrawal? I'd be withdrawing regularly so it would be £2.25 a time.. assuming I withdrew £50 that's almost 5% :eek:

I will be almost exclusively withdrawing cash, so however useful they are, I don't think they're for me.

I wont need a 3rd card to put in to my already cluttered walled assuming I get an account with N&P

Seriously?

Indeed, you could use the Caxton exclusively for ATM withdrawals. But not all of your transactions will be in cash.
Plus if you wish to withdraw the equivalent of £100, Kalixa Pay is cheaper at £2.25 as compared to £2.75 for Caxton.
If you buy online, pay at a Supermarket, pay for accommodation you save at least £2.75 per £100 as compared to the Caxton.
You have more than a single good value card on which to depend.
You'll have both a Mastercard and a Visa card.
If you have a temporary problem with the Caxton, you won't need to depend on your poorer bank cards..
Always have a backup plan.

If you are going to keep your cards in the same wallet...there really is no hope for you.

callum9999

NiftyDigits wrote: »

Seriously?

Indeed, you could use the Caxton exclusively for ATM withdrawals. But not all of your transactions will be in cash.
Plus if you wish to withdraw the equivalent of £100, Kalixa Pay is cheaper at £2.25 as compared to £2.75 for Caxton.
If you buy online, pay at a Supermarket, pay for accommodation you save at least £2.75 per £100 as compared to the Caxton.
You have more than a single good value card on which to depend.
You'll have both a Mastercard and a Visa card.
If you have a temporary problem with the Caxton, you won't need to depend on your poorer bank cards..
Always have a backup plan.

If you are going to keep your cards in the same wallet...there really is no hope for you.

Some people just don't like using cards abroad... Many don't even in the UK. And those who do use cards often use debit/credit cards with no reward schemes, so are just throwing away money!

I fully understand why you get irritated when people don't take your advice, but there's no need to fly off the handle and start abusing them over it. This forum is drastically less friendly than it was just a year ago, which puzzles me as I don't quite understand how you can be so rude to people yet also have such a strong desire to help them (especially as you do such a good job of it!)!