Taking Halifax Clarity card to USA, only have £500 limit, can I pay off as soon as...

superman909

OK, so the only thing I "need" my Clarity card for is for one of the hotels I am staying at in NYC, they require a MasterCard and it is going to come to £400 or thereabouts provided I don't clock any additional bills up (I don't plan to)..... I will later be staying in Philadelphia but have already paid online for everything else on my trip, and will pay for food etc with cash. After I have paid my £400 to the hotel with my Halifax Clarity card is it perfectly acceptable to then simply pay this off via my Halifax online banking to free it up so I have another £500 to spend on it than say around £100 if I just left the £400 there to pay off when the next statement came through? I hope I have worded this OK and you get the message, I am extremely tired so apologise in advance!

labp04

A couple of things struck me. First, yes, it is "perfectly acceptable" to pay off the card as soon as the withdrawal shows on your account; and, a view often expressed on this site and one that I subscribe to, is that a back up card is a "good idea", just-in-case sort of thing.

Finally, from me anyway, you dont say this but your post suggests that you will be taking cash with you to spend? Are you sure that this is the "best" way to manage your money? In our wanderings around the world, we've always found that the rate we receive when we withdraw cash via the clarity card or any other fee free card has always been a deal better than any other exchange rate either here at home or abroad.

OK, that's my t'uppeneth and, yes, I know, it was 3 things! Hope you've got some kip and have a great trip.

knack92

Absolutely.

Roger1

I think you may be sailing a little close to the wind. At check in hotels often (usually?) block off credit equal to the expected spend plus a bit for possible extras. For an anticipated spend of £400, this may be OK but it's something to look out for.

Could you ask the hotel to take payment now? That would allow you to pay it off and be more flexible with the card.

superman909

Roger1 wrote: »

I think you may be sailing a little close to the wind. At check in hotels often (usually?) block off credit equal to the expected spend plus a bit for possible extras. For an anticipated spend of £400, this may be OK but it's something to look out for.

Could you ask the hotel to take payment now? That would allow you to pay it off and be more flexible with the card.

Rodger1 I was fully aware of this and was actually one of the reasons that I am considering taking a bit of extra cash that I might have done otherwise. I am not happy paying in a advance for a room that I have not even seen yet, and I am sure you can see where I am coming from with this point. I don't have a backup credit card which is a shame, only my VISA debit which would truly rack up extra fees and charges so this would be my absolute last resort in case of an emergency. Also, what happens in the situation that my credit limit does not cover the full hotel price plus the extra reserved portion? This is my only other main concern.....

datlex

One thing to keep in mind is it takes time for money you pay out to show on your account and also time for payments to reach your card.


Have you checked you'll be able to get on internet to check your pending transactions and also that a bank website/app will work fully if accessed outside of the UK?

superman909

datlex wrote: »

One thing to keep in mind is it takes time for money you pay out to show on your account and also time for payments to reach your card.


Have you checked you'll be able to get on internet to check your pending transactions and also that a bank website/app will work fully if accessed outside of the UK?

yes I appreciate things aren't instant, but so long as it frees my spending up for the second half of my trip I can't imagine there being more than a few days delay in payments in and out. Also surely the Halifax website on my iPad can be accessed anywhere in the world, it I a website after all and can't imagine why they would block Tha off when tens or hundreds of thousands of people would want to use the online banking service anywhere I the world

System

You'll not be allowed to stay as you'll need to have enough for both.

You can pay for hotel room with cash but will need a card for the 'incidentals'.

superman909 wrote: »

Also, what happens in the situation that my credit limit does not cover the full hotel price plus the extra reserved portion? This is my only other main concern.....

superman909

Heng_Leng wrote: »

You'll not be allowed to stay as you'll need to have enough for both.

You can pay for hotel room with cash but will need a card for the 'incidentals'.

How much would they extra should I expect to be added for any reserved portion for "incidentals"? What it simply be a good idea to pay as soon as I get there so I can pay that off?

Roger1

superman909 wrote: »

... what happens in the situation that my credit limit does not cover the full hotel price plus the extra reserved portion?

That's the possibility I was trying to make you aware of. I see that Heng Leng has already answered this.

superman909 wrote: »

How much would they extra should I expect to be added for any reserved portion for "incidentals"?

Ring or e-mail the hotel and ask.

What it simply be a good idea to pay as soon as I get there so I can pay that off?

Probably.