Travel credit cards

eDicky

The Barclaycard without overseas fees, whatever it was last called, is no longer available to new applicants, so it has been taken off the list of MSE recommended cards.

Pieman1972

Morning all

I have for the last few years had the Post Office credit card for foreign spend, but I notice that it’s vanished off the latest report. I certainly didn’t notice any changes in its T&C’s....does anybody still have the card?

I will do my own investigations in parallel but thought I would ask on here.

Thanks

EveryWhere

https://www.postoffice.co.uk/credit-card

https://www.which.co.uk/news/2019/06/bank-of-ireland-sells-off-uk-credit-cards-what-will-happen-to-your-account/

Pieman1972

Thanks for the links....checking the website, there appears no changes in policies. Will see what happens over the next few months.

2nd_mortgage

Hi all,
I am heading off to Iceland for a holiday soon.
I have a Halifax Clarity credit card which I have used abroad before. I pay it off in full every time there is a statement generated. I am always careful to use the local currency as the payment currency & let Halifax do the conversion.
I have also recently opened Starling bank a/c & have a debit card. I believe there are no foreign currency transaction or ATM withdrawal fees for this card. If I want to withdraw some cash from acash machine in Iceland, am I correct that I choose the local currency & withdraw from any ATM without any problems?

Thanks in advance

eDicky

Use your Starling debit card in exactly the same way as you have been using your Clarity (except of course having to pay off the balance etc.).

teena

Sorry to be a pain but perhaps I have just read too much and got myself in a muddle. If anyone could put me straight I would be so grateful.


Am travelling to Italy next month for a week with my 3 kids. I usually rely on a small amount of euros (£100 worth), as we are all inclusive, and rely on my Saga credit card for any excursions or shopping.



However there are some spanners in the works this year. Apparently there is a tourist tax which has to be paid in cash (about 112 euros for us) plus some trips may be cheaper bought there eg boat trips on the beach, which may not take credit cards. Also my Saga card is now withdrawn. I was thinking of getting a Tandem credit card (with 0.5% cashback) as a replacement credit card ( and I can use it in the UK when my American Express is not accepted )- is that a good idea?



I am really not sure what to do about cash. I don't know how much I will need while there so I could get a big amount of cash eg £400 in euros (with the £1 falling at the moment ......) but then come back with a significant amount unused. I have seen Starling bank mentioned but don't really understand about charges eg iF I took £200 in euros and then found I needed more cash via an ATM how do I avoid any charges - do you pay charges by the day?


Hope I have been clear about my confusion. Many thanks-grateful for any tips.

eDicky

teena wrote: »

I have seen Starling bank mentioned but don't really understand about charges eg iF I took £200 in euros and then found I needed more cash via an ATM how do I avoid any charges - do you pay by the day?

Hope I have been clear about my confusion. many thanks. grateful for any tips.

Starling Bank has no charges for anything, and using it to withdraw euros from an Italian ATM will be cheaper (on the same day) than exchanging cash to take with you. Just make sure you always pay in euros, and decline any offer of 'Conversion' by an ATM.

Tandem credit card is also fine, daily interest accrues after a cash withdrawal but it's only pennies if paid off quickly.

I use and can recommend Starling and Tandem, take them both and you'll have no worries.

teena

Thanks so much. So that I am clear can I just open a Starling account and then if I need cash one day transfer money into it from my main current account first or should I put money in there before I go ( or does it not matter?)

eDicky

teena wrote: »

Thanks so much. So that I am clear can I just open a Starling account and then if I need cash one day transfer money into it from my main current account first or should I put money in there before I go ( or does it not matter?)

Whatever is convenient. Starling may only be on your phone, but it's a real bank, your money has FSCS protection and even earns some token interest. It can be used for regular banking purposes and many people do so. You can send money to it at any time by Faster Payment, arriving instantly in my experience.