Halifax backup card for ATM, and Egg for Credit?

ohit

Hi, I'm going away soon for quite a while.

I've got Nationwide debit and credit cards for the perfect overseas ATM/purchases setup. I don't want to apply for the Post Office credit card as I'm getting good limits on 0% Balance Transfer offers which I'd rather have.

Going by the lists on:
http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/travel/overseas-card-charges

The Halifax debit card is best as a backup ATM card, only £1.50 charge for as much as I can take out with no exchange rate loading charge? I'm assuming the exchange rate will be the inter-bank rate, same as using Nationwide.
And Egg for backup credit card?

I've got Halifax debit card and both Egg Card/Money cards.

Are my backup card choices correct?

TIA,

GlennTheBaker

The Halifax debit card will have the usual 2.75% loading as well as the £1.50 charge on ATM withdrawals. Seeing as you've already got your Nationwide cards, using the Halifax card purely as a last resort looks OK.

ohit

The list on that site doesn't mention the 2.75% loading. I phoned Halifax too, and they said it is just a £1.50 charge.

It is a backup, but I want to know my costs before I go. Is it likely that the people on the telephone at Halifax just don't know?

GlennTheBaker

Any non-Sterling transaction will incur the 2.75% loading on the exchange rate.

Voyager2002

ohit wrote: »

It is a backup, but I want to know my costs before I go. Is it likely that the people on the telephone at Halifax just don't know?

Yes: very likely.

The loading is something that is applied by visa/mastercard rather than by Halifax. It seems that Nationwide actually absorb this cost themselves and so make a loss whenever you use on of their cards overseas.

Since you are thinking about a back-up, remember that ATMs may fail for ANY card. A few quid in banknotes might be a sensible precaution.

ohit

Thanks to both of you.

I will have physical cash too. By backup card I mean if the Nationwide gets lost or damaged.