Travellers cheques

grumbler

Loobeylou wrote:

"...Yet to get it, you need to change bank account...

I don't know where this come from
There is no anything about switching account on their website. Just try to apply online and see what happens. You have nothing to lose. Or phone them. Or apply in a branch.

So then, if I was to get the Nationwide debit card (and still kept my Halifax current account as normal), as opposed to their credit card, and presuming I put a certain amount of money in the account before going on holiday, would I be able to use this debit card just to avoid excessive charges whilst spending abroad?...

YES. Howevere, read 'Credit Cards Abroad ' thread and other threads mentioned inside. All this can happen with a debit card too. Just be prepared and you will never be caught with this.

Cardew

Just to confirm Grumbler's post.

All my family have Esaver accounts with Nationwide. However to get this account you must first have a FlexAccount(which is a current account) as any monies paid into, or from, the Esaver have to first go into the FlexAccount. It is an 'instant' transfer on line.

We all have current accounts with other banks and treat Nationwide primarily as Saving account and there are no regular payments into the account.

pazzamex

Thanks to everybody for the help

Loobeylou

Further to my previous messages, I applied on-line for the Nationwide FlexAccount credit and debit cards at the back end of last week, and although I am waiting to receive the forms to sign, I today went into my local branch to supply proof of identification documents in order to speed things up.

On chatting to the really helpful woman who served me, Nationwide could not care less if after using the cards for my holiday this year, I leave those cards in a drawer until next year. She offered me a chart which showed just how much money I would be charged on top if I used my Halifax debit card to withdraw £20 per day for five days at an ATM abroad and I was astonished - over £10 overall!

It really made me think about just how much most of the banks are taking from people like me for simple transactions made abroad.

My thanks to Martin for his TV slot a while ago which made me aware of the Nationwide accounts, and to the people on this site for their help with my queries - we need to make others aware of just how much their credit and debit cards are costing them!

Loobeylou

Just wish to warn people who are thinking of applying for the Nationwide debit/credit cards to take on holiday with them to avoid all those nasty charges. Do apply in plenty of time, and in my experience it may be better to do it at a branch.

I applied on-line - big mistake! I was advised both on the phone and by e-mail from the Nationwide that the forms for myself and hubs to sign had been sent out by first class post on 24 May and should take up to three working days. I kept being told, "they will arrive within the next day or so". Today is Bank Holiday Monday 30th and I am still waiting for the forms.

I was so concerned about the no-show of the forms that I went in to my local branch on Friday 27 May (I had not known it was even there when I applied on-line) where a helpful woman managed to get the relevant forms for us to sign, and then faxed them through to Head Office to speed things up.

We shall wait and see what happens.

Loobeylou

Two days on, and we are on 01 June - I still have not received the forms for signing for the debit and credit cards (which I was advised had been sent out first class post on 24 May!)

Total you-know-what scenario (trying to be polite here!). Everyone is passing the buck. The branch state that they faxed the signed documents (including the credit agreement) back on Friday 27 May.

By Tuesday 31 I was advised on the 0800 302010 number that the signed credit agreement for the credit card had not been received. The branch faxed this through again. The on-line account for the credit card still stating "waiting for ID/signature".

No-one is willing to state when I will get these cards, and no-one is willing to make an exception, delve into the system, and sort this out so that we receive the cards and the pin.

Well not impressed with Nationwide!!!!!!!!!!