Prepaid Travel Card that I can load with Euro cash

Sarah0707

Hi there,
I wonder if anyone can help with a slightly different issue.
I'll be travelling for work for a few weeks in Germany and Holland and my company insists on giving me the money for expenses before I travel in cash, in Euros. I don't really feel comfortable carrying that amount of money around in cash so would rather have a currency card, but most of the companies doing these cards seem to only allow you to load pounds on to them, which they then convert to euros, which is how they make their money.
Does anyone know of a travel card I can get either in the UK or in Germany which I can load with euros, either in cash, or from a euro account in Germany?
I'll need to load approximately 2500 euros onto it ideally.
Thanks a lot!
Sarah

eDicky

There's no UK card that can be loaded directly with cash euros. Possibly there is such a German card, but I doubt it.

Will the euro account in Germany that you mention be in your own name? Revolut prepaid MasterCard can be loaded directly from a euro bank account in one's own name. Funds can be transferred instantly from one Revolut user to another, if the German bank account holder is someone else and they sign up for Revolut also.

I can't help wondering why your employer would insist in giving you cash euros, unless they are stuck with some that they need to use up somehow...

Sarah0707

Hi eDicky,
Thanks for that, really helpful.
The reason for the cash is that I work outside the EU and things are a bit different here, lots of payments are still in cash. The other option is that I pay it on my credit card and claim it back later but it usually means a long wait and currency issues. They do have an account in Germany and could transfer me the money but again, my credit card is English and in pounds sterling so it gets complicated with currencies.
I found a card called payango.de which is a German prepaid card which would be ideal but you have to be German resident. I'll check out the Revolut card! Thanks a lot!
Sarah

eDicky

Have a look at Viabuy, euro card available to any EU resident, has IBAN to receive euros from the company's German account. Some fees.

https://www.viabuy.com/the-prepaid-mastercard-in-gold-or-black.html

Also, the German bank Comdirect accepts non German residents, account opening a little complicated though.

Sarah0707

Thanks a lot eDicky, I'll take a look!