Trip to Spain Query

bloke91

Hi

I am heading to Spain next week and will be taking a small amount of euros with me in cash.

The remainder I was thinking of leaving in my Nationwide Flexplus account as it doesn't charge for withdrawals abroad. Is the best way to get euros whilst in Spain or better to exchange in the UK?

If I do any card transactions whilst in Spain, do I need to specify if the conversion is based on the euro or pound rate? if so which is best?

Thanks in advance.

YorkshireBoy

Best to use your Nationwide FlexPlus card, but take a back up card too.

When you use an ATM, be sure to select "without conversion". That way, you get Nationwide's exchange rate, which will be way better than the Spanish bank's rate...possibly 4-6% better!

If using the card in a restaurant/shop etc, then ensure you are billed in Euros. Check the PIN machine closely.

zagfles

YorkshireBoy wrote: »

Best to use your Nationwide FlexPlus card, but take a back up card too.

When you use an ATM, be sure to select "without conversion". That way, you get Nationwide's exchange rate, which will be way better than the Spanish bank's rate...possibly 4-6% better!

If using the card in a restaurant/shop etc, then ensure you are billed in Euros. Check the PIN machine closely.

When in the Canaries I noticed all the hand held machines in restaurants offered DCC after the PIN entry, so I just kept hold of the machine after entering the PIN and said NO to the DCC offer. Twice - as it then goes onto another screen to confirm.

If you don't get to do this, always tell them to charge you in EUR not GBP, DCC is everywhere in Spain. Check the receipt carefully, that it doesn't show GBP anywhere on the recipt. Sometimes DCC receipts have EUR in large print and GBP in small print - you need to make sure there is no mention on GBP at all on the bill otherwise you've been DCC'ed.