Nationwide Select credit card vs Santander Zero

r2015

I've decided, to hell with it, I am going on a couple of holidays abroad, to Poland in August and then France in October.


I already have a Nationwide Select credit card and Nationwide current account which I use for the sole purpose of travel insurance and money, via ATMs and my debit card when abroad, £1,000 in out every month, though I leave the £1,000 in when abroad for spending money.


I use my select credit card for paying everything.


I have a Santander 123 account with all my money in it and pay my DDs from it so I keep getting inundated with emails about getting a zero credit card.


Should I get a Zero card or does the cashback I get from the Nationwide pay any charges I would save getting a Zero card, or is it not worth the bother?

YorkshireBoy

I have both. There are two benefits to me of having both...

1. The Zero offers a fee-free cash back up to my Metro debit card for EU ATM withdrawals.

2. If I hire a car abroad I secure the rental with Select...and then don't put anymore spend on there. Instead, I use Zero for any other purchases made.

If I do need to use Zero for cash, I clear the entire balance immediately afterwards (it's 27.9% APR IIRC) using free wi-fi (or since this summer free data roaming).

Roger1

r2015 wrote: »

Should I get a Zero card or does the cashback I get from the Nationwide pay any charges I would save getting a Zero card, or is it not worth the bother?

Just to be clear, there's no Nationwide Select cashback on non-UK transactions. There is on the Aqua Reward Mastercard, but that's another discussion.

FWIW, I have both Zero and Select. I find Select easier to manage online when I need to tell them I'm travelling.

r2015

there's no Nationwide Select cashback on non-UK transactions

I never knew that.

I haven't actually used my select card abroad, I use it all the time at home, I used to use my Capitol One card for abroad but the last few holidays have been all inclusive or cruises.

I just got approved for a Zero credit card so should I just use it to withdraw money from ATM's instead of taking money from my 123 account and leave it wallowing my Nationwide current account earning no interest in case I need it?

Abbey1991

The Nationwide Flexaccount no longer has free cash withdrawals.

YorkshireBoy

Abbey1991 wrote: »

The Nationwide Flexaccount no longer has free cash withdrawals.

Maybe its a FlexPlus account? They didn't specifically say FlexAccount.

r2015

Maybe its a FlexPlus account? They didn't specifically say FlexAccount.

It is a Nationwide FlexAccount with free travel insurance.

Time to look at how I spend and withdraw money abroad?

I did try a while back to get a Halifax Clarity card but they only gave me an ordinary one, perhaps because of my age and income

r2015

Just found this

http://www.nationwide.co.uk/support/travel/fees-charges#xtab:foreignCash.

Shows how much attention I paid when I last used that card abroad 2 years ago

I was intending using that card to withdraw Polish zlotys as needed, I already have a supply of euros for France.

I think, to make life easier for myself, I will use the Santander zero card for cash and buying stuff and take the interest hit for a couple of weeks until I return, after all, how much extra will 500 Polish zlotys cost me from an atm?

System

MasterCard usually offer a slightly better rate than Visa.

This should work in favour of the Zero - that said it's good to have a forex free backup and in more exotic locations Visa/MasterCard might not have identical coverage.