Halifax Clarity - pay before I spend???

lauritafajita

Hi there
I got a Halifax Clarity card for myself and a Barclaycard for my husband specifically for spending money on holiday.
I want to use the Halifax to withdraw cash and I know that I need to pay it off straight away to avoid interest charges but I really don't want to have to faff around with that whilst I am on holiday - I like to leave my phone in the safe and have a break if I can.
I extimate we will withdraw around £500 so was wondering if I can add that to the card before I go and in this case, will I avoid interest charges?
Anyone done this?
Thank you

Vortigern

It's not allowed under your terms and conditions. They could block your card if you try.

Interest on £500 for two weeks will be peanuts. Pay it off when you get home.

Enjoy your holiday.

lauritafajita

Ah thank you. I just got charged £85 bank charges on my hotel bill on the credit card I had used to guarantee the booking- which the hotel took without mentioning until after the event and it stung a bit (a lot!) so I wanted to avoid large charges again!

Browntoa

also pay in the local currency , let Halifax do the conversion

johnmoney05

lauritafajita wrote: »

Hi there
I got a Halifax Clarity card for myself and a Barclaycard for my husband specifically for spending money on holiday.
I want to use the Halifax to withdraw cash and I know that I need to pay it off straight away to avoid interest charges but I really don't want to have to faff around with that whilst I am on holiday - I like to leave my phone in the safe and have a break if I can.
I extimate we will withdraw around £500 so was wondering if I can add that to the card before I go and in this case, will I avoid interest charges?
Anyone done this?
Thank you

Sometimes they blocked, sometimes not!

bigadaj

lauritafajita wrote: »

Ah thank you. I just got charged £85 bank charges on my hotel bill on the credit card I had used to guarantee the booking- which the hotel took without mentioning until after the event and it stung a bit (a lot!) so I wanted to avoid large charges again!

What are the bank charges for?

Depending on the rate you're on then interest and so total charges are unlikely to be more than £3-4.

YorkshireBoy

johnmoney05 wrote: »

Sometimes they blocked, sometimes not!

It's a bit of a risk for a £1.80 ish saving though. That's the equivalent of one small beer!

SHill

We paid our holiday bill with a clarity card...

MasterCard will use a daily currency conversion rate..it's minimal compared with using a your normal everyday credit card...to pay overseas...

If you bank online then you can check your payments to see what they have charged you each day...

Check your terms and conditions online or ask Halifax what they charge for taking foreign currency out as cash and then ask then what currency exchange rate is when just use it like a credit card...for purchases ...

Geoff1963

Can you set up a standing order for some payments to be made to the card while you are away ?
Some Internet banking allows individual "future-dated" payments. Your bank branch should be able to advise.

Edi81

What Geoff said. The interest shouldn't be that much but you could set up a payment online in advance for some of your expected spend. This is what I often do.

Fortyfoot

I always pre load my card at the Halifax bank via the cashier. Occasionally I ask them about pre loading and they have never advised against. Have been doing it for a few years now.

Fortyfoot