Travel Currency Rejection Delay

downinja

Ahh the stress of holidays!!

Me and the missus slightly messed up timings and hadn't sorted currency in a timely manner.

She went to town to sort today (poor me has to work).

Due to going to a few places in South America and needing several different currencies she struggled to find the correct currency.

Not a problem, I found Asda Money who could deliver tomorrow and had good rates, went online ordered the currency, the missus put in her details......

At that point I realised I hadn't had a confirmation! Called Asda who said that the transaction was rejected due to her billing address not being her card address (She has a property of her own).

This wouldn't be an issue but Natwest won't return the money for 5 days, surely that's not right?

JuicyJesus

downinja wrote: »

This wouldn't be an issue but Natwest won't return the money for 5 days, surely that's not right?

It's not quite "right" but it is how things work - they have to earmark the transaction, as as far as they're concerned Asda are going to take that money from your account. After five or so working days the earmark will go away and it'll go back to being available.

What Asda could do is contact NatWest telling them to cancel the authorisation. This is quite possibly more hassle than it's worth, depending on the amount.

downinja

Suppose that makes sense, but it seems a bizarre system where Asda don't automatically "reject" the transaction.

Had we not had the funds to place a second order, it could have been a serious problem at a time when you are trying to sort currency for a holiday.

mgdavid

downinja wrote: »

.......

Me and the missus slightly messed up timings and hadn't sorted currency in a timely manner.

...............

So not Asda's fault, nor Natwest's.

eDicky

downinja wrote: »

Had we not had the funds to place a second order, it could have been a serious problem at a time when you are trying to sort currency for a holiday.

So you are continuing with the same mistake of buying cash in various currencies, instead of keeping your money in pounds until you pay or withdraw cash using a suitable fee free card. There's so much MSE info about this.

Starling Bank or Monzo debit cards can be delivered in a couple of days after signing up on their apps. Not having time for that, you may as well just use your regular bank debit cards or credit card while traveling, the fees will be hardly more than the cost of buying cash from asda, perhaps less, and without the hassle.

What are you going to do with any leftover cash, spend it away unnecessarily or pay through the nose again to convert it back to sterling..?

downinja

Not their fault for leaving it late, not their fault for rejecting the payment, but I am sure you would agree that it is their fault for not returning funds after rejecting an order.

Just to further add to my stress I received an email this morning from Asda saying they had dispatched my (2nd) order.

Slightly concerned that they had dispatched it this morning, and I wouldn't be receiving it today, I called them. Firstly they categorically wouldn't allow me the royal mail tracking details. Even speaking to a supervisor, they wouldn't allow that. They did however speak to someone at Royal Mail who said it wouldn't be arriving today!

They said it was sent via 1pm Special Delivery, but if I wanted a refund I would need to tell them by midday..... some genius decided on that policy then...

Long story short after them ringing around all sorts of places trying to find somewhere with the currencies, the postman arrived with the parcel.

downinja

eDicky wrote: »

So you are continuing with the same mistake of buying cash in various currencies, instead of keeping your money in pounds until you pay or withdraw cash using a suitable fee free card. There's so much MSE info about this.

Starling Bank or Monzo debit cards can be delivered in a couple of days after signing up on their apps. Not having time for that, you may as well just use your regular bank debit cards or credit card while traveling, the fees will be hardly more than the cost of buying cash from asda, perhaps less, and without the hassle.

What are you going to do with any leftover cash, spend it away unnecessarily or pay through the nose again to convert it back to sterling..?

We are taking enough currency for daily needs and will convert any additional as and when required.

I have used fairfx before but missus wanted cash this time round.

Edit- I did look at using my debit card and withdrawing as and when required and it would have been considerably more expensive given the banks exchange rates.

eDicky

Well, if she's not interested in saving money, what to say...

Buying cash, especially in UK, is a mug's game. ATMs are everywhere, including arrival airports, and cash pounds can be exchanged in any country in a rare instance when necessary.

downinja

eDicky wrote: »

Well, if she's not interested in saving money, what to say...

Buying cash, especially in UK, is a mug's game. ATMs are everywhere, including arrival airports, and cash pounds can be exchanged in any country in a rare instance when necessary.

Worth knowing for future, but given the short time scale, wouldn't have been possible this time.

And using our debit card would have been more expensive.

Thanks for the advice though.

Fennite

take cash out in each country,. plenty of cash machines in the big cities of Peru, and then you don't run the risk of lugging bags of cash, at risk of being stolen... take some separate pre pay cash cards (get one from post office) and store in a different location to your debit and credit card. This means if your main wallet gets stolen, you can quickly transfer money to pre paid cash card and then are not stuck with no bank card.

worried_jim

Starling bank. Stop messing about and do it properly.

https://www.starlingbank.com/