Best way to use Caxton Card

Jay241270

Hi,

I am due to travel to Turkey on the 23/08/20 for two weeks with my wife and kids, we have just got a Caxton card and looking to find out the best way to use it in Turkey.

I know the card has to be loaded up with money via the app or online but my questions are:

When using a ATM machine in Turkey is it best to take out Lira or Sterling and then take the Sterling to a local exchange to change to Lira

When using the card to make payments in shops etc etc does it automatically exchange my Sterling on the card to Lira?

Sorry if the above questions sounds silly, i'm only asking as a friend of mine used a Caxton card in Turkey last year and took out Lira from the ATM's and got charged for it.

Thanks

Jason

NoodleDoodleMan

Caxton cards cannot be preloaded with Turkish Lira so there will be an exchange rate calculation if you withdraw local currency based on whatever currency you put on the card.

Also ATMs may charge a usage fee - that is something that card issuer has no control over.

Taking Sterling and changing it into Lira might be your best option.

Have you thought about one of leading "user friendly" debit cards that don't take a fee when withdrawing cash - Starling or Virgin perhaps ?

eDicky

Sorry but I had to chuckle at the idea of withdrawing pounds from a Turkish ATM in order to take them to exchange for lire at a money changer.

You would withdraw Turkish lira and decline any offer by the ATM to convert your pounds for you. Similarly when using it to pay for purchases, pay in lira and let the card convert.

But the best thing to do with a Caxton card with its various fees and mediocre exchange rates is to bin it before loading any money.

Instead open a Starling Bank account on your smartphone and use the debit card, delivered in a few days, for purchases and any necessary cash withdrawals (in lira). This provides the ideal MasterCard exchange rate without any fees, making sure again that you decline any 'Conversion' -your card must do that.

Other fee-free cards are available, for backup, or take your regular bank cards which will have fees but are still probably no more expensive to use than Caxton.

Neil49

I closed my Caxton account last year as I hadn't used it while abroad for quite a long time and pre loaded currency cards now seem to be pointless. 

I've been using my Monzo debit card and Halifax Clarity credit card whenever travelling as both give better rates of exchange and can be used in the UK 

Doshwaster

Neil49 said:

I closed my Caxton account last year as I hadn't used it while abroad for quite a long time and pre loaded currency cards now seem to be pointless. 

I've been using my Monzo debit card and Halifax Clarity credit card whenever travelling as both give better rates of exchange and can be used in the UK 

I've still got a Caxton card in my travel drawer but I haven't used it in 3 or 4 years. It was quite an innovative card at the time but it has been overtaken by other options - maybe I should cancel it. My first picks now are Clarity for credit and Starling for debit.
Almost all ATMs in Turkey charge a fee, it's something you just have to suck up if you want cash. As always, make sure you are being charged in lira.

Jay241270

Thanks all for the info, i have decided to get a Starling card.