Do I need a travel credit card with 0% intnl fees?

Drummer1991

My fiancé and I are getting married in August 2022 and going on Honeymoon for a month in September 2022 to Orlando. Currently I have two credit cards – BA AmEx and BarclayCard Forward – which I’m planning to use to pay the wedding suppliers (incl honeymoon) and pay off the balance at the end of each month. We’re saving like mad and I’ve done a couple of cash flow predictions, both of which leave us with a minimum of £10k still in the bank following paying for the wedding and honeymoon. We’re predicting we’ll probably spend about £5k (total) in Orlando over the 4 weeks.

My predicament is whether I apply for a travel credit card that doesn’t have any international fees, or whether I stick with the ones I have. Realistically most of our money will be on food and drink, which we’ll pay using cash from our Starling current account which has 0 international fees, and not on stuff that we need the credit card protection for. I’m thinking our spending on merch and designer stuff from outlets to bring home will max at £2k. Both my current credit cards currently have a 2.99% international fee meaning that my maximum transaction fee for all purchases will be c.£60.

I can’t decide whether it’s worth taking the £60 international transaction fees hit on my current cards abroad or getting a card that doesn’t have any international fees at all. I have good credit scores (642/710 on trans union and 979/999 on exprian) but my fiancé is just building her scores and we’re financially linked. We want to look into buying a house shortly after we’re married (I already own a flat which we'll sell), so I don’t want to risk damaging my credit score for the sake of £60 if i'm rejected.

Thoughts?

[Deleted User]

You don't have to get one, but it would save you money if you did.

Your credit scores aren't of any interest to lenders as they'll assess you for risk against their own criteria. So any drop because of an application can be ignored.

Worried_fool

An alternative would be to get a Curve card. You can buy things using Curve and the merchant sees it as a Mastercard debit card, but the sterling equivalent of the amount you spend is charged to any credit card you like (not AmEx), so in your case it would be sensible to use the Barclaycard. No foreign currency fees; no need to make a fresh application for credit; and you benefit from any cash-back or reward programme offered by your credit card.

Drummer1991

I should’ve looked into my BarclayCard app before posting. I’ve been able to upgrade to the BarclayCard Rewards Card (which includes 0% fees abroad) without any credit checks. So all sorted. 

Thomas_Crown

Drummer1991 said:

I should’ve looked into my BarclayCard app before posting. I’ve been able to upgrade to the BarclayCard Rewards Card (which includes 0% fees abroad) without any credit checks. So all sorted. 

I currently have a Barclaycard Platinum credit card and it appears that I can apply to change/upgrade to a Rewards card. The 0% fees abroad, would be very useful to me.

ItsComingRome

Drummer1991 said:

My fiancé and I are getting married in August 2022 and going on Honeymoon for a month in September 2022 to Orlando. Currently I have two credit cards – BA AmEx and BarclayCard Forward – which I’m planning to use to pay the wedding suppliers (incl honeymoon) and pay off the balance at the end of each month. We’re saving like mad and I’ve done a couple of cash flow predictions, both of which leave us with a minimum of £10k still in the bank following paying for the wedding and honeymoon. We’re predicting we’ll probably spend about £5k (total) in Orlando over the 4 weeks.

My predicament is whether I apply for a travel credit card that doesn’t have any international fees, or whether I stick with the ones I have. Realistically most of our money will be on food and drink, which we’ll pay using cash from our Starling current account which has 0 international fees, and not on stuff that we need the credit card protection for. I’m thinking our spending on merch and designer stuff from outlets to bring home will max at £2k. Both my current credit cards currently have a 2.99% international fee meaning that my maximum transaction fee for all purchases will be c.£60.

I can’t decide whether it’s worth taking the £60 international transaction fees hit on my current cards abroad or getting a card that doesn’t have any international fees at all. I have good credit scores (642/710 on trans union and 979/999 on exprian) but my fiancé is just building her scores and we’re financially linked. We want to look into buying a house shortly after we’re married (I already own a flat which we'll sell), so I don’t want to risk damaging my credit score for the sake of £60 if i'm rejected.

Thoughts?

You'll probably find after tax and duty that there is little to no saving buying all that stuff abroad, and you'll essentially have little to no consumer rights.

zagfles

Yes, definitely worth getting a fee free card, see https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/credit-cards/travel-credit-cards/

Note that the limit for bringing goods back without paying VAT and customs duties is £390, see https://www.gov.uk/bringing-goods-into-uk-personal-use/arriving-in-Great-Britain

If you have more and don't declare it, customs can and do confiscate the goods.

neurosurgeon

I would recommend Halifax Clarity card - fee free abroad and they offer some customers 0.5% cashback on top! 

[Deleted User]

neurosurgeon said:

I would recommend Halifax Clarity card - fee free abroad and they offer some customers 0.5% cashback on top! 

They already got a comparable card and likely with no further credit check.

[Deleted User]

Worried_fool said:

An alternative would be to get a Curve card. You can buy things using Curve and the merchant sees it as a Mastercard debit card, but the sterling equivalent of the amount you spend is charged to any credit card you like (not AmEx), so in your case it would be sensible to use the Barclaycard. No foreign currency fees; no need to make a fresh application for credit; and you benefit from any cash-back or reward programme offered by your credit card.

Bad idea: No S75 protection, only £500 per 30 days rolling with zero currency fees plus currency fees always charged at weekends. 

Thomas_Crown

neurosurgeon said:

I would recommend Halifax Clarity card - fee free abroad and they offer some customers 0.5% cashback on top! 

I too, would recommended the Halifax Clarity card, having used it extensively in Europe. For some reason, it has recently been missing, from the MSE list of recommended credit cards, for travelling abroad. I have just checked the list and it has mysteriously reappeared,.in second place.