Card or Cash while in Euroland

kah22

I'm going into Euroland for a long weekend and I was wondering which is the best way to pay for items while there: cash or card?

There seems two options: take a card with you (mine is M&S) and pay that way and Euro for the likes of tips, coffee, ice cream,  that kind of thing. The advantage here would seem to be that it easier to pay for the likes of diner with a card

Or take Euro with you and pay that way and only use the card when necessary.

I suppose what I'm really asking is that while the card company will charge more while abroad, does the advantages of using cards out weigh the cost of using a cash?  Cards are paid of monthly

[Deleted User]

If you're buying things in another currency, you should be using a forex free card.

If your card is charging you, you have the wrong card 

jon81uk

Get a card that doesn't charge a fee.
See Travel credit cards: the best credit cards to use abroad - MSE (moneysavingexpert.com)

Then use card where possible but take some cash for bars/cafes that may not accept it and you may need coins for some public toilets.

DCFC79

My 4 favourite cards

Monzo
Starling
Monese
Halifax Clarity card

Theres also Chase and Virgin Money cards.

pogofish

If you mean the London computer store, then why not use whatever you usually use?

TIMe these places tend to work with several currencies..

Otherwise this is stretching the definition go "going out" in the UK somewhat..?

Surely the appropriate forum in Overseas Travel would be more appropriate?

ozwozere

Barclycard reward card is NOT a best buy
I have a Clarity card and, as recommended by this site, a Barclays Reward.  MSE says it Barclaycrd Reward doesn't charge interest whereas clarity does.  BE WARNED - having done a withdrawl from the same cashpoint in Bulgaria for the same amunt, the Reward card rate was 2.20 lev and the Clarity rate was 2.27 Lev.  Bin the reward card and stick with clarity

NoodleDoodleMan

That'll be because one is VISA, and the other MASTERCARD ?

zagfles

Mastercard do usually have better rates, especially for smaller currencies. Looking at the calculators for GBP/BGN it seems VISA have a markup of around 1%, but it varies by day, sometimes more, and Mastercard it's around 0.5%.

https://www.mastercard.com/global/en/personal/get-support/convert-currency.html

https://www.visa.co.uk/support/consumer/travel-support/exchange-rate-calculator.html

CKhalvashi

ozwozere said:

Barclycard reward card is NOT a best buy
I have a Clarity card and, as recommended by this site, a Barclays Reward.  MSE says it Barclaycrd Reward doesn't charge interest whereas clarity does.  BE WARNED - having done a withdrawl from the same cashpoint in Bulgaria for the same amunt, the Reward card rate was 2.20 lev and the Clarity rate was 2.27 Lev.  Bin the reward card and stick with clarity

It's served me completely adequately as someone who doesn't want a connection with LBG.

The Visa markup is slightly higher, but there are no charges above that.

Doshwaster

The cash vs card vs both decision also depends on where you are going.  Scandinavian countries are virtually cash free now  and you will be seen as slightly odd handing over Euros while some southern European countries cash in still king. Germany is also surprisingly dominated by cash.

zagfles

Doshwaster said:

The cash vs card vs both decision also depends on where you are going.  Scandinavian countries are virtually cash free now  and you will be seen as slightly odd handing over Euros while some southern European countries cash in still king. Germany is also surprisingly dominated by cash.

You will definitely be seen as odd handing over Euros in most Scandinavian countries as none of them use Euros apart from Finland