buying a gift from Amazon US for friend in US - best way to pay?

wallofbeans

Hi All,

I'm buying a surprise gift for a friend who lives in the US. I can get this via Amazon and because I'm spending over $35 it's free shipping. Great.

But then it gets to the paying for it bit. I'm using my UK credit card and the site asks if I want them to convert the amount into GBP (for a fee) or do I want to pay in USD and let my credit card convert it. 

Can anyone advise which is the better option? Or even if there is another way to do it - different card for example?

Thanks!

la531983

Impossible to say unless you tell us what credit card it is.  Even so I suspect almost every credit card would work out better than the Amazon conversion (but you dont tell us what that is, either)

wallofbeans

Credit card is Halifax Platinum Mastercard. 

Total is USD is $56.80
Total in Amazon converted GBP is £46.49 (that includes a £1.24 "exchange rate g'tee fee)

la531983

https://www.halifax.co.uk/creditcards/help-guidance/using-a-credit-card-abroad.html

Personally you would be better off using a forex free card like Chase, Monzo or Starling, they are numerous in number. That Amazon converstion isnt terrible tbh, looks like the only fee they have actually added is that £1.24, and havent used a naff rate.

wallofbeans

la531983 said:

https://www.halifax.co.uk/creditcards/help-guidance/using-a-credit-card-abroad.html

Personally you would be better off using a forex free card like Chase, Monzo or Starling, they are numerous in number. That Amazon converstion isnt terrible tbh, looks like the only fee they have actually added is that £1.24, and havent used a naff rate.

So could I use my Chase current account card? Or would I need a credit card from one of the companies you mentioned above? I only have the one credit card currently. 

And - so if I just go with the Amazon conversion, it's probably just £1.24 more than if I used a "forex free card"? 

la531983

Chase card would work fine and would charge you the bank rate in USD, Amazon accept debit cards too.

And yes.