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buying a gift from Amazon US for friend in US - best way to pay?
wallofbeans
Posts: 1,504 Forumite
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!
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!
0
Comments
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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)0
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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)0 -
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.1 -
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.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.
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"?0 -
Chase card would work fine and would charge you the bank rate in USD, Amazon accept debit cards too.
And yes.1
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