No fee card for spending when abroad

Cotswold

I recently went to Italy for a short visit and didn't really plan my trip in advance. I paid for some items in cash and some on my debit card using my phone. Having looked at my balance I've been charged a non-sterling transaction fee for each transition. I'm heading to Spain soon and would prefer to pay on my card again so this will mean setting up an account that does not charge a fee. 

I'm looking for recommendations that you may use and the benefits? Is a pre loaded card like Revolut etc. be better or a credit card that does not charge for transactions? If I went down the credit card route I would pay the balance off in full at the end of the month. This will be for regular day to day spends whilst abroad. 

eskbanker

https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/credit-cards/travel-credit-cards/

(despite URL, this covers both credit and debit cards)

maman

Yesterday ended up with 'just' wine syns as we came home and had keema curry from the freezer. 

Today has been fine so far with a scrambled egg breakfast and a JP with cottage cheese and salad for lunch. 

I know what you mean about getting a bit fed up with the usual wise SW choices when eating out @joedenise. Sometimes they're not available and sometimes you just fancy something like fish and chips or a pie.

We're eating out this evening and while I could have prawn cocktail and sea bass, I'll wait and see if anything else on the menu appeals. 🤔

NoodleDoodleMan

The Santander Edge CC is my "go to" credit card for abroad - no fees for goods and services.

https://www.santander.co.uk/personal/credit-cards/santander-edge-credit-card

The monthly fee of £3 can be easily covered by the cashback - we use it for regular spending such as supermarket runs and vehicle fuel etc., so it pays for itself.

If you want to have the additional option of fee free cash withdrawals in Spain & The Canaries - have a look at the Santander Everyday current account - when used at a Banco Santander fully branded ATM as located at their bank branches it is totally fee free, you'll get the best deal around for taking our readies.

https://www.santander.co.uk/personal/current-accounts/everyday-current-account

No strings attached conditions - no minimum monthly pay in or Direct Debit requirements (unlike just about every other bank) - and its a decent account for everyday (hence the name) use at home.

A bit of a no brainer IMO if you are heading for Spain.

michele-p

We have a Halifax Clarity card, and a Barclayard travel card between us, we used both on holiday in USA last month, no fees on either, and accepted everywhere, we used the Barclaycard for fee free ATM for cash in Morocco this year too. The Halifax card is set up on my Google Wallet, I don't think the Barclaycard would let my husband add it to his. I'd happily use either again.

MACKEM99

maman said:

Yesterday ended up with 'just' wine syns as we came home and had keema curry from the freezer. 

Today has been fine so far with a scrambled egg breakfast and a JP with cottage cheese and salad for lunch. 

I know what you mean about getting a bit fed up with the usual wise SW choices when eating out @joedenise. Sometimes they're not available and sometimes you just fancy something like fish and chips or a pie.

We're eating out this evening and while I could have prawn cocktail and sea bass, I'll wait and see if anything else on the menu appeals. 🤔

I think you have lost the thread?😄

Doshwaster

Whatever you choose make sure you take at least one backup and don't keep all of your cards in one place. 

My cards of choice are Starling for debit and Halifax Clarity for credit with HSBC Global Money debit and a couple of other credit cards with high limits for emergencies (if it's a real emergency then a foreign transaction charge is the last of your worries). I often leave my regular HSBC UK debit card at home as its overseas rates are high and it saves the risk of losing it.

elsien

I also have Starling and Halifax clarity. 

Seems to cover all the bases, given that you wouldn’t really want to rely on just one payment method. 

JGB1955

I have Starling and Barclaycard - no fees for cash transactions from either.

NoodleDoodleMan

As long as the ATM is fee free.

Ballard

Being as Chase give 1% cash back on most debit card spend, subject to having credited the account £500 or more the previous month, that’s my standard overseas spend card.

Other options that I have are Monzo, Starling & First Direct. I haven’t used FD abroad as yet but the others work well and I’m sure that FD would too. I also have a Halifax Clarity credit card which I rarely use. I will make a point of using them all on my next trip, to have some activity on all of them. 

I don’t think that anyone else has mentioned that you should always choose the local currency, rather than Sterling, should you be given the choice. You may well already know but I thought it worth a mention just in case.