Best card for long term travelling.

mumbleman

I'm going abroad for several months in September and need a Visa/Mastercard for the trip. I'd like to get a 9 months or more with 0% on purchases and there are a few about but I wondered if anyone had any recommendations.

I was going to pay a few grand onto it before I go but may well go over the zero mark toward the end of the trip.

Perhaps a card that does travel insurance or insures your purchases properly?

Also has anyone found that Visa is easier to use than Mastercard or vice versa? I'm doing Russia China, SE Asia, OZ, NZ, Fiji and India.

Thanks for your knowledge!

researcher

I've recently returned from oz and asia, and can offer a little advice in general.

Open a nationwide current account and put your money into the online saver account which you will get too - you'll get good interest and their debit card - this will enable you to access local currency from ATM's at the very best rate, (unless you're going to take tc's which pose a whole new set of questions). Thier credit card is not 0% so is no good from you so ensure that whichever 0% purchase credit card you apply for (I'm using M&S at the moment), is set-up to pay the minimum payment on direct debit - from the nationwide account. You can control all of this from any place with internet access. Personnally, I'd also ensure that I could access details to my credit card online too - as our's suddenly had £1500 of fraudulent transfers from a scam in Asia! If you advise them of where you'll be travelling too - then it's easier for them to spot fraud.

You'll need access to all your financial details - send yourself an email - coded so only you understand it - and telephone numbers, passport details etc etc. Do not carry this kind of information in an understandable form.

I know it sounds a bit daunting, but beleive me it IS worth the preperation.

Some places seemed keener to rip us off than others - Bali being the worst for scams of any kind - lovely place but beware if visiting.

You'll need to get all this together now.
Good luck

fatboyonadiet

Don't think there's much difference between Visa and Mastercard. There's quite a few cards doing 0% on purchases at the mo, ideally you would want one that load, i.e. the Nationwide credit card but not sure if they're doing a 0% at the mo.

researcher gives some good advice about nationwide debit card, just to let you know M&S don't do online banking at the moment.

pin

Get yourself a Nationwide credit card. Also if you can get a Nationwide current account it will be even better.

I used this combination (along with TCs and some hard currency) for a 14 month trip round the world.

MrChips

Lombard Direct credit card is a good alternative to the Nationwide Credit Card. I think they also have a deal at the moment with 0% on purchases for 6 months and like Nationwide there are no loadings for foreign currency transactions. Plus I think it is easier to get a LD card, I know a lot of people who have been turned down by NW (myself included!) cos they are quite stringent with the credit checks.

Not sure if you can pre load the LD card but worth looking into.

However I don't think you can operate the LD credit card online which is a disadvantage if you are going abroad for a long time. I would advise them to DD minimum payments for the first 6 months and then DD full amount from your current account once the 0% period ends.

If I was you, I think I would open a Nationwide current account and get a Lombard card. Use the debit card for getting cash out of the hole in the wall and the credit card for bigger spends.

Don't think there is any difference between acceptance of Visa and Mastercard, not in my experience anyway.

As far as travel insurance is concerned, would normally recommend getting an A&L premier plus current account with free annual travel insurance but I doubt you will be able to pay in 1000 per month while you are away, so you may be better off seeing Martin's cheap travel insurance article.

pin

You will require a long term travel insurance, rather than an annual multi trip. When I was going away I found NatWest to be the cheapest, however this may now have changed.