Credit Cards for holiday use only

smoggy-boro

My family and i are off to florida after christmas and i was wondering which is the best type(cheapest)card to use over there,if i need to ??? ::)

johnllew

Martin's article: Cheapest Way To Spend Overseas.

peterbaker

Martin's article doesn't seem to mention the Citibank debit card. No charges in any ATM anywhere in the world and no FOREX loads. I don't know how easy it is to get a Citibank account thesedays - their marketing policy hasn't been the same for two consecutive months since I have been with them! Their call centre was in Barcelona for a long time, but now it's in India which doesn't suit everyone. The Barcelona centre was always pretty ineffectual for any real banking request. Their Internet Banking has always been pretty good though.

A Citibank current account generally comes with an interest free £500 overdraft. Mine sits at around £450 overdrawn constantly when I am not abroad, and then I pump some cash in just before I go and the account fizzes for a couple of weeks and then I let it settle back to £450DR. They don't seem to mind.

They are not my main bank but I have had the account for years and always use the Citibank card to withdraw cash and a Nationwide credit card for normal credit card spending abroad.

I don't think you can beat a combination of these two.

Galstonian

I take it you mean no charges from Citibank for ATM use? Some ATM prviders will still charge you. In Florida I believe this is especially true of the 'convenient' ATMs located away from banks (malls, car parks, stadiums etc...)

smoggy-boro

i forgot to mention,this would be for purchases only and not for withdrawing cash....

Reaper

Then the answer is simple - Nationwide

mob92337

I take it you mean no charges from Citibank for ATM use?  Some ATM prviders will still charge you.  In Florida I believe this is especially true of the 'convenient' ATMs located away from banks (malls, car parks, stadiums etc...)

OK Thanks for splitting that hair, Gal!

Let's be clear, you are not warning about any ATM in the wall of a pukka bank worldwide (where Citibank will pick up the tab everytime in my experience).

I spit on those retailers and others who enter into deals to provide space for the ones you are talking about. The last one I saw was in the Birchanger Motorway Service area on the M11 near Stansted. I could find no "proper" ATM on that site when I needed cash for the kids' Burger King, just one of the rip-off variety standing "conveniently" nearby.

peterbaker

Oops! Just realised that mob92337 was logged in not me when I just sent that last message, but I am sure she agrees with me!

chalky_bertie

Just returned from my hols and before i left got myself (another) credit card but this time from Nationwide. I had read all the articles on here about it. A few days before i left i phoned Nationwide to ask them to increase the credit limit which they dufully obliged. I wasn't going to have enough "cash" while away so used Nationwide credit card for purchases as fuel for hire car, hire car, and accommodation and other purchases instead of drawing out cash as there is NO FEE. Got back and there was a statement for me and the exchange rates they have used were better than the rates i got for changing cash before i left with Travelex.
Can't rate Nationwide highly enough and will be keeping it for future hols!