cash at M&S

lisyloo · 11 October 2018 at 4:48PM

I normally use my Halifax clarity card at the arrival airport to gett cash at 0%.
This time I decided to use my M&S card (preferrential rate) to get cash.
This is partly because the ATM route sometimes fails leaving you with no cash but also because I was travellling to Indonesia which has a high rate of fraud and a fellow traveller did have their card blocked at the ATM.

So I used my M&S card as they give me a preferrential rate. I expected about 4%. Outgoing I was charged 9%.
Incoming (buy back) where I don't get preferrential rate I was charged 12% (compared with the rate on the day google gave me).

Is this normal?
I though M&S would be good especially with the preferrential rate.

I don't like the idea of being stuck with no cash and no even being able to buy a bottle of water.
Is the only solution to take a small amount?

zagfles · 11 October 2018 at 5:29PM

Yes it's normal to get a rip-off rate in the UK for a minor currency. If you're that worried about ATMs not working etc, why not take some GBP which you can change out there if necessary? You'll almost certainly get a much better rate there.

eDicky · 11 October 2018 at 6:33PM

Using any supermarket, travel agent or the Post Office for exchanging cash is expensive, 'preferential' or not.

Indonesian ATMs are abundant and reliable, use your Clarity and take a backup such as Starling Bank or Loot.io cards.

lisyloo · 11 October 2018 at 6:47PM

I did ask the assistant at the m&s bureau whether it was a minor currency and she said Indonesian rupiah was quite common.

lisyloo · 11 October 2018 at 6:51PM

zagfles wrote: »

Yes it's normal to get a rip-off rate in the UK for a minor currency. If you're that worried about ATMs not working etc, why not take some GBP which you can change out there if necessary? You'll almost certainly get a much better rate there.

I’d prefer not to queue up after a 16 hour flight plus the rest.
It was very busy when we arrived at DPS.

I have had ATMS not work before and I often travel to remote/boutique resorts where there may well not be an ATM.

I. The future I think I’ll take a small amount of cash for water/toilets/tips and then get a cab to the nrearest ATM.

Cheers

zagfles · 12 October 2018 at 9:49AM

lisyloo wrote: »

I’d prefer not to queue up after a 16 hour flight plus the rest.
It was very busy when we arrived at DPS.

I have had ATMS not work before and I often travel to remote/boutique resorts where there may well not be an ATM.

I. The future I think I’ll take a small amount of cash for water/toilets/tips and then get a cab to the nrearest ATM.

Cheers

Yes but the point is you almost certainly won't have to queue to change cash, because the ATMs will work! Especially if you take several cards - I have 3 cards that are zero fee and another 3 which aren't but which charge far less the 9% M&S charge.

NoodleDoodleMan · 12 October 2018 at 10:03PM

Even M&S preferential rate is regularly inferior to other outlets - locally Debenhams beats it anytime I've used it - and you can charge it to a Debenhams credit card at no extra charge.

cash at M&S

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