Travel money - Halifax Card

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Craigan10
Craigan10 Posts: 1 Newbie
in Flights, currency & car hire
So i looked online for the best exchange rates (going to Las Vegas in September), and the best I can find is the Halifax clarity card! I have never used a credit card for travel money and I’m really confused.

Basically I’m planning on taking £2500 which works out $3205. I was planning on lifting out about $1500-$2000 at the airport for simple things and keeping the rest on my card for paying for dinners etc.

I have the money saved up already so I can pay it off straight away. I’m good with money and debit cards but when it comes to credit cards I’m clueless especially with travel money :(

Any help would be greatly appreciated

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  • MallyGirl
    MallyGirl Posts: 6,627 Senior Ambassador
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    The rate on the Clarity Card will be better than you can get at a bureau de Change, even booking your currency in advance.
    Aside from the safety of not walking around with loads of cash, that should drive your behaviour.
    As an example, the best rate I could get last month for Canadian Dollars was around 1.61. I got some cash - for taxis and smaller venues that might not accept cards. Everything else got put on Clarity.
    Everywhere took cards - even a bar for a couple of beers.
    By the end we were having to use cash as we didn't have a buyback guarantee and knew that we would lose on converting back to GBP.
    The transactions on the Clarity were all around 1.71 so much better than I had got in cash.
    I swapped the remaining $60 back to GBP at 1.82
    I’m a Senior Forum Ambassador and I support the Forum Team on the Pensions, Annuities & Retirement Planning, Loans
    & Credit Cards boards. If you need any help on these boards, do let me know. Please note that Ambassadors are not moderators. Any posts you spot in breach of the Forum Rules should be reported via the report button, or by emailing forumteam@moneysavingexpert.com.
    All views are my own and not the official line of MoneySavingExpert.
  • MallyGirl
    MallyGirl Posts: 6,627 Senior Ambassador
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    It is a credit card so you won't be 'keeping the rest' on it. You can just pay the bill in full when you get it and will pay no interest and have got a good rate of exchange. If the bill will come while you are away just set up to pay in full by Direct Debit
    I’m a Senior Forum Ambassador and I support the Forum Team on the Pensions, Annuities & Retirement Planning, Loans
    & Credit Cards boards. If you need any help on these boards, do let me know. Please note that Ambassadors are not moderators. Any posts you spot in breach of the Forum Rules should be reported via the report button, or by emailing forumteam@moneysavingexpert.com.
    All views are my own and not the official line of MoneySavingExpert.
  • EveryWhere
    EveryWhere Posts: 3,249 Forumite
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    https://www.starlingbank.com/travel/ for cash withdrawals.
    Halifax Clarity for purchases and deposits.
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