Cheap Travel Money Discussion Area

Former_MSE_Dan · 8 July 2008 at 9:14PM

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iereboy · 8 July 2008 at 10:32PM

Post office credit card is free to use abroad. No charges!

rfburke · 9 July 2008 at 8:38AM

I'm getting married abroad this year and to help pay for things in Euros I set up a HSBC Euro account which gives you a cheque book in Euros. The problem is when you transfer money to the account from the current account (also at HSBC) they nail you on the exchange rate. Plus they have a fee on simply having the account. Does anyone now of a better way of doing it? Taking cash, travellers cheques or credit cards isn't practical (its a bit more expensive then your regular holiday).
Also is there a bank which gives the best exchange rate for International money transfers or are they pretty much the same?

kelty · 9 July 2008 at 9:08AM

hi, i am planning to go to tunisia in august and rather than carry cash i am thinking of getting either the caxton fx or a post office pre paid card. what i need to know is what would be the best currency to load the cards, euros, dollars or sterling(postoffice).

scarlet_macaw · 9 July 2008 at 9:14AM

As a regular traveller, I have always thought the cheapest way to fund overseas travelling would be to get a foreign currency account with debit card facilities and fund it using "wholesale rate" transfers. The only problem is finding the banks that will offer this service as the main UK provider, Citibank, requires high minimum balances.

Does anyone know which foreign banks will provide a full banking service to non residents (possibly an idea for an article here). At present I am particularly intersted in the Eurozone, US Dollar and NZ Dollar accounts.

The_Living_Coin · 9 July 2008 at 10:42AM

Hi - I am going round the world for a year. My plan was simply to leave my money in my current account and from time to time transfer some of it to my Nationwide account online and withdraw it for free in the various countries I visit along the way...and bring a credit card for back up/larger purchases. Can anyone tell me why this is or is not a good plan or make any suggestions?
Thanks

dzug1 · 9 July 2008 at 10:57AM

It's a good plan - but a better one:

Nationwide have an e-savings account. Put the money there and transfer it online to the Nationwide current account when you need it rather than leaving it festering in a non/low interest account.

Or any on-line savings account will achieve the same with a little more work.

Mat_Lock · 9 July 2008 at 10:57AM

The_Living_Coin wrote: »

Hi - I am going round the world for a year. My plan was simply to leave my money in my current account and from time to time transfer some of it to my Nationwide account online and withdraw it for free in the various countries I visit along the way...and bring a credit card for back up/larger purchases. Can anyone tell me why this is or is not a good plan or make any suggestions?
Thanks

No that is a perfectly fine idea. I just wish Nationwide would hurry up and open my account. I only have 54 days left and I have been reading some of the horror stories of them taking months to sort out accounts.

MKB · 9 July 2008 at 11:09AM

I think the article at http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/cards/cheaper-spending-overseas may have a few errors.

- The table labelled "Battle of the top 'overseas use' cards" says that typical debit card loads in Europe and Worldwide are "None". This is contrary to the information shown here: http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/travel/overseas-card-charges

- The report says "Then again, there is one other reason to stick with a credit card rather than debit card overseas, thanks to Section 75 consumer protection." I understood that the "Visa Scheme Rules" mean that similar protection is afforded on Visa debit cards. Perhaps MSE can confirm/refute?

- This may be out of date, but last time I checked with Nationwide, they confirmed that although they don't load the exchange rate, Visa International apply a 1% loading to non-EU transactions. Has that changed?

sinbinjack · 9 July 2008 at 1:33PM

Hi All, I would remind all travellers that getting cash from a bank or change place in yourown country is not always a very good idea .I am not a very well travelled individual but I do know that a few years ago it was much better to change your sterling in Turkey as you got a much better rate there than in the UK,as much as 5 %better.This may no longer be the case in Turkey as I have not been there in 5 years and their currency has changed ,but I am at the moment in Thailand,and have been for the last 3 months aint I lucky,but the difference between what you get in the uk and what the Thai bank will give you for your Pound ,cash or travellers cheque,is very much more than you will get from even the best bank in the UK. You shoulsd always investigate the rates in the country to which you are going as I am sure these two examples are not the only ones out there.
Happy travelling,:T Jack.

spambot · 9 July 2008 at 2:59PM

I think Barclays should be added to the list of cards from hell. Went to Borneo recently and was charged £34 for 4 transactions on my debit card. That's almost £9 a transaction. Might as well have drawn cash on a credit card.

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