Credit Card Recommendations for Traveling Overseas (2 Viewers)

[stevel]

Which credit cards or prepaid ones do you use when travelling abroad

Virgin Atlantic free card and Curve (debit card). Chase is also good.

 

[UKkiwi]

Which credit cards or prepaid ones do you use when travelling abroad

We use Wise and Revolut

 

[Dave and Jan]

I think the point is that somewhere you will be paying for a foreign currency exchange. Yes you might not pay a fee, or any interest but there is an exchange rate. You mention a 'full exchange rate '. What even is that? The decent cards will will often say they will give you the MasterCard or Visa rate which is as good as it gets. But even then they will be taking a cut from the wholesale exchange rate which you will never get. So, yes you will pay for it. Everyone does.

In principle I agree with you. The current rate is €1.18-£. Use a bank or exchange and you’d be lucky to get 1.12. Yes that’s how they make their money. Using the card you’d get €1.18. The real rate might be 1.1823456 so you’d lose 0.0023456cents/£. Better than 6 cents/£ and as near to the actual rate as you’d ever get. But then you go on to say how you use your card and get paid to use it??? Sort of defeats your argument that everyone pays.

 

[VXman]

In principle I agree with you. The current rate is €1.18-£. Use a bank or exchange and you’d be lucky to get 1.12. Yes that’s how they make their money. Using the card you’d get €1.18. The real rate might be 1.1823456 so you’d lose 0.0023456cents/£. Better than 6 cents/£ and as near to the actual rate as you’d ever get. But then you go on to say how you use your card and get paid to use it??? Sort of defeats your argument that everyone pays.

There are great deals to be had if you play the system. I recently made £800 by switching some unused current accounts to new accounts with RBS, NAT West, Ulster Bank and Nationwide. I don't use these accounts and will switch again sometime when a new offer appears.

As for Chase and cashback - I get a great exchange rate, no fees and 1% cashback on all spending. I keep just a small amount in the account for daily spending but don't use it as my main account for bills, direct debit, standing orders or paying my salary/pension in.....but I bet they still make money from me somehow. They all do, but it's about finding the best deal for you. Lots of people will just use the same bank account they have used for 30 years for everything and these are the folks making banks rich - not me!

 

[Dave and Jan]

Sensible use of cards. The companies rely on people not paying and racking up interest at high rates.
They also charge a retailer fee on each transaction, around 3%. That’s how they can pay you 1% cash back. It means we are all paying as that 3% is built into the price of the goods. 2%+ on every £ or whatever currency spent for the card company, billions of transactions every day across the world!

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[Dave and Jan]

The bank exchange rate this very moment is £1-€1.1828 I’d like to see anyone get this today, on revolt now you get €1.1802 that’s where the banks make money on your exchanges….

Still a far better rate than going to an exchange

The bank exchange rate this very moment is £1-€1.1828 I’d like to see anyone get this today, on revolt now you get €1.1802 that’s where the banks make money on your exchanges….

I relate to the rate as 1-1.18 and not multiple decimal places. When I said the full rate that was what I was referring to as opposed to say an airport exchange where you might be lucky to get 1-1.2 it’s a far better way of exchanging currency if you have the right card(s). A very competitive rate would have been a more accurate description.

 

[Bailey58]

I use the Clarity Card, Revolut and, since taking it out last year for the Insurance, the Nationwide Flex Plus card, all with no transaction fees but what's the situation on charges for cash withdrawals abroad on the Clarity and NW? I could look it up but is there a %age charge from the date of withdrawal to the date the account is settled?

 

[JockandRita]

but what's the situation on charges for cash withdrawals abroad on the Clarity and NW?

I don't know about Clarity, but no charges for cash withdrawals on the NW Flex Plus DD card.

BTW, no charges either on the Metro Bank DD card, for those not with NW.

Cheers,

Jock.

 

[Dave and Jan]

I use the Clarity Card, Revolut and, since taking it out last year for the Insurance, the Nationwide Flex Plus card, all with no transaction fees but what's the situation on charges for cash withdrawals abroad on the Clarity and NW? I could look it up but is there a %age charge from the date of withdrawal to the date the account is settled?

Can only comment on the clarity. Yes interest is charged from the date of withdrawal until the amount is settled which is why if you want to avoid any charges you pay it off in full the same day.

 

[gus-lopez]

on revolt now you get €1.1802 that’s where the

It was Sunday. The rate is always 0,50 cents lower at weekends.

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[JnJ]

A heads up for anyone travelling to Netherlands.
There is now a €4 charge for cash withdrawal using any non EU Bank card at all machines. The cash machines have all been taken over by 1 company.

 

[CAB96]

Just had 8 weeks travelling France and Spain. Used Halifax Clarity Card for everything including drawing Euros from ATMs. If drawing money always paid the card off in full the same day. Used ATMs at main banks, transactions always in Euros not converted to £s, no fees. By paying off any amounts in full on the day when drawing cash, no interest. If you don’t pay it off they do charge you daily interest on the cash amount until paid. You also get the full exchange rate. Sure there are other cards out there that do the same.

Do you pay off just the cash withdrawal or all the outstanding balance at the time of the withdrawal?

 

[Bailey58]

Do you pay off just the cash withdrawal or all the outstanding balance at the time of the withdrawal?

I was wondering how they would know you were simply paying off the withdrawal (apart from the amount matching) but perhaps the card purchases are simply scheduled into the normal monthly billing account?

 

[Minxy]

I was wondering how they would know you were simply paying off the withdrawal (apart from the amount matching) but perhaps the card purchases are simply scheduled into the normal monthly billing account?

You normally pay off the part which incurred a 'charge' first so if you take out €50 at an ATM and then pay £50 into the card account, that would pay off the €50 ATM withdrawal first with the remaining £ being taken off the non-ATM balance.

 

[Dave and Jan]

You normally pay off the part which incurred a 'charge' first so if you take out €50 at an ATM and then pay £50 into the card account, that would pay off the €50 ATM withdrawal first with the remaining £ being taken off the non-ATM balance.

Do you pay off just the cash withdrawal or all the outstanding balance at the time of the withdrawal?

We paid off the full balance of the card after drawing cash at an ATM to ensure there would be no interest. I’ve always done it that way. I know others have commented you only need to pay off the withdrawal balance. Until you put it to the test with your card you wouldn’t know for sure.

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[Minxy]

We paid off the full balance of the card after drawing cash at an ATM to ensure there would be no interest. I’ve always done it that way. I know others have commented you only need to pay off the withdrawal balance. Until you put it to the test with your card you wouldn’t know for sure.

If you read the T&C's you'll find that most, if not all, usually state they pay off the highest 'fee' incurring amount first, ie in this case it would be a cash advance. The other would just be paid as usual via DD.