Don't want to get into an argument but we use Halifax , we don't have to pay maybe 6 months in advance and have money standing about, we have used it pretty much all over Europe , never been declined, never had to pay for anything till a month later, never had any charges , always had a good rate of exchange , can also draw cash out with no charge except for a small amount of interest which for us works out at less than 3 quid for about a thousand pounds.