Which card

[chaser]

The competition beat Halifax quite soundly.

Top five at the moment are:

• Starling
• Revolut
• Wise (ex Travelwise)
• Monzo
• Currentsee
• But there are plenty of others

You need to do your homework, each card has pro's and con's.
Some charge monthly fees
Some are better for a limited number of Currencies (like Euro's and Dollars) which if you only travel outside the EU/USA once in a blue moon may not matter.
Some are backed by major cards (Master card, Visa etc)
Some work in ATM's free, other don't or have low weekly limits

I've yet to find a site that lists them all, with the pros and cons of each one. But if you start off by using one of the top ones as your benchmark and then compare
(FYI, We looked at all this in detail at the end of last year, Starling came out top)

I could put up an argument for all those cards but just can't be bothered, so best thing is just go for whichever turns you on and I will stick with clarity thanks.
No intention of going out of Europe so that cuts some of them, don't want any monthly fees, don't want another bank account so that just about ends them all for me.
Other people might want something different.

 

[JJ]

Halifax the best, no competition.

Revolut can beat up Halifax with one hand behind its back.

Revolut is KING.

JJ

 

[chaser]

Revolut can beat up Halifax with one hand behind its back.

Revolut is KING.

JJ

If you want to pay up front, I have no need for converting large sums.

 

[Holly's mum]

Who is using a Curve card?

I saw Minxy mention it on another thread the other day and carolyn has just mentioned it on this thread. It seems to be a good way to use your Tesco credit card abroad, without incurring any FX fees. Has anyone had any bad experiences with it?

We usually carry some euro currency (purchased when FX rates are favourable) and use a Halifax Clarity card for everything else but it would be nice to get the Tesco points from our Tesco CC if we can use it via a Curve card.

 

[JJ]

If you want to pay up front, I have no need for converting large sums.

I don't "pay up front".

I load money from my Blighty Sterling Bank onto the Revolut card with a couple of button presses on my extremely clever phone (no charge).

I exchange some/all into euros or dollars or yen or one of many other currencies, as required, at the inter-bank rate of that very moment. No charge.

I use the Revolut card to pay for stuff. No charge.

What's this "paying up front" to which you refer?

JJ

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[chaser]

I don't "pay up front".

I load money from my Blighty Sterling Bank onto the Revolut card with a couple of button presses on my extremely clever phone (no charge).

I exchange some/all into euros or dollars or yen or one of many other currencies, as required, at the inter-bank rate of that very moment. No charge.

I use the Revolut card to pay for stuff. No charge.

What's this "paying up front" to which you refer?

JJ

Your second sentence, I load money, what's that mean?

 

[JJ]

Your second sentence, I load money, what's that mean?

I press a couple of buttons and my chosen amount leaves my bank and is now sitting on my Revolut card to do with as I wish/need.

JJ

 

[chaser]

I press a couple of buttons and my chosen amount leaves my bank and is now sitting on my Revolut card to do with as I wish/need.

JJ

So you are paying up front then aren't you, money just sitting there waiting for you to spend it.

 

[carolyn]

Who is using a Curve card?

I saw Minxy mention it on another thread the other day and carolyn has just mentioned it on this thread. It seems to be a good way to use your Tesco credit card abroad, without incurring any FX fees. Has anyone had any bad experiences with it?

We usually carry some euro currency (purchased when FX rates are favourable) and use a Halifax Clarity card for everything else but it would be nice to get the Tesco points from our Tesco CC if we can use it via a Curve card.

I did look into it but decided it’s just not worth the faff, it’s a fee free debit card that you can link your debit or credit cards to but only 2 now, the Ts and Cs have changed. You dont get section 75 protection if you buy bigger items although you do get their their own less good protection. It’s not fee free for some things at weekends. I have lots of fee free cards so I really didn’t think it was worth it just for those few extra Tescos points. When it first came out I did consider it but then decided no and certainly think it was the right decision.

 

[JJ]

So you are paying up front then aren't you, money just sitting there waiting for you to spend it.

What are you talking about?

It's either sitting in my bank or on my Revolut card...

I'm not "paying" for anything having it on my card.

No difference except for the astronomical fees and ruininous exchange rate my bank would charge it I used its debit card.

JJ

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[chaser]

What are you talking about?

It's either sitting in my bank or on my Revolut card...

I'm not "paying" for anything having it on my card.

No difference except for the astronomical fees and ruininous exchange rate my bank would charge it I used its debit card.

JJ

That's ok if you have money sitting doing nothing

 

[Sue and Rick]

Do you have the revolut card or virtual card?
Can you use it like Apple Pay for contactless payments at the fuel pump in France?
My experience is “insert card”

 

[chaser]

What are you talking about?

It's either sitting in my bank or on my Revolut card...

I'm not "paying" for anything having it on my card.

No difference except for the astronomical fees and ruininous exchange rate my bank would charge it I used its debit card.

JJ

We use the clarity card ,maybe 6 weeks a year and pay it off a month later with no fees or interest , done, no messing about transferring anything.

 

[JJ]

That's ok if you have money sitting doing nothing

I give up...

I'm very, very fortunate.

I have more money than I need to live the rest of my life just as I want.

I have no need what so ever to make the money I have "do" anything... except maybe give a helping hand to one or two folk who need a smidgeon of cash to do stuff they dream of doing.

This desire of people who have plenty of money wanting to use it to make more money is not for me...

You can't take it with you...

JJ

 

[JJ]

We use the clarity card ,maybe 6 weeks a year and pay it off a month later with no fees or interest , done, no messing about transferring anything.

I haven't "messed" about transferring anything...

...and I don't do credit either.

Your system suits you... fair enough.


JJ

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[EuroTrotters]

Revolut

 

[Russell's Dad]

Starling. Free and very easy. Good exchange rate.

 

[Engineer999]

Starling, it’s a debit rather than a credit card and therefore easier to obtain if you have retired and as a consequence your credit rating has dropped. I understand that applying for other, credit based cards, and failing their application can have a negative impact on your existing credit rating.

 

[stevewagner]

Nationwide credit card used for 15 years in france, 99% of the time

Only the Flexplus is fee free when spending but costs £13 a month. Halifax Clarity cost nothing

 

[Wonders]

Nationwide Flex plus for us and Metro credit and debit. Metro is our preferred card in Europe no charges but beware when getting money from whole in the wall that the host bank may charge you per transaction. They must warn you of charge before completing transaction so you can cancel if your not prepared to pay rate.
Google your local banks to check on rates they charge for your card. You should find a cost free bank in most areas for your card.

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[Minxy]

Who is using a Curve card?

I saw Minxy mention it on another thread the other day and carolyn has just mentioned it on this thread. It seems to be a good way to use your Tesco credit card abroad, without incurring any FX fees. Has anyone had any bad experiences with it?

We usually carry some euro currency (purchased when FX rates are favourable) and use a Halifax Clarity card for everything else but it would be nice to get the Tesco points from our Tesco CC if we can use it via a Curve card.

No issues at all with Curve and it was a godsend when my other cards weren't accepted at an independent fuel station abroad as Curve worked so I could fill up.

I did look into it but decided it’s just not worth the faff, it’s a fee free debit card that you can link your debit or credit cards to but only 2 now, the Ts and Cs have changed. You dont get section 75 protection if you buy bigger items although you do get their their own less good protection. It’s not fee free for some things at weekends. I have lots of fee free cards so I really didn’t think it was worth it just for those few extra Tescos points. When it first came out I did consider it but then decided no and certainly think it was the right decision.

You can use it in the UK not just abroad so that's what I do for normal shopping, fuel etc, no need to carry other cards.

 

[Minxy]

We use the clarity card ,maybe 6 weeks a year and pay it off a month later with no fees or interest , done, no messing about transferring anything.

Can't collect lovely Tesco point with that though! I use my Tesco credit card via Curve both in the UK and abroad so get loads of them.

 

[Minxy]

Starling, it’s a debit rather than a credit card and therefore easier to obtain if you have retired and as a consequence your credit rating has dropped. I understand that applying for other, credit based cards, and failing their application can have a negative impact on your existing credit rating.

Always a good idea to do a soft check first which will give the likely chance of acceptance as a percentage do you know if it's worth bothering to apply. As for bank accounts if you don't want an overdraft then many providers won't even do a credit check

 

[busby]

Hi what debit card wld you suggest we use for our 3 month trip france and spain. I have nationwide flex plus but want to use a separate card not my usual bank card, just want to keep money separate.Thanks

Halifax,,BUSBY.

 

[busby]

Revolut can beat up Halifax with one hand behind its back.

Revolut is KING.

JJ

Why is that? BUSBY.

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