Reply With QuoteI use Revolut. Just upload how much you need, and spend away. No conversion charges, and just transfer back any balances when you get back, or leave on card til your next journey.
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The type where you load up before you travel. I've used Caxton for years, but having just returned from hols, I feel the service has deteriorated, as there is no statement or record of spend available, in addition I was not able to load it with Thai Baht, so everytime used it I had to pay a conversion charge. this has prompted me to look for something better, any recommendations ?
I use Revolut. Just upload how much you need, and spend away. No conversion charges, and just transfer back any balances when you get back, or leave on card til your next journey.
I tend to take cash and then use my normal bank card sometimes, as the charges seem minimal. It's some time since I was outside of Europe though, unfortunately.
As you know, I live in France, but.....I use UK credit cards for all purchases. MBNA and Santander. There are NO transaction fees and the exchange rate is pretty good.. Pay off monthly so no cost....these can also be used worldwide (just probably wise to advise them where you are travelling and your travel dates). I would say MBNA are better as if I have needed to phone them, it is freephone and they answer fairly quickly.
I have a reovolut card too, and would use it for transactions abroad, although haven't been away to use it yet!Originally Posted by A Quiet Monkfish
I use a Halifax Clarity Mastercard and pay it all off when I get home.
It comes second in the Money Saving Expert of best credit cards to use abroad.
https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/cr...-credit-cards/
I use a chase card which is a debit card, just transfer my holiday money over and the use it on my phone (have a physical card as well).
Find it brilliant, so much easier to keep track of what I’m spending and also so easy then to transfer any left over money back to my usual account.
It was Martin Lewis who recommended it because of the exchange rate or fees or something lol.
I've used a Halifax Clarity card for years and best thing i've ever done
I always use cash and just take what I need from the hotel safe when I go out and nothing else in my wallet, if I lose my wallet or, God forbid, get robbed I only lose a minimal amount. Another thing I wouldn’t advise just taking a card out only in Europe, take some cash as well. With us leaving the EU a lot of bar staff from the UK are being paid cash now due to the 90 day residency thing so some bars & restaurants have ‘cash only’ signs on the door now.
Go to a different bar?
I haven't changed any cash in the last 5 years of travelling.
1 credit card
1 emergency back up card held in another bag
Job done
Sterling Bank is good. A debit card.
Same here
I don’t use cards over here either, much prefer cash. You hear about card fraud quite a bit, I s’pose when you’ve had a few an unscrupulous bar owner could request you ‘tap again’ as the first tap hadn’t ‘gone through’. I notice ‘cash only’ signs over here now as well, one that surprised me was at a dental practice last week where I had some work done, ‘Strictly cash only, no debit or credit cards’. Apparently businesses get charged by their banks for transactions, something I wasn’t aware of, if true. Also observing some paying by card, it seems as there’s no brakes to the spending, it must be a shock to some when they eventually check their balance when sober. Each to their own though, although as I said keep a bit of cash on you as bars in tourist areas that employ UK workers seem to be edging towards cash only. And why ‘go to a different bar’ if you’re having a ball in the one you’re in, keep your options open.
Revolut to load dollars when I think the rates are good ( been a few years now, so not bothered with it )
Starling bank ( its app based and you get a notification when you spend ) its my bank at home, you can have " spaces " that you can load money into that you cant spend without moving back to your account, so I can chuck a few spare quid in when its not needed,
all my family have Starling, so its easy to ping money around, £100 a week to my daughter in Uni goes out as a reoccuring payment, but its just a flick of a slider to turn that on and off
Halifax Clarity is my " real credit card " for car hire etc etc who often take Ghost payments at certain Times ( check in and Tolls )
Post Office Card, mainly used to load money on ( you the Caxton is )
That's quite interesting. I'm pretty pro cash. Hate card-only places but the choice should be there really.
Interesting thread and take on things. I didn’t know about or consider such an approach. I’ve travelled to around 30 countries in the last couple of years and do have small amounts of different currencies that I carry but like others have said I use cards for 99% of transactions.
I always use Monzo, usually get a good exchange rate, and never had any problems in Europe, Dubai or the U.S.
For hotels, car hire, and bigger purchases I use a Virgin Atlantic CC….for the air miles.
After my German state pension kicked in just over a year ago I had difficulty finding a bank account in Euros (as I reside in the UK) and I saw no point in the amounts concerned (a mere 40 Euros a month) attracting conversion fees into Sterling when I wanted to use the money in Europe anyway.
However, I became aware of Starling Bank, which permits customers to have a Euro account if just £1 is held in one of their Sterling accounts. Apparently, it's easy to switch money between the two accounts and one card covers both. Not used it yet in anger but I'm glad I'm not now paying conversion rates in both directions.
Apply for a chase debit card , just load up your card from your main account, its brilliant , can use in cashpoints overseas no charge get 1% interest on what you spend and I opted for a round up of each spend saved a good sum each month with interest.
Thier savings card gives 3% ..no restrictions or penalties on withdrawals . Great phone app . You get a card as well
https://www.chase.co.uk/gb/en/?utm_source=jpmc&utm_medium=usbanner&utm_campaign=us_website_banner_redirect_homepage&pid=jpmc&af_channel=usbanner&c=us_website_banner_redirect_homepage
Especially lap dancing clubs gals luv dem bills
My name’s not Bill though
My daughter has a Euro account with them aswell, one of her coaching jobs pays her in Euro's, he app just lets her move the money around from account to account, its very easy
I also have a Halifax Clarity card for overseas and have been impressed.
I usually take some currency, which I buy on my John Lewis Credit Card - no fees and points, I think.
If going outside of Europe, it’s always good to have done US Dollars, as they’re accepted anywhere.
This is why some shops have a minimum spend, as they get charged per transaction.
Yeah I wish more people realised this. It can cost businesses pretty large sums. There are a few signs posted on twitter now of businesses (particularly smaller ones) asking people to pay in cash as some are losing several hundred a month etc.
So important that the cash economy is healthy alongside electronic payments.
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