# So Who Are You With Now?



## frenchfancy (May 21, 2005)

After Nationwide has started charging for withdrawing the euro abroad has anyone found an account that does not require you to deposit at least £1,000 per month. If there are none, what to do, take cash, may be not ,or get one of the cards you pre-load here. Advice needed please


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## 96706 (Nov 13, 2005)

We use a santander zero credit card - it doesn't charge a currency exchange fee and the exchange rate they use is competitive. We find that, as long as we pay off the balance in full, that is the easiest way of spending abroad. We usually take a little cash for the things you don't want to use a card for but pay for fuel, tolls, shopping etc. on the card and pay it off in full on a direct debit.

Mrs D


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## jiwawa (Jun 22, 2007)

We always used Nationwide debit up to this year. We've just started using the Halifax Clarity credit card - yes, I know it's a credit card and they should never, ever be used to take cash but....

It's cheaper than NW. We took out €60 in Chartres day before yesterday and it was changed at €1.20 - is that good? - I paid it off today over the internet so it will have cost me pennies for the couple of days - much better than the £2 NW would have charged.

Certainly the longer you leave it o pay off the more pennies you'll pay. It depends on your own set of circumstances. Myself, I'm not that keen on loading a card up front.


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## Codfinger (Jan 11, 2008)

I've always used my Barclaycard abroad but not sure how expensive it is to use?
Chris


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## Spacerunner (Mar 18, 2006)

I use Fair FX pre paid card.
This is so easy to use and can be topped up on the internet.
Also you can choose when to put some funds in in relation to the exchange rate when building up reserves for a foreign holiday.


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## tonyt (May 25, 2005)

**** said:


> We use a santander zero credit card - it doesn't charge a currency exchange fee and the exchange rate they use is competitive. We find that, as long as we pay off the balance in full, that is the easiest way of spending abroad. We usually take a little cash for the things you don't want to use a card for but pay for fuel, tolls, shopping etc. on the card and pay it off in full on a direct debit.
> 
> Mrs D


Me too but I load mine first to avoid paying excessive interest rates between withdrawal and payment dates.

No different to the previous system of having the same cash in the NW Flex dedit card account.


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## mygalnme (Jul 12, 2009)

We are trying the cards you put Euros on a friend's daughter who works for Thomsons said they are good can be used wherever Mastercard sign is, so far used at Supermarkets and petrol stations without problem. You can draw cash at a fixed price of 2 euros, the cards are free to start with....so far so good,just carry bit of cash for places not accepting cards  
Marg


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## frenchfancy (May 21, 2005)

Can someone run through exactly what you do to get the Fair FX card and how exactly you load it


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## 96706 (Nov 13, 2005)

Tony - Just to expand - we never take cash out on our zero card - just use it for payments, that way (as long as you pay in full when the monthly statement comes in) there are no charges.

Mrs D


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## mygalnme (Jul 12, 2009)

Don,t know if its the same thing but we just went into Thomson travel agent and they do it all for you and its called a Travel money card. Marg


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## tonyt (May 25, 2005)

**** said:


> Tony - Just to expand - we never take cash out on our zero card - just use it for payments, that way (as long as you pay in full when the monthly statement comes in) there are no charges.
> 
> Mrs D


OK - gotcha.


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## Dunworkin (Dec 3, 2007)

Thanks for bringing this up.

We have used our Nationwide Debit card for years, and hadn't realised that the charges for cash withdrawal abroad had gone up to 2% of the amount withdrawn plus a £1 fee. Cost of withdrawing £100 = £103.

You have prompted us to look around for a different debit card, as we like the simplicity of just being able to stick your card in an ATM and take the cash you want as you need it.

What we have come up with is the Norwich & Peterborough Classic Gold Current Account

This has no overseas cash withdrawal fees, no overseas spending fees, and no handling fees. Ticks all the boxes so far. The only drawback is that you need to make 5 transactions per month on the card or transfer in £500 per month.

On the face of it this looks useful. I can see no problem with setting up a direct debit to transfer £500 per month then simply using this for cash withdrawals all year round, and adding extra when on holiday.

Anyone any better ideas?

Dunworkin


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## OwnedbyCollies (Dec 7, 2009)

I use Santander Zero credit card (fees free worldwide) or Nationwide credit card (fees free Europe) for the majority of transactions. Pay balance in full to avoid fees.

I also use a Caxton FX card. Its a pre-load mastercard and does not charge for cash withdrawals and can be used like a mastercard for payments. Its linked to your current account and you can load it online, or by phone or text so you can either load in advance if the rate is good or load as you need it. It saves carrying loads of cash around and can be replaced if lost or stolen.

I would advise anyone to read Martin Lewis' Money Saving Expert advice on the cheapest way to spend abroad.

http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/travel/cheap-travel-money


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## frenchfancy (May 21, 2005)

So do you all take some cash with you?


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## bognormike (May 10, 2005)

frenchfancy said:


> So do you all take some cash with you?


just enough to tide us over until we find a cash machine. We use the caxton card, no problems. And we have a Halifax credit card with low transaction charges. (BUt we don;t use that to get cash out, just for payments)


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## Rapide561 (Oct 1, 2005)

*Halifax*

Hi

I am using a Halifax credit card - note CREDIT card. There are no fees when used overseas. This card is a CREDIT card and so you make purchases and these are interest free until a due date.

You can also use the card for cash withdrawals but you are charged interest from the day of the transaction until the date the debt is repaid. You can manage the account online and so you can minimise the interest by paying as soon as the items show on your account.

I also have a pre paid Euro card that is topped up, but at present, I prefer not to use it and I am not satisfied as to whether I would receive financial reimbursement should the card issuer go to the wall.

Russell


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## Ian_n_Suzy (Feb 15, 2009)

Hi,

I've not looked into other options myself yet, and will more than likely just stick with our Nationwide Flex Account (just for the ease of it). 

But, other than the 2% charge (and 1% for cash withdrawals), will it still offer the "proper" bank exchange rate, and if so, doesn't this still make it an attractive option if your main use is for cash withdrawals?

CHEERS


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## FirstJood (Dec 28, 2005)

I use the post office travel money card, you load it with euros and then use it abroad, you can top it up from abroad by phone and it has the advantage of being able to be used in stores as well as cash machines, its free and has a lie of 2 years....


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## bozzer (Jul 22, 2009)

Can someone clarify is Nationwide Credit card fees free in Europe or is it just the NW Gold Credit card.

We've always used NW debit card in the past. Now thinking of using credit card but after reading Martin Lewiss I think it's just the gold credit card that is fee free. Am I getting more confused?

Jan


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## WATKY (Oct 15, 2007)

*So who are you with now*

We choose a Spanish account at Halifax set up at Halifax in Spain.Then transfer money from my English to Spanish by Internet.Have a card to use to draw out.Only cost my yearly bank charge at lot cheaper.Put money in every month and you don't feel it when you go.


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## WATKY (Oct 15, 2007)

*So who are you with now*

We choose a Spanish account at Halifax set up at Halifax in Spain.Then transfer money from my English to Spanish by Internet.Have a card to use to draw out.Only cost my yearly bank charge at lot cheaper.Put money in every month and you don't feel it when you go.


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## txe4man (Apr 7, 2009)

we opened a euro account with Bank of Ireland, we live in UK and the account was opened simply by post and phone calls.an advantage is all correspondence is in english and they have 24/7 phone contact and online.
transactions are free if you keep 500 euros balance.


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## Gazzer (May 1, 2005)

The other good point with the Nationwide was that they always gave a commercial rate of exchange as against tourist rates. Does the N&P give good exchange rates as well?


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