# A money problem



## 104305 (May 6, 2007)

Im considering spending several months in the south of France to avoid our winter. I may possibly move even further south to Spain once France cools off say in January. Im wondering if anyone knows the best way to obtain euros rather than use a card and be penalised with UK bank charges and exchange costs. Ive considered opening a euro account in france and Spain but as far as Im aware I need a permanent address in either of these places. There must be a cost effective way of doing this ie obtaining money from a UK account and having it exchanged into euros whilst away. So can anyone offer any suggestions. I certainly dont want to carry a bundle of cash with me!


----------



## colonel (Oct 11, 2008)

Nationwide Flexi account. Use that and you won't need much cash. No charges and realistic exchange rates. Others will verify this I'm sure.


----------



## Mike48 (May 1, 2005)

In my experience you may well have to move to Spain long before January. The South of France can be very cold and wet from early November onwards.


----------



## hogan (Oct 31, 2006)

You wont be able to open a account in Spain unless you have a N.I.E number.
Get a Nationwide flexi account card.We live here and this is how get €.But you will need a valid U.K address.
And dont forget it gets cold here in the winter too.Sometimes it even snows.

Good luck with your trip.


----------



## javea (Jun 8, 2007)

Agree with everything said about Nationwide cards.

I also use a Caxton card to buy euros when they are relatively high and draw out cash when euro is low. For instance, bought on Caxton a few weeks ago at 1.1680, today down to 1.1390 so I would use Caxton today if in Europe, Nationwide when it goes up again.


----------



## slaphead (May 14, 2005)

*money problem*

just to add...remember nationwide pays the business rate....

also, we live in mazarron ,cartegena, sept to may , the climate's lovely.. :lol:


----------



## Mike48 (May 1, 2005)

Does mazaron escape the late September/early October rain? I've been caught in the Costa Blanca floods twice.


----------



## slaphead (May 14, 2005)

*money problem*

to be honest...not always, but in our experience it does'nt get as bad a the costa blanca....and it's here one day and gone the next,as a you rightly said france can be very cold in the winter months....


----------



## SaddleTramp (Feb 15, 2007)

I got a Flexy card after all the recommendations on this site, I use it all the time now and you get the rate as advertised, I was in Italy in July and got 1.184 that will not be beaten, I am in Greece now and am using it and as yet I have not got less than 1.164, You get the business rate which is the full exchange rate, and as stated NO CHARGES at all.

Prior to this I had (and still have) a Greek bank account which I used to put Sterling into and got good rates, I also used to change with Caxton but No-One can beat the rates on a Flexy account

Withdrew 300 euros today and got 1.165.


----------



## CliffyP (Dec 19, 2008)

A company called Tor FX give a good rate of exchange and you can buy Euros to top up a cash paid Visa/Master Card. If you register you get a daily update on the Euro and Dollar etc Free Every Day. If you are interested pm me with your email address and I will sent you the link.


----------



## dethleff (Jun 25, 2005)

You might find you have to move all your banking now in order to open a nationwide flexi account. It appears many are just depositing their holiday money into a flexi account in order to use the flexi debit card.

So someone posted on another site.

Regards
Stan


----------



## Rapide561 (Oct 1, 2005)

*Money*

Hi

I am with Javea - Nationwide card and a Caxton FX card. Have a good read of the Caxton thread though - see the link below.

Russell

http://www.motorhomefacts.com/ftopict-64564-caxton.html


----------



## SaddleTramp (Feb 15, 2007)

dethleff said:


> You might find you have to move all your banking now in order to open a nationwide flexi account. It appears many are just depositing their holiday money into a flexi account in order to use the flexi debit card.
> 
> So someone posted on another site.
> 
> ...


My Daughter has just opened a Flexi account and was asked if she was going to transfer from another account but she said no and there was no problem and she got her card yesterday, As a result she has opened a bank account for her baby also at Nationwide today.


----------



## LisaB (Apr 24, 2009)

Deffo recommend the Nationwide I was getting 1.16 in March! Also the credit card (no charges in Euro zone) Try also Halifax banco hispania, not quite sure whether you need an NIE number or whether my passport number was enough.


----------

