# Nationwide rates - again



## Rapide561 (Oct 1, 2005)

Ciao

As promised here is some more Nationwide info

Transaction for Euro 111.00 @ 1.482 = £74.90. Nationwide debit card used as payment method.

The best rate on the net today is 1.4363 at www.travelex.co.uk

111.00 Euros would effectively cost £77.28.

I am better off for once by £2.38.

Equally, in Switzerland for fuel, CHF 114.15 @ 2.385 = £47.86

Best rate on the net today - again at Travelex is 2.3035.

CHF 114.15 @ 2.3035 = £49.55, a "saving" to me of £1.69.

Finally, 50 Euros withdrawn at an ATM @ 1.483 = £33.72

50 euros cash at todays rate on the net would be £34.81, another saving to me of £1.09.

I will say that I moved my current account to the Nationwide and there were some problems. With these behind us and a rate differential of about 3%, I will probably be about £30 per month better off based on my anticipated budget. That is a lot of money over a year.

Russell


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## nukeadmin (Oct 10, 2003)

excellent snippets of info Russell, i too used Nationwide whilst travelling around Europe and the fact that you can attach an e-savings account to the current account and do instantaneous internet transfers between them was a good solution for us as well


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## zulurita (May 9, 2005)

*Nationwide*

Likewise for us very good when touring abroad


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## Enodreven (Aug 29, 2005)

Hi, We use Nationwide, but your comparasion may not be quiet fair, if you are using the exchange rate that they gave you on your monthly statement that is quiet different from the rate that is shown today as the market is constantly moving, its like comaparing apples with oranges ?

Albeit Nationwide are OK and we do use them, we also use our credit cards more than we use our debit cards as some of them dodn't make any charges for purchases and you do get several weeks interest free ? so certainly on purchases that would need to be calculated into your equasions


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## Rapide561 (Oct 1, 2005)

*Rates*

Hi Brian

Good points.

As far as I am aware, every other debit card in the country add a 2.75% fee to the conversion. Very few banks show the rate used on the statement.

Equally, all credit cards - as far as I am aware add the same percentage loading.

Furthermore, use either a credit or a debit card in an ATM, and a further 1.5% is added, minimum £1.50.

I think that the Caravan Club credit card used to be fee free, but this was rescinded a while back. (As far as I am aware)

Now I am in the swing of things, I will use the Nationwide credit card for purchases and take advantage of the interest free period.

When I had the account with Cahoot, foreign transactions did not even show a rate on the statement, nor did it show the 2.75% fee etc.

What ever anyone says, 1.482 is a grand rate!

Russell


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## MikeE (May 1, 2005)

Agreed Russell, I recently opened a Nationwide account after doing quite a bit of research comparing UK bank and credit card accounts. In terms of overseas use (ATM and purchases) they were by far and away the best value. I just hope they don't recognise this and reduce the differential!!!

Mike


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## Rapide561 (Oct 1, 2005)

*Nationwide*

Hi Mike

This is one thing I think they will keep. They advertise this in many places and claim it is a benefit of being a member of a mutual rather than a PLC.

Russell


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## brimo (May 10, 2005)

When we first went to Spain in 2005 we were ripped off with our A & L Visa card because we paid low exchange rates, interest fees and cash handling fees on our withdrawals and items purchased on the Visa credit card.

We were advised to change the card to either a Nationwide or a Saga Card. We ended up with the Saga which we used on our last trip to Spain in Oct/November 2006.

The exchange rates on the cards seemed good at say 04/11 1.4937
2/11 at 1.4935 and no interest charges at all. Hurray !! But.... we have still paid a cash handling charge of approx £3.09 everytime we took £300 out of an ATM. We did this 3 times during our 8 week trip so it cost us an extra £9+

Would this charge not be existent for a Nationwide card? Does it depend on which ATM we used (this is what I told the missus? i.e. we must have used a foreign ATM?  )

If the Nationwide doesn't charge a cash handling fee then I'll change my current account over to them next week  

Give us the low-down please?


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## pfil32 (Jul 27, 2005)

Has anyone had any problems using a Nationwide credit card abroad as I have read that some chip n'pin cards do not work on the continent. I ask this because we are soon taking the MH abroad for the first time and I hope to use my Nationwide credit card whilst away.

Phil


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## Rapide561 (Oct 1, 2005)

*Nationwide*



brimo said:


> When we first went to Spain in 2005 we were ripped off with our A & L Visa card because we paid low exchange rates, interest fees and cash handling fees on our withdrawals and items purchased on the Visa credit card.
> 
> We were advised to change the card to either a Nationwide or a Saga Card. We ended up with the Saga which we used on our last trip to Spain in Oct/November 2006.
> 
> ...


Hi

For ATM cash withdrawals on the DEBIT CARD, Nationwide does not charge %1.5.

If you use their CREDIT CARD for an ATM withdrawl, you will be charged.

Russell


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## Rapide561 (Oct 1, 2005)

*Nationwide*



pfil32 said:


> Has anyone had any problems using a Nationwide credit card abroad as I have read that some chip n'pin cards do not work on the continent. I ask this because we are soon taking the MH abroad for the first time and I hope to use my Nationwide credit card whilst away.
> 
> Phil


Hi Phil

No problems to report. I have used the card at petrol stations/service areas in Luxembourg, Switzerland and Italy, aswell as small shops in Italy, supermarkets and automatic self service petrol pumps.

Russell


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## SidT (May 9, 2005)

We had no problems on the continent, the few outlets that didn't recognise the chipnpin just asked you to "sign receipt"
Cheers Sid


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## brimo (May 10, 2005)

We wrote in a post above concerning the Saga Credit card



> But.... we have still paid a *cash handling charge of approx £3.09 *everytime we took £300 out of an ATM. We did this 3 times during our 8 week trip so it cost us an extra £9+


Have any of you paid this *cash handling charge *when using your Nationwide Credit Card when abroad?


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## Rapide561 (Oct 1, 2005)

*Credit cards*



brimo said:


> We wrote in a post above concerning the Saga Credit card
> 
> 
> 
> ...


A 1.5% fee IS ADDED to ATM withdrawals made with the Nationwide CREDIT CARD. The DEBIT CARD is fee free.

Russell


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