# Money or Debit Card or......



## blackbirdbiker (Mar 12, 2007)

Need advice from seasoned travellers going to France and beyond,
which is the best way to take money to last 8 or 9 weeks.  

I don't like the idea of having loads of cash in the van's safe, and using a debit card there is a conversion fee of 2.9% of the sterling value, and if you withdraw cash there is a further fee of 2 %. On my money grabbing Bank anyhow :evil: 

Thanks

Keith


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## Zebedee (Oct 3, 2007)

Open a Nationwide Flexaccount and your problems are over.

>> See here <<

Dave


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## zulurita (May 9, 2005)

Nationwide debit card and credit card are the cheapest.


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## wilse (Aug 10, 2007)

Nationwide thumbs up from me, always worked everywhere in France.

w


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## peedee (May 10, 2005)

I think I have recently read Santander (Abbey) is also now offering the same service as Nationwide?

peedee


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## hiker (Jun 22, 2008)

Or a pre-loaded chip & pin Mastercard such as CaxtonFX - & set it to load from your debit card when you instruct it, by web or by text. Just don't keep too much on it, it's not protected if the organisation collapses!


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## randonneur (Jan 25, 2007)

*Debit/Credit cards*

Be careful in Portugal, most places don't accept Debit/Credit cards unless they are Portugese, most places are cash only. Also we came across a filling station that you had to prepay before you got fuel. You have to guess approximately how much fuel you will need, I presume that they refund what you haven't had.


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## Rapide561 (Oct 1, 2005)

*Santander*

Hi

The credit card from Santander is fee free overseas for transactions - there are still interest and ATM fees for using the card in cash machines.

The debit card from Santander is only available to customers who have a Santander mortgage.

The Nationwide debit card is the way forward, or a CaxtonFX card.

Take some cash though - there is bound to be a situation where the card will not work.

Russell


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## Zozzer (Aug 13, 2006)

*Re: Debit/Credit cards*



randonneur said:


> Be careful in Portugal, most places don't accept Debit/Credit cards unless they are Portugese, most places are cash only. Also we came across a filling station that you had to prepay before you got fuel. You have to guess approximately how much fuel you will need, I presume that they refund what you haven't had.


Are you saying that in Portugal a VISA card may not be acceptable if it is not issued by a Portugese Bank. ?

Surely this contravenes EEC rules on trade with member states.


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## hiker (Jun 22, 2008)

PS CaxtonFX doen't charge to use ATMs now.


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## randonneur (Jan 25, 2007)

*Re: Debit/Credit cards*



Zozzer said:


> randonneur said:
> 
> 
> > Be careful in Portugal, most places don't accept Debit/Credit cards unless they are Portugese, most places are cash only. Also we came across a filling station that you had to prepay before you got fuel. You have to guess approximately how much fuel you will need, I presume that they refund what you haven't had.
> ...


That is exactly what I meant. We tried many times to use our Debit/Credit cards - Barclays Visa/Mastercard and Barclays Connect even our French Debit Mastercard they didn't want to know. It was cash only. There are usually ATM outside most of these places so they think that there is no problem with you getting cash. Even the campsite we stopped at last only took cash - no cards.

I have to say that we came back via Seville/Salamanca/Burgos etc and had no problem at all, but then again this was Spain. They asked to see our Passport at Irun at the filling station.


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## mgb (Dec 4, 2008)

We use a NWide Flexaccount debit card to for no fee commercial xchange rates cash withdrawals, and a Post Office credit card for the same benefits
We use a lap top/Wifi to ensure we have enough credit for the debit card
No probs so far after 2 years
Happy wheels
MGB


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## peedee (May 10, 2005)

*Re: Santander*



Rapide561 said:


> Hi
> 
> The credit card from Santander is fee free overseas for transactions - there are still interest and ATM fees for using the card in cash machines.
> 
> ...


Thanks for the clarification Russel, must admit to not taking a great deal of interest in what I read because I always use a Nationwide card.

peedee


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## mygalnme (Jul 12, 2009)

Always use Nationwide debit card everywhere but Lidl sometimes won.t accept ,only cash.


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## GerryD (Sep 20, 2007)

Nationwide for us as well, but keep a Mastercard for emergencies like the day a couple of years ago when Visa systems went down across Europe for a day.
Heading for a Hypermarket with low fuel and food and no working cards or cash was worrying.
Gerry


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## Chascass (May 10, 2007)

A Nationwide debit card for cash at ATM's and a Nationwide credit card as a back up to use other than at ATM's, no charges on ether of these cards in Europe. ( if the credit card is used at ATM's for cash a charge is made)

Charlie


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