# BAD NEWS! NO LONGER COMMISSION FREE



## MOTORHOMER (May 9, 2005)

Hello


The caravan club credit card in future will attract 2.75% on all foreign purchases including EU. Also cash advances will go up to 23.9%

Motorhomer


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## 97051 (Dec 27, 2005)

I dont mind that ................... cause I dont have one :lol: :lol:


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## fatwallet (May 18, 2006)

hello. how have you found this out?


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## zulurita (May 9, 2005)

They snare you then move the goal posts  

I don't have one so its ok for me


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## MOTORHOMER (May 9, 2005)

fatwallet said:


> hello. how have you found this out?


I had it in writing along with other changes from Caravan Club this morning. All business has been transferred to Morgan Stanley.

We only carried ours seperately as a backup as we use Nationwide. Will have to take my Saga Card as back up for emergency now.

Motorhomer


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## GypsyRose (May 9, 2005)

Yeah .. got ours in the mail this morning too!!


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## 100282 (Jul 31, 2006)

*Purchasing power*

yep got the good news this morning too from caravan club. Looks like I shall have to look around for another one again. Interestingly on the continent earlier this year I had difficulty purchasing with CC credit card cos it was VISA. The reason given was that the banks make a huge charge on the seller for using the facility. Apparently Mastercard do not make as big a charge. The credit card still worked at most garages for fuel (full tank) but neither visa credit or debit cards accepted at shops including large supermarkets. Had to keep going to banks to get cash (large amounts cos of charges by some banks) out from current accounts using debit card. This was a sea change from previous years and we have been doing this a while. Anybody else had same experience???


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## MOTORHOMER (May 9, 2005)

*Re: Purchasing power*



selpats008 said:


> yep got the good news this morning too from caravan club. Looks like I shall have to look around for another one again. Interestingly on the continent earlier this year I had difficulty purchasing with CC credit card cos it was VISA. The reason given was that the banks make a huge charge on the seller for using the facility. Apparently Mastercard do not make as big a charge. The credit card still worked at most garages for fuel (full tank) but neither visa credit or debit cards accepted at shops including large supermarkets. Had to keep going to banks to get cash (large amounts cos of charges by some banks) out from current accounts using debit card. This was a sea change from previous years and we have been doing this a while. Anybody else had same experience???


hi

Dont know when you went but CC sold toMorgan Stanley on !st August. 06. We had no problem with it last year when our Nationwide Flex/Visa card was not accepted in a particular supermarket. Didnt need it this year. Just used Nationwide Visa everywhere unless we wanted cash then we used the debit card

Try Saga. We will use this as back up now. It is commission free on purchases. Not sure about using Debit card for euros. It should be same.

Motorhomer


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## Don_Madge (May 1, 2005)

*Re: Purchasing power*



MOTORHOMER said:


> selpats008 said:
> 
> 
> > yep got the good news this morning too from caravan club. Looks like I shall have to look around for another one again. Interestingly on the continent earlier this year I had difficulty purchasing with CC credit card cos it was VISA. The reason given was that the banks make a huge charge on the seller for using the facility. Apparently Mastercard do not make as big a charge. The credit card still worked at most garages for fuel (full tank) but neither visa credit or debit cards accepted at shops including large supermarkets. Had to keep going to banks to get cash (large amounts cos of charges by some banks) out from current accounts using debit card. This was a sea change from previous years and we have been doing this a while. Anybody else had same experience???
> ...


Elizabeth,

We have been using Morgan Stanley for years because they are Mastercard and we use Barclays for Visa.

Don


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## zulurita (May 9, 2005)

Hi selpat008,

We usually have no trouble using nationwide debit card abroad in France. However in Austria a lot of places, especially supermarkets, only took mastercard/maestro and also some places in Germany. So like you in these places had to use cash. Eastern Europe took visa although we did tend to use cash for security as we didn't want to use the card in too many places but used ok at garages with no problems. Spain seems to take visa ok but will often require proof of identity.


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## 88781 (May 9, 2005)

Most of the credit cardcompanies have increased their charges for overseas transactions, MBNA and EGG haven't 8O

Article in todays newspapers

Edit Note forgot the link:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=402338&in_page_id=1770


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## autostratus (May 9, 2005)

We use the Caravan Club credit card and have had no problems in the past.

The 2.75% on purchases is a blow as going to France 3 or 4 times a year almost all our spend is by credit card. It could be the equivalent of at least a ferry return fare.
It now isn't worth it for the site vouchers alone.

We will be taking our business elsewhere.
Nationwide or Saga? Advantages/disadvantages?


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## MOTORHOMER (May 9, 2005)

autostratus said:


> We use the Caravan Club credit card and have had no problems in the past.
> 
> The 2.75% on purchases is a blow as going to France 3 or 4 times a year almost all our spend is by credit card. It could be the equivalent of at least a ferry return fare.
> It now isn't worth it for the site vouchers alone.
> ...


Hello

We use Nationwide debit card & credit card. All fuel by the credit card sometimes I have to sign sometimes use the pin. This year more garages used the pin & most of the supermarkets as well. We used the debit card for euros from cash machine. The only problem we found some cash machines wanted a six no pin. We just tried elswhere. 
The exchange rate was much better as well as the busines rate was used.

Re saga not used that abroad as yet but it is commission free in EU & I think it is 1% worldwide

Natinwide comm free both EU & WW.

Motorhomer


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## SidT (May 9, 2005)

We have always used he Nationwide debit card and the Natwest advantage gold credit card. The Natwest charged £6 a month for the account but if you used the credit card for the holiday, even just the ferry, you got free health insurance so it was worth it. But they have just bumped the cost up to £12 a month and no longer give free insurance and have changed all the rules. Now they won't insure pre-existing conditions so its Bye-Bye Natwest. We will just use the Nationwide and Saga CC as backup.
Cheers Sid


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## 96088 (Aug 22, 2005)

Possibly one reason why Credit Card charges and commisions are creeping up is the recent ruling that encouraged banks to charge no more than £12 for late payments etc etc. This rather blew a hole in a nice little earner that they had at the time and maybe they are trying to negate this loss of income.


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## rickwiggans (May 10, 2006)

The slightly good news is that Morgan Stanley cards have on-line management of accounts, so at least it will now be possible to keep track of spend and payments whilst away for extended periods. Will have to revert to the "free to use" Nationwide card. In any case, - we only use it in the UK as a rule, because you only get "site night voucher" points on UK purchases


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## RESCUE (May 1, 2005)

Get a Nationwide Debit Card. We have been in France for 5 months now & had no real problem. We just go to an ATM & get out cash. It's simple & incurs no charge. The account is easy to open & you can check the account on line. We find it excellent. Rescue.


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## 96783 (Nov 23, 2005)

There's no "maybe" about it. The financial press warned us that this would happen and sure enough .....! They will actually make more money than they got from the £15 debit which only got charged to those who were late, overdrawn or whatever rule they happened to have broken whereas the new rates and charges will affect everyone who uses the card overseas. Sometimes (often?) financial regulators put their foot where their brain should be and we, the punters, pay the price.


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## Wanderwagon3 (May 27, 2005)

*As Topic*

'Evening all

Are you MOTORHOMER and others 100% correct in what you say re the Frizzell/CC card.?

Unfortunately I think I shreded the letter but I understood that the 2.75% charge was "only" on cash advances NOT on purchases.

That being said the the Camping Nights points do not accrue on mainland Europe purchases.

I shredded the letter as I never use ATMs for cash in Europe.

Please check someone.

Ken...........with Wanderwagon3


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## rickwiggans (May 10, 2006)

The letter says "all foreign transactions" - just checked my copy


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## Don_Madge (May 1, 2005)

*Re: As Topic*



Wanderwagon3 said:


> 'Evening all
> 
> I shredded the letter as I never use ATMs for cash in Europe.
> 
> Ken...........with Wanderwagon3


Hi Ken,

How do you get your cash while away if you don't use the ATM's.

Don


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## RobMD (May 9, 2005)

IMO the increases in charges were inevitable after all the come-ons and free tranfers etc. designed to get people to sign up for cards.

Many people depend on their cards and cannot afford to ditch them, which leaves credit card companies free to hike rates without losing enough users to make a difference.


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## MOTORHOMER (May 9, 2005)

*Re: As Topic*



Wanderwagon3 said:


> 'Evening all
> 
> Are you MOTORHOMER and others 100% correct in what you say re the Frizzell/CC card.?
> 
> ...


I have just checked.

Two key changes are:-

QUOTE:-

APR on cash advances will increase to 23.9% pa & 2.75% fee will now aply to all foreign transactions including the EU. QUOTE

Motorhomer


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## Telbell (May 1, 2005)

Once again remember the wise words of Martin Lewis (Moneysaving expert.co.uk) "Stuff the Banks before they stuff you"

So- on receipt of my "Notice of Variation" from Liverpool Victoria/Morgan Stanley/ Caravan Club, I "stuffed" my CC Credit Card in the bin (after duly cutting it up in millions of pieces)

The "free nights" incentive is not an incentive for me as I rarely use CC "proper" sites.

Incidentally-as I understand you need a Nationwide Current Account tio have the Debit Card from them- what interest do they pay?? Ta


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## MOTORHOMER (May 9, 2005)

Telbell said:


> Once again remember the wise words of Martin Lewis (Moneysaving expert.co.uk) "Stuff the Banks before they stuff you"
> 
> So- on receipt of my "Notice of Variation" from Liverpool Victoria/Morgan Stanley/ Caravan Club, I "stuffed" my CC Credit Card in the bin (after duly cutting it up in millions of pieces)
> 
> ...


You need the flex account which you can also monitr on line.

I have the credit card as well with direct debit to pay it when we are away. Monitir on line..

Look on the nationwide website for interest rates.

Motorhomer


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## 92180 (May 1, 2005)

Having just returned from Europe where I used my CC Frizzell card I have just checked my statement. It is dated July 2006 for payment in August. No commission was charged and the exchange rate was very good. 

On the back of my statement it states Important Information. 

Foreign Transactions:- 
Unlike some other credit cards there is no additional charge for overseas purchases inside the EU and 2.75% on transactions outside the EU. 

Is this all superseded by a letter I have not got. I travelled home after the 1st August so if charges are added I will ask for a refund.


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## MOTORHOMER (May 9, 2005)

asgard said:


> Having just returned from Europe where I used my CC Frizzell card I have just checked my statement. It is dated July 2006 for payment in August. No commission was charged and the exchange rate was very good.
> 
> On the back of my statement it states Important Information.
> 
> ...


The letter notifies of intended changes which I think come into force October 1st ie a months notice. The letter came saturday just gone.

Motorhomer


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## Telbell (May 1, 2005)

On my query about Nationwide interest on current account- I checked it yesterday-it's eiother 4.75 or 4.85 (my memory!) Either way it's inferior to All and Leices (5%) and with A&L you only have to put in £500 pcm- with Nationwide it's £1000. I suppose you could always put in the £1000 and take out £999 when it's cleared. Not sure it's wortth the effort to save a few quid on annual (for us at the moment) trips abroad


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## 96783 (Nov 23, 2005)

My (redirected from my previous UK address) letter dropped through the letter box this morning. It was very illuminating and totting up the advantages and disadvantages from the 15 summary of changes reveals:

1. Two changes are to the user's advantage (4 & 6).
2. One is the date change (1).
3. One on "special offers" is not a change but just marketing (15).
4. Eleven, yes eleven, are disadvantageous (the rest). Even the reduction in minimum payment is a disadvantage because it means those who are foolish enough to make only the minimum payment will pay more interest in total at 23.9%pa (usury?) than before. If you should have a credit balance to cover withdrawals from ATMs overseas you will no longer get interest on that credit balance.

The financial regulator did everyone a great disservice when he made the providers reduce the charge from £15 to £12. Those who expected a benefit from that step will now pay significantly more if they fall into the eleven traps. 

Sadly, the letters do not give any discernible reason for the switch to Morgan Stanley and I guess if one asked one would be told that it was a "commercial in confidence" reason but my thoughts would be that the contract had come to an end and Morgan Stanley offered more to the Club than LVBS, though sadly not to the members who (allegedly) own the club.


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## Telbell (May 1, 2005)

A good analysis phredC. Would you mind if I quoted your stats in my letter to Caravan Club/Frizzell/ explaining why I am cancelling my card?
(Perhaps all those MHF members who have one could think about doing the same) Power of the Consumer eh? :wink:


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## 96783 (Nov 23, 2005)

Hi Telbell

Very happy for you to do so, just don't expect to get your letter published - the club seem to have a problem with critical letters.
I actually have a credit balance on my card (from a refund) and once I've used that and made up my next site voucher that will be their lot. I have no desire to contribute to the Morgan Stanley's partners huge bonuses.


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## 92180 (May 1, 2005)

I now have the letter and it is as stated. 

I then called the CC and complained that they are selling the members down the river. 

I got a polite but useless response. I suggested that they should have negotiated the EU commotion free deal at the time of signing with Morgan Stanley. They obviously got a good payout and to hell with the members. 

I will also wait for a credit to clear, another 21 points for a free night and I am off. Have already applied on line for a Nationwide card. 

The flex account is linked to a bank account -- is this a Maestro card or whatever replaced the Eurocheque card.

Everyone should complain to the CC for this reduction of service.


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## MOTORHOMER (May 9, 2005)

asgard said:


> I now have the letter and it is as stated.
> 
> I then called the CC and complained that they are selling the members down the river.
> 
> ...


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