Credit card, travelcard or cash in Europe?
Discussion
Going on a 16 day tour through France, Luxemburg, Switzerland and Italy in a few weeks and just trying to find out the best way to pay for things abroad but there's so many options these days.
I've got a Post office travel card that I can load with various currencies but the exchange rate isn't great and I get more euro's for my pounds if I take it out in cash (from the post office).
I've also heard of something called Revolut but not sure if that's just a different travel card of something else.
And following an email from my bank I've activated their special offer and now I'm "all set and won't pay non-sterling transaction fees on overseas purchases made and posted to your Lloyds Bank credit card account between 9 June 2022 and 9 September 2022".
Anyone used that Revolut before, or should I just stick to using my creditcard ? Trying to find out the actual exchange rates of my bank and all these cards sounds easier then it is.
This was on here just a few days ago. Should help.
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
Halifax Clarity credit card and a bit of cash for me.
It's a bog standard mastercard so accepted pretty much everywhere with competitive exchange rates and no transaction fees. Pay it off every month via direct debit. The only card I ever use these days home or abroad. App is OK as well.
few Euro's in cash for when you just need cash.
It's a bog standard mastercard so accepted pretty much everywhere with competitive exchange rates and no transaction fees. Pay it off every month via direct debit. The only card I ever use these days home or abroad. App is OK as well.
few Euro's in cash for when you just need cash.
Harry H said:
Halifax Clarity credit card and a bit of cash for me.
It's a bog standard mastercard so accepted pretty much everywhere with competitive exchange rates and no transaction fees. Pay it off every month via direct debit. The only card I ever use these days home or abroad. App is OK as well.
few Euro's in cash for when you just need cash.
Same - never had any issues other than having to ohne them once from tenerife as didn't tell them I was going away - but now you do not need to tell them you are going away.It's a bog standard mastercard so accepted pretty much everywhere with competitive exchange rates and no transaction fees. Pay it off every month via direct debit. The only card I ever use these days home or abroad. App is OK as well.
few Euro's in cash for when you just need cash.
Used it worldwide, USA, Europe and Asia not had any issues.
gazza5 said:
Harry H said:
Halifax Clarity credit card and a bit of cash for me.
It's a bog standard mastercard so accepted pretty much everywhere with competitive exchange rates and no transaction fees. Pay it off every month via direct debit. The only card I ever use these days home or abroad. App is OK as well.
few Euro's in cash for when you just need cash.
Same - never had any issues other than having to ohne them once from tenerife as didn't tell them I was going away - but now you do not need to tell them you are going away.It's a bog standard mastercard so accepted pretty much everywhere with competitive exchange rates and no transaction fees. Pay it off every month via direct debit. The only card I ever use these days home or abroad. App is OK as well.
few Euro's in cash for when you just need cash.
Used it worldwide, USA, Europe and Asia not had any issues.
gazza5 said:
Harry H said:
Halifax Clarity credit card and a bit of cash for me.
It's a bog standard mastercard so accepted pretty much everywhere with competitive exchange rates and no transaction fees. Pay it off every month via direct debit. The only card I ever use these days home or abroad. App is OK as well.
few Euro's in cash for when you just need cash.
Same - never had any issues other than having to ohne them once from tenerife as didn't tell them I was going away - but now you do not need to tell them you are going away.It's a bog standard mastercard so accepted pretty much everywhere with competitive exchange rates and no transaction fees. Pay it off every month via direct debit. The only card I ever use these days home or abroad. App is OK as well.
few Euro's in cash for when you just need cash.
Used it worldwide, USA, Europe and Asia not had any issues.
MesoForm said:
gazza5 said:
Harry H said:
Halifax Clarity credit card and a bit of cash for me.
It's a bog standard mastercard so accepted pretty much everywhere with competitive exchange rates and no transaction fees. Pay it off every month via direct debit. The only card I ever use these days home or abroad. App is OK as well.
few Euro's in cash for when you just need cash.
Same - never had any issues other than having to ohne them once from tenerife as didn't tell them I was going away - but now you do not need to tell them you are going away.It's a bog standard mastercard so accepted pretty much everywhere with competitive exchange rates and no transaction fees. Pay it off every month via direct debit. The only card I ever use these days home or abroad. App is OK as well.
few Euro's in cash for when you just need cash.
Used it worldwide, USA, Europe and Asia not had any issues.
Harry H said:
tr7v8 said:
Just done Spain, Portugal & Guernsey on a cruise. Took a few hundred Euros & only used 50 as a tip on the boat. The rest was by my standard Nationwide Visa debit card.
Your exchange rate will be s
t or you'll be paying a load of transaction charges I would imagine.For me -
- Nationwide and Halifax Clarity credit cards both are fee free for use in Europe, but I found the Halifax card wouldn't be accepted for charges of less than €1 - yes I was paying every morning for a couple of pastries from the supermarket for breakfast on a credit card.
- Revolut to draw up to £200 in cash, but although theoretically fee free most ATMs now add a transaction charge and you have to search for the few that don't. Even so most places seem to take cards without blinking now, no matter how little the amount you are paying.
- Nationwide and Halifax Clarity credit cards both are fee free for use in Europe, but I found the Halifax card wouldn't be accepted for charges of less than €1 - yes I was paying every morning for a couple of pastries from the supermarket for breakfast on a credit card.
- Revolut to draw up to £200 in cash, but although theoretically fee free most ATMs now add a transaction charge and you have to search for the few that don't. Even so most places seem to take cards without blinking now, no matter how little the amount you are paying.
I used Revolut exclusively in Poland a few months ago, and in Belgium for the bank holiday weekend.
Only one place refused - I was buying two bottles of water which totalled 5Eu, and the lady told me 'minimum spend 10Eu on a card'. I simply replied that I don't carry cash, and would therefore buy it elsewhere. Which was next door, cost 3Eu and made no objection to me using a card.
I gave up carrying cash during the last 2 years and have no desire to go back to it - here or abroad.
Only one place refused - I was buying two bottles of water which totalled 5Eu, and the lady told me 'minimum spend 10Eu on a card'. I simply replied that I don't carry cash, and would therefore buy it elsewhere. Which was next door, cost 3Eu and made no objection to me using a card.
I gave up carrying cash during the last 2 years and have no desire to go back to it - here or abroad.
I’ve used the Wise debit card on a couple of trips now, similar to Revolut. I started with Wise primarily because I was doing an annual maintenance payment in euros to a company in Germany (5 figure amount) and I was saving a stload of money using Wise rather than going through any of the UK banks and their rip-off fx depts. Obvious next step was using the card on holiday. Transactions are at the currency mid price instead of some cr@ppy buy/sell price. Tiny transaction fee on each transaction but net result is a big saving compared to other cards.
£200 limit on cash machines could be better but once over the £200 the fee involved is small so no biggy anyway.
There may be other cards available now that offer the same? I made the change over a year ago so haven’t kept up with what’s available as I’m happy with Wise.
tload of money using Wise rather than going through any of the UK banks and their rip-off fx depts. Obvious next step was using the card on holiday. Transactions are at the currency mid price instead of some cr@ppy buy/sell price. Tiny transaction fee on each transaction but net result is a big saving compared to other cards.£200 limit on cash machines could be better but once over the £200 the fee involved is small so no biggy anyway.
There may be other cards available now that offer the same? I made the change over a year ago so haven’t kept up with what’s available as I’m happy with Wise.
Spending: Halifax Clarity and Barclaycard Rewards, both credit cards with excellent ROE and no charges.
Drawing cash from ATMs: Starling
As mentioned above, finding ATMs where the operator makes a charge for drawing cash is getting more difficult, especially in Spain. Usually it's a fixed amount (€3 ish) irrespective of amount, so taking out small amounts isn't cost effective.
Drawing cash from ATMs: Starling
As mentioned above, finding ATMs where the operator makes a charge for drawing cash is getting more difficult, especially in Spain. Usually it's a fixed amount (€3 ish) irrespective of amount, so taking out small amounts isn't cost effective.
I have one of these I can load with multiple currencies.
It then seperates my personal accounts from any transcations abroad.
https://www.fairfx.com/
It then seperates my personal accounts from any transcations abroad.
https://www.fairfx.com/
Big E 118 said:
I had a bad experience with Revolut, they aren't (or weren't at the time) UK regulated and hid behind that. It took me many months to get my money back off them.
I use Starling now, UK bank and they provide Euro/GBP linked accounts. App is very good also.
I've used Starling for travel for years now. £300 per day ATM withdrawal limit so if you want cash you can just go to a local ATM and get a far better exchange rate than buying cash here. I use Starling now, UK bank and they provide Euro/GBP linked accounts. App is very good also.
It's also fee free worldwide so it's great if travelling outside the EU.
I don't get why people still buy cash... Getting Euros on the high street today and you'll get 1.13 EUR for your pound, maybe 1.145 if you're very lucky. MasterCard's rate today is 1.178 and you'll get within half a pence/cent of that with my experience with Starling.
Harry H said:
Halifax Clarity credit card and a bit of cash for me.
It's a bog standard mastercard so accepted pretty much everywhere with competitive exchange rates and no transaction fees. Pay it off every month via direct debit. The only card I ever use these days home or abroad. App is OK as well.
few Euro's in cash for when you just need cash.
What we use as wellIt's a bog standard mastercard so accepted pretty much everywhere with competitive exchange rates and no transaction fees. Pay it off every month via direct debit. The only card I ever use these days home or abroad. App is OK as well.
few Euro's in cash for when you just need cash.
Dont forget to choose the option to use halfaxs conversion rate NOT local
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