USA holiday and spending money

[Chuffedmonkey]

Hi

I am due to go to Florida in August on a family holiday, what is the best way to spend, spending money? I don't want to take loads of cash.

Is there a pre loaded style credit/debit card I could take that I could top up when needed via my phone that won't charge a high rate? My current bank debit card and Credit charge would incur exchange rate and admin charges.

[2 sMoKiN bArReLs]

Halifax Clarity is a credit card with no currency charges.

Chase is a great account with a debit card with no currency charges.

We used the above with a small float of cash for our last overseas trip. Worked well for us.

[Geffg]

I used the Halifax card and took probably about 500 dollars in cash for 3 weeks. Cards accepted everywhere and better than carrying a load of cash about.

[Chuffedmonkey]

Sorry, I have just double checked my current account and debit card transaction fees are free I am still interested if there are any preloaded cards I could use as a back up.

The Chase account does have my attention though with the saving rates, gives me something to ponder.

Edited by Chuffedmonkey on Thursday 22 June 20:15

[2 sMoKiN bArReLs]

Chuffedmonkey said:

am still interested if there are any preloaded cards I could use as a back up.

That's how I used my Chase card. Loaded a bunch of cash into the account (which I don't usually use) and Robert is your mother's brother. Added advantage is you can use your phone rather than the physical card. (Although I didn't)

[a311]

2 sMoKiN bArReLs said:

Halifax Clarity is a credit card with no currency charges.

Chase is a great account with a debit card with no currency charges.

We used the above with a small float of cash for our last overseas trip. Worked well for us.

This. I wouldn't bother with a pre loaded card, you also get the inter bank exchange rate when you make cash withdrawals but cards should be taken just about everywhere.

Having a back up I'd good. I lost the credit card I specifically got for travel on my first day in a taxi in NYC....

[yellowbentines]

I use my Monzo account - no charge for debit card use and you can withdraw a certain amount of cash without charge too.

Another thing I really like about it is the app - really easy to track spending and before you've left the building the transaction has shown up on the app so you can query anything untoward.

[numtumfutunch]

yellowbentines said:

I use my Monzo account - no charge for debit card use and you can withdraw a certain amount of cash without charge too.

Another thing I really like about it is the app - really easy to track spending and before you've left the building the transaction has shown up on the app so you can query anything untoward.

Another Monzo fan here

I signed up years ago when eldest turned 16 and it was really convenient for him and me in terms of transferring cash

A happy perk is fantastic exchange/commission if you put a decent amount of cash in each month
Honestly cant recall what the minimum is however 500 squids goes into my Monzo each month and is then transferred back the next day

Ive used mine extensively on the continent and more recently in the US

It gets better rates than my credit card which is rarely used and better/no commission

Cheers

[Martyn76]

I've use Revolut for a few years now when on holiday, you can pre load the card but also just use it as it is linked to your bank account, gives you a better exchange rate too, you can also do things like freeze your card, disable the ability to withdraw from ATMs from the app.

[Whataguy]

I've used Caxton for many years, you choose what currency to load the card with using the app and it's easy to track payments made.

Plus, if stolen it's not your bank card as it's just a preloaded debit card.

[captain_cynic]

I have an account with Starling that I use almost exclusively for travel or buying overseas. Unlike Revolut it's an actual Bank and I chose it over Monzo as it gives you unlimited ATM withdrawals overseas, useful if you're going to a lot of developing nations where card fraud is rife.

Starling gives you the Mastercard spot rate with is close to the official rate, so just put some Pounds into the account and use any currency you like.

[captain_cynic]

Whataguy said:

I've used Caxton for many years, you choose what currency to load the card with using the app and it's easy to track payments made.

This is why preloading is terrible. Today's rate at Caxton, £1 = US$1.24. Using my Starling card, £1 = US$1.27 and there's no chance of having USD left over at the end of my trip because the currency in the account is always in GBP, no matter what the currency of the transaction was.

Having to pre-load or pre-transfer currency will almost always lose you money.

[phil-sti]

Chuffedmonkey said:

Hi

I am due to go to Florida in August on a family holiday, what is the best way to spend, spending money? I don't want to take loads of cash.

Is there a pre loaded style credit/debit card I could take that I could top up when needed via my phone that won't charge a high rate? My current bank debit card and Credit charge would incur exchange rate and admin charges.

We just used a starling card. stick what you want on it daily through the app.

[hilly10]

Martyn76 said:

I've use Revolut for a few years now when on holiday, you can pre load the card but also just use it as it is linked to your bank account, gives you a better exchange rate too, you can also do things like freeze your card, disable the ability to withdraw from ATMs from the app.

Used Revolut last month on our holiday to Australia NZ French Polynesia and Hawaii all with no problems.

[ghost83]

We took revolut used our credit cards and cash

[blingybongy]

Kroo current account charges no foreign transaction fees and pays 4% on credit balances.

[ecsrobin]

Another fan for Monzo. We did Florida earlier this year and from memory didn’t take out any cash. There is a weird mixture of full on contactless, contactless and signature and card and pin and signature (think I got the last one right).

I’d say America are about 20 years behind the UK for how to pay with card/phone/watch.

[Somebody]

Is it still a balls-ache refuelling your car in the US using cards as the pump without attendants need you to input a zipcode for your card?

[blingybongy]

Somebody said:

Is it still a balls-ache refuelling your car in the US using cards as the pump without attendants need you to input a zipcode for your card?

Any use?

https://theonegenerator.com/generators/address/zip...

[h0b0]

Somebody said:

Is it still a balls-ache refuelling your car in the US using cards as the pump without attendants need you to input a zipcode for your card?

00000

Used to always work. Not tried for a while though.