Money for French Trip (1 Viewer)

Nov 4, 2011
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We're off to France at the end of December for 4/5 months, so do we take a wedge of cash in Euro's or as mentioned in other posts use something like the new kids on the block-Revolut and then transfer say £1000 pounds onto that and change it into Euro's when the rates good. Also would the likes of Aire card machines except these type cards?
How do others do it.
 
Feb 24, 2013
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I'm a great believer in cash, but only been for three weeks so far

Have 'carried' a Caxton card loaded with £200 in euros, but have yet to be able to use it

Will watch this thread with interest for card use, having said we cant use it, only tried twice, one aire and found a free one 5 miles down the road, then fuel, but think we didn't get the order of entry right :)

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Techno

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Revolut has to be the way forwards giving us the man on the street the bank interchange rate.
Being able to change your money back to sterling or send it to a bank account of your choice within the app is light years ahead of Caxton.
Like other preloaded cards is is not advisable to pay for fuel or tolls with it.
 
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9526

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We use Caxton card and top up as we need to online.

We also carry Visa card as a "back up" when the Caxton card does not work on auto machines.

On some auto barriers, we discovered that nothing worked (only French carte bancaire) ;)
 
OP
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Manic
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Like other preloaded cards is is not advisable to pay for fuel or tolls with it.[/QUOTE]

Could I ask why not use for fuel and tolls, I only ask because I've never used any type of pre-payed card before , only my normal credit card and bank card.
 

Techno

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Like other preloaded cards is is not advisable to pay for fuel or tolls with it.

Could I ask why not use for fuel and tolls, I only ask because I've never used any type of pre-payed card before , only my normal credit card and bank card.[/QUOTE]
Because it ring fences a much larger sum of your credit than you spent until the transaction has gone through the system by up to 15 days. Look at the FAQ section on Caxton
 
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9526

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The fuel company automatically take a large payment and then refund at a later date.

They also do it with visa etc but it does not appear on your statement.

On prepaid it's obviously your cash (and you can't get at it for a few days)

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normanandsue

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We use Nationwide credit card, with no charges, but take cash for small purchases, less than
20 euros . This way we get best rate at the time. Keep track of accounts on line.
 
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Norwich & Pererborogh Debit card so no charges for purchases or ATM withdrawals and no loaded exchange rates so it costs nothing.

Always make sure I have at least 200 euros in the wallet in case of accident, taxis, etc.

Take a visa and a MasterCard credit card just in case then all bases covered
 

Armytwowheels

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Hello Manic. I can only tell what we have done. The first year we toured in Europe (3 years ago) we struggled to get any Aire machines to take out debit card. Early this year we had the same problems again and also got charged a fee everything we used it to pay for anything.

This Autumn we have gone with a Caxton card, pre- loaded over the summer whenever the rate took a favourable turn. We have had no problems at the Aires, in any supermarket or petrol station through France and Spain. There might be a few pennies to be gained by going with other currency cards, but we chose Caxton and are happy with it's ease of use, including the website to load the card. When we have had occasion to call customer services the problem was solved straight away and another card sent out and received with in a week.

P.S no charges for buying Euros or spending.

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Techno

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From Caxton website
  • Your prepaid card will not work at automated petrol stations
    For security reasons your Caxton FX card will not work at automated petrol stations. We recommend that you avoid using them or you use an alternative card to settle the bill.

  • Avoid using your prepaid card at Toll booths
    Caxton FX prepaid cards require a merchant to seek authorisation before they provide the goods or services. The majority of European toll roads and bridges do not seek an authorisation and therefore you can't use your Caxton FX currency card at most toll booths.
 

Armytwowheels

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From Caxton website
  • Your prepaid card will not work at automated petrol stations
    For security reasons your Caxton FX card will not work at automated petrol stations. We recommend that you avoid using them or you use an alternative card to settle the bill.

  • Avoid using your prepaid card at Toll booths
    Caxton FX prepaid cards require a merchant to seek authorisation before they provide the goods or services. The majority of European toll roads and bridges do not seek an authorisation and therefore you can't use your Caxton FX currency card at most toll booths.
Well we have been using ours at automated (24hr) petrol stations, both in France and
Spain, without any problems. Haven't used any tolls this trip so cannot comment on that.
 

Techno

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In the past week I have changed only £710 to achieve €1000 with revolut
I can draw cash in the UK with no charges and currently can keep 3 currencies at once on it.
I can BLOCK the card within the app if I can't find my card or feel compromised and re enable it later.
All transactions are instant no phone calls required

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DBK

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You can just use a visa debit card from your UK bank account and the rate should be very good. I can do this with my Barclays debit card, may not work for every card and bank but it works for me.

I suggest whatever you do don't rely on just on one card. And keep one of them separate from your usual cards so you should be able to access funds if you get mugged. Or the MH broken into when you are out.
 

Techno

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I can't find anything similar in Revolut's FAQ but I would treat it the same. The only difference being that you are with the interbank rate guaranteed at least 3% better exchange than other cards
 

Armytwowheels

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https://www.caxtonfx.com/currency-cards/how-they-work#Before-you-go

They used to go into much more detail but they are slipping
That interesting, because we definitely have used it at a Super U automated petrol station near Gravelines, we had to reshuffle the van to an automated pump in a very cramped forecourt as it was lunch time and no attendant present. Again at the Super U near Parc Verger we used the automated pump. But now I am thinking we have not used an automated pump in Spain.
 

Techno

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Snapshots of my phone just now
Caxton
image.png

Live rate and balance on my revolut app
image.png

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Techno

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That interesting, because we definitely have used it at a Super U automated petrol station near Gravelines, we had to reshuffle the van to an automated pump in a very cramped forecourt as it was lunch time and no attendant present. Again at the Super U near Parc Verger we used the automated pump. But now I am thinking we have not used an automated pump in Spain.
Possibly yours is the Visa? they switched back to master card recently.

In the early days they used to advise against it and went on to explain the ring fencing of your money. Now I think they have just said it will not work to simplify it but clearly it does and if you kick off about funds not being available I imagine they will refer you to the FAQ

To attempt a clearer explanation. An automated pump may peg your card with €150 but you only put in €20 of fuel. This will mean that €130 of your balance is unusable until it goes through the system which can be over a week.
 
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deanroofing

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We recently got the Revolut not used it abroad yet, the wife used it the other week and straight away the transaction come up on my iPad telling me how much had been spent on it, that'll keep her in check not.
 

Geejay

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Go to Moneysavingexpert, Travel Tips and you'll get all the info - best cards (Halifax Clarity scores well as does Revolut - have both) and the Cards from Hell. Best advice on the web on this imho.

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jollyrodger

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Personally a little cash and a clarity card recently returned from France/ Spain tour clarity accepted everywhere and good rate no added charge .
Works for me .
 
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The fuel company automatically take a large payment and then refund at a later date.

They also do it with visa etc but it does not appear on your statement.

On prepaid it's obviously your cash (and you can't get at it for a few days)

It will always appear on a bank statement. Fortunately I use spanish cards on the odd occasion I use a French auto pump & the 120€ they take at start is credited back immediately as otherwise I can get the bank to start proceedings as it is a criminal offence to do what the French companies get up to.

To attempt a clearer explanation. An automated pump may peg your card with €150 but you only put in €20 of fuel. This will mean that €130 of your balance is unusable until it goes through the system which can be over a week.

It should not be. If they do it is a criminal offence. The maximum amount is debited against the card at the start of using the pump. When you have finished & say taken 40€ of fuel that is the charge against the card & the maximum amount should be recredited to your card immediately. Anything else is against the law.
You tend to find that it only happens incorrectly with UK cards . with Spanish cards it is always credited back immediately as this practice of retaining the max amount is a criminal offence regardless of the fact that it occurs in France & the bank will take action. So my bank manager said when I asked him a few years back.
 

Techno

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There is a reason for it and it used to be explained, To overcome any issues Caxton simply say it will not work.

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