Credit Card Recommendations for Traveling Overseas

[Smudgie54]

Revolut & Santander Zero.

 

[Anjistar]

Nationwide debit card, Halifax Clarity and a Wise card with various currency accounts. In Europe, using it takes money from the Euro account. This is the one we mostly use.

 

[dawsey]

We've used Wise since they were Transferwise and their free currency card has been great. Rates are always good.

Smart for larger transactions.

I second this. It’s what we use and so simple. We have a virtual Euro visa card that is used to pay contactless for everything. Just transfer some pounds to the pound account then however much needed to the Euro account. When done, change it back. You get the mid market rate and clear exchange fees. Note it’s slightly more expensive to change a Euro balance back to £, but no issue as there shouldn’t be that much left on your € balance when heading back to UK.

You can also get 4.7% on £ balances and 3.7% on euro balances, or if you take some risk it’s possible to get even higher returns on any balance.

 

[sbbots]

Which credit cards or prepaid ones do you use when travelling abroad

Starling works great for me. Great exchange rates, no charges, and interest on balances.

 

[Tony50]

I use Barclaycard and M&S MasterCard , both charge 2.99%, don't bother hunting around , but pay in Euros

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[Fiddler]

Which credit cards or prepaid ones do you use when travelling abroad

Virgin Money- no currency charges anywhere.

Pete & Les

 

[Tony50]

Virgin Money- no currency charges anywhere.

Pete & Les

Don't they charge you on the exchange rate they give you?

 

[Jeroam]

We are in morocco at the moment and first direct debit works well with good exchange rate. For cash withdrawal we find a Post Marroc as they don't charge for cash.
In Portugal we found Santander didn't charge for cash. Withdrawals.
Also have Halifax Clarity CC as back up.

 

[Birty]

Revolut and nationwide for us! Both a good arsenal to have with you.

 

[Themselves]

Starling. You can lock it using your mobile so when some light-fingered scrote nicks it , it becomes worthless to them .

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[Noots]

Starling works well for us.
Managed to speak to a human who reassured me that an automated filling station in France hadn’t robbed me
Instant payment confirmation using Apple Pay.
Had a business account for years as well with no charges.

 

[artygee]

Revolut and monza, both topped up from lloyds debit card - no charges accrued. Swmbo in South Africa at moment using without charges.

 

[Jewellbags]

Starling card all day long , simple , cheap and great exchange rates when purchasing abroad

 

[Gordy29]

Halifax clarity we use

 

[veloap]

Unicaja in Spain currently no charges.

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[The Rum Runners]

Starling Euro account and Easyfx

 

[Bruteforce]

Monzo we use. Good exchange rates and no charges for purchases abroad.

 

[garysavannah]

Revolut and HSBC Global Money card works WW for us.

I’m with HSBC they know I’m in Europe so have emailed me and offered the Global money card. Is it worth getting DT

 

[Goffeys]

Starling for us in a Euro account. Easy to get cash out but there are some banks that charge. Just move on to the next one.

 

[JRT]

Starling. You can lock it using your mobile so when some light-fingered scrote nicks it , it becomes worthless to them .

Pretty common these days, we can do this with Nationwide. Either freeze it temporarily or report it lost. If you do either Google pay still works on your phone so if you lose your card on holiday (like I did last year) you aren't stuck with no means to pay, and you come home to your new cards.

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[Mike Rivers]

Revolut all the way for local purchases and Halifax Clarity for fuel. Revolut gives better exchange rates and you’re only paying in the local currency (Euros) if you’ve added euros in the first place.

 

[Stealaway]

Santander Zero ----- No Charges --- Although they may have stopped it.

Virgin Cash Card for Euros -------- No charges

 

[carolyn]

Santander Zero ----- No Charges --- Although they may have stopped it.

Virgin Cash Card for Euros -------- No charges

Santander zero no longer available, we have it.

 

[scotjimland]

Starling. You can lock it using your mobile so when some light-fingered scrote nicks it , it becomes worthless to them .

you can do that with Revolut and no doubt most other cards

in saying that, I only use the physical card for places that I can't use contactless with the mobile.

ie .. unmanned fuel stations ..

so don't carry the cards when out shopping .. I have them in the Apple wallet ..mobile is all I carry ..and perhaps a few € notes for places like markets that only take cash

 

[OldCodger]

Starling and Wise with Halifax for credit card transactions.

Both Starling and wise allow you a “Euro Account”. Exchange money when rates suit you, keep them in your Euro account. Transactions in Euro are paid from your Euro account no further e change rate losses. If you run out of euros it automatically takes the rest from your pound account.

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[Solwaybuggier]

Has anyone used the currensea card which is linked to your UK bank a/c so avoiding exchange rates etc.

Yes, we’ve used Currensea the last 2 or 3 years - works brilliantly. But as shown by this thread we all think the card we’ve used is the best!

 

[Brize]

Caxton. Load it up, then pay in any local currency. Top up whenever you want.

 

[1967bowesj]

We both have Revolut cards for food and general spending and usually keep just a couple of hundred € in it as balance before topping up. Mine is also linked to the Fulli account for payment of any monthly toll invoices. Also have a Halifax Clarity card for payment of any fuel as I just like to keep that separate - plus any emergency spending.

Very similar to our card use, Revolut for spending and fulli, Barclay card for fuel

 

[Hymer Tony B]

Has anyone used the currensea card which is linked to your UK bank a/c so avoiding exchange rates etc.

I used currensea card last year. Informed vi's messaging any spend on card and avoid exchange rates, far better than my own bank wanted.

 

[Skinboy]

We've used Wise since they were Transferwise and their free currency card has been great. Rates are always good.

Smart for larger transactions.

Yes, we have used WISE since it's inception as TransferWise, and it is brilliant. The app is easy to use and you can either keep your money in GBP or exchange it at preferred rates into different currency pots, this always getting the best rates. You can even have instant access investment pots as well. Can't say a bad thing about it .

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