Crying with Frustration! (1 Viewer)

[GWAYGWAY]

today I went to the Post Office and bought?? a Post Office travel money card and loaded £500 on to it, I took my Passport as requested and the nice man behind the counter duly filled out all the bits and pieces on the system to put me on and credit the money. He gave me the card, and the letter with the details and instructions on and off I went Happy to have settled the money problem for fuel etc.
I got home and promptly sat down and read the form CAREFULLY, found out what to do and then proceeded to put the instructions into action. Dialed up the number given an sent the TEXT to open the card by verifying the numbers given , sent them and waited, five seconds and BANG it came back 'wrong information' resend them after checking. This I did and nothing happened, nothing at all.
I turned the letter over and looked for the messaging details to verify it, found them and promptly put the required telephone number in hoping to speak to somebody, got a computor saying for 1 etc for 2 then for 3 . 1 was the choice so I put it in, then instructions to fill out the 16 numbers on the car followed by my birth-date, followed by the verification number. Bang! back it comes the numbers are wrong, so I redid it back it comes not recognised, did it again no good either. I am getting peeved about this as it is a lot of numbers to put in. I also noted the stolen lost card at number 2 also requires you to do the same but if it is gone you cannot do it either.
I then dialed up the help number after looking the FAQs online. Whoopee It is the same put all the numbers in again which I did hoping for somebody to TALK to. No chance it just says, not valid numbers. I know they are valid but obviously I am wrong. In the computor spoken message it came up with 'If you got this card at the Post Office then you must wait until 10.30 the next day before putting the details in. This was in the end of the spoken bit after you are meant to have put the details in. NOTHING WRITTEN DOWN IN THE FORM about this requirement and nothing on the Website either.
What a waste of time following all the written instructions. And as for the lost card bit, I suppose it stops you from actually doing anything about anything. I was at this time ready to kill with frustration.
I will try again tomorrow and see if I get through and activate the damn thing then. Why do they not put it down on the written instructions as that is what you are given to follow. Am I being a bit thick or something?????????????????

 

[tonka]

Now to really upset you....!!!

Some if not many of the Automatic petrol stations found in France / Spain etc dont accept the pre-paid card.
Something to do with how they reserve a certain amount and then credit it back after you have completed the fuel fill.
Been a few posts about it on here in the past..

I have always just used a normal credit card for fuel and toll payments, not had any issues in 17 years so far..

 

[chaser]

Now to really upset you....!!!

Some if not many of the Automatic petrol stations found in France / Spain etc dont accept the pre-paid card.
Something to do with how they reserve a certain amount and then credit it back after you have completed the fuel fill.
Been a few posts about it on here in the past..

I have always just used a normal credit card for fuel and toll payments, not had any issues in 17 years so far..

Halifax clarity is what you should have , all online , works everywhere, NO charges don't have to pay till thirty days later not before

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[The Dotties]

As @chaser +1

 

[rangi]

Repeat after me;
I must not bang my head against the wall
I must not bang my head against the wall
I must not bang my head against the wall


UUUUUUUUUUUUUUUMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM

 

[Podney]

Yes,do what chaser does.
Why on earth would you go to the Post Office,they’re not very good.

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[Wildbill]

give that one a miss then
bill

 

[GWAYGWAY]

Yes,do what chaser does.
Why on earth would you go to the Post Office,they’re not very good.

Someone on here said they were , and I ALWAYS believe another Funsters advice.
I used my debit card last time to fill, and they charged a load of conversion fees so I pay Cash, but as they are mostly card machines I thought I better get one. to have an alternative method.
Anyway it is the verifying method I really got up tight with.. The Post Office are only a front company anyway.

 

[Anne Marie O Hagan]

I got a Post office money travel card. Also had great difficulty and went back to the local post office. The girl behind the counter told me that the only way to get anyone to actually talk to you was to press the option for card stolen . Bingo, I got someone straight away.

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[Southdowners]

We use Halifax Clarity too. No fees at all. We also use WeSwap... again no fees

 

[rikfos]

Always use Halifax clarity card

 

[EX51SSS]

Another vote for Clarity. Only use it abroad and buy as much as possible on card as it's usually better exchange rare and as above, no commission, no charges and pay 30 days later. Set up direct debit and no missing payments

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[WillH]

One reason I have a fistful of cards when traveling.

 

[John&Kate]

We have ASDA pre-paid card, and have NEVER had a problem using it in France, Fuel Supermarket etc etc .. .. It is backed up with Halifax Clarity for when we've spent all our money !!

 

[PaulW2]

Any views on the Caxton fx card?

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[JJ]

REVOLUT


JJ

 

[JockandRita]

I have always just used a normal credit card for fuel and toll payments, not had any issues in 17 years so far..

Same here, ie, Nationwide fee free credit, and Metro fee free debit card for cash.

Cheers,

Jock.

 

[mitzimad]

We use Halifax Clarity too. No fees at all. We also use WeSwap... again no fees

We use weswap as well great service it works evert where we've tried it

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[Minxy]

If you want to draw out cash from an ATM you want a pre-loaded cash card such as Revolut or Caxton, but for buying stuff you need a Halifax Clarity credit card or an Aqua one as this give you 0.05% cashback on all purchases with no commission etc on either of these.

 

[Figaro]

REVOLUT

For me too

 

[Riverbankannie]

Keep a copy of the number of the card and the telephone numbers etc on a piece of paper safely in the van.

But as others, I just use normal credit card everywhere. No fees on our Santander or Nat West card. Do remember to inform the card issuer that you are going abroad, it’s usually easy to do online but if you don’t do online banking then I expect you can ring up........but you had better leave it a few days until you have got over today!

My husband has a good method....”I’m not going on the phone to any bank/insurance people, I’d rather not go away. You do it”

So if I want to go away, I deal with all issues.

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[Badknee]

Halifax Clarity, Revolut, Caxton for us.

 

[Mike800966]

We have always found the Asda Euro Currency card to work well in Europe. We set up to transfer the normal weekly pension money by standing order onto the card and Ann just uses it as if it was cash in Supermarkets or ATM's and like the Clarity there's no fees.
The set includes two cards on the one account, one you can tuck away and keep as a reserve in case the other got lost or stolen. The system is run by Access worldwide and you can view the card balance online whilst you are away if you want to. Would NEVER use a UK bank debit card, the fees are just a rip off
Asda works well for us.

Mike & Ann

 

[GWAYGWAY]

Same here, ie, Nationwide fee free credit, and Metro fee free debit card for cash.

Cheers,

Jock.

I thought I had one, but not when I wanted to actually use it I have ordered another form Nationwide. They also supply the breakdown cover.

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[Lenny HB]

We use Nationwide Select credit card, Metro Bank debit card & Revolut.

 

[Bognor Saint]

Any views on the Caxton fx card?

I have been using it for several years and for me it works very well. Easy to manage and always a live voice at end of phone line.
Very good apps for android and apple.

 

[Mags52]

Any views on the Caxton fx card?

We use Caxton and Halifax Clarity. I believe you pay a fee for drawing cash out of the Clarity Card so use the Caxton for keeping cash safe and draw it from ATM machines when required and the Clarity card for card payments. You can upload cash to the Caxton card online from your ordinary bank account from anywhere in the world. Been doing this for several years and very happy with the arrangement.

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[chaser]

Even if you have now set up your post office card , there is no reason not to get a clarity card , all free, and if you never use it hasn't cost a penny but another string to your bow if the other doesn't work somewhere.
But once you do use it you will be very surprised when it actually doesn't cost anything in charges, apart from interest on money out of the wall which is actually pennies and obviously it has to be paid off by the due date.

 

[chaser]

We use Caxton and Halifax Clarity. I believe you pay a fee for drawing cash out of the Clarity Card so use the Caxton for keeping cash safe and draw it from ATM machines when required and the Clarity card for card payments. You can upload cash to the Caxton card online from your ordinary bank account from anywhere in the world. Been doing this for several years and very happy with the arrangement.

You do not pay a fee for drawing money out and will find you get a better rate than with other cards, what you do pay is interest on the money but as I said above , pennies, I think we actually paid 18 p on five hundred pounds withdrawn.

 

[Khizzie]

Clarity card for buying fuel ,food etc and Caxton for cash and emergencies. Roy

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