It's been asked before...but best travel card? (1 Viewer)

[Sue]

i don't want a nationwide card....
So,what does everyone else use , if not the nationwide one ?

 

[Deleted member 29692]

Depends what you need.

If you want another conventional credit card then Halifax Clarity is a good option.

If you're thinking more of a currency card then Revolut is the best in terms of rates. You need to be watching the exchange rates and buy Euros at the right time to take full advantage of it. Be aware though that currency cards often won't work at automated points - tolls, petrol pumps etc. This applies to all of them.

 

[MC 55 FUN]

Another vote for the Halifax Clarity card

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[JJ]

Do you have a smartphone?

Yes

Then the answer is REVOLUT

The Revolut pre loaded card is the best for travellers.

JJ

 

[Busman]

Another for the Clarity card, not had a problem with it at any ATM in Europe & Morocco also good for the French tolls, at the ATM's don't take the banks exchange rate (Euros) tho take card issuers.

 

[WillH]

We take loads now after several problems the last couple of years.

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[Huwmari]

We have a Santander zero-rate credit card and also an ICE pre-paid card for obtaining euros along the way.

 

[Neilfg]

Sorry, but as well as a Revolut, just arranged a Nationwide Debit Card and a Nationwide Select Credit Card. Do not know why you do not want Nationwide, but after the hassle of getting through on the phone to someone who could actually help I almost gave up.

However, it was a close call as there was Barclaycard Credit Card, that offered fee free transactions but dislike Barclaycard and do not trust them

 

[ceejayt]

We like the post office travel money card - seem to get a good exchange rate and very easy to use and top up with the app

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[chaser]

Clarity, no more to say

 

[Sheddy]

Revolut for cash and payments with both Nationwide credit and debit cards as backups. Now transferring my Norwich & Peterborough account transactions to Nationwide as they are being closed in August.
Cheers
Ed

 

[Kirsten]

Halifax clarity card for us! Only use it abroad great rates never had problem with it get a fiver back if we spend ?£300 a month. Pay it off when used so never had to pay charges to use it . Even I can use their on line banking thingy!

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[chaser]

Halifax clarity card for us! Only use it abroad great rates never had problem with it get a fiver back if we spend ?£300 a month. Pay it off when used so never had to pay charges to use it . Even I can use their on line banking thingy!

Yeah exactly the same for us, never use it in U.K. , where we use the Tesco one for tunnel points, but abroad clarity has no equal, it's wonder they havnt changed it before now.

 

[denisejoe]

Metro bank credit and debit cards free no transaction fee

 

[chaser]

Metro bank credit and debit cards free no transaction fee

True, but not available outside London.

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[denisejoe]

Just need to visit a branch they are open till 8 pm open sat and Sunday all done in branch and you walk away with your cards
Joe

Broken Link Removed

 

[SuperMike]

You can't use Revolut at auto fuel stations, but never had any trouble with It at tolls, purchases or ATM withdrawals, all be it that has a limit.

Also carry a Caxton card, a Nationwide debit and credit card, a Stantander debit card and a Santander Zero credit card. The name refers to the lack of foreign transaction fees.

 

[sueandjohn]

We use saga credit for all spends, no charges and good rate. We also have Santander debit, free cash withdrawals in their own machines , and sterling to change to euros. ( we get a better rate changing sterling in spain than in U.K.)

We also have MasterCard in case the saga doesn't work at automatic petrol pumps which happens occasionally .

Now I've written it down it sounds complicated but it covers us well.

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[SomeoneElse]

Know your rates and fees.
From Halifax I have a Reward current account and a Clarity credit card.
From the Nationwide I have a Flex Plus account and a Select credit card.

For foreign use:
The Halifax debit card has a 2.75% transaction fee plus a fixed foriegn use fee of £1.50. I don't use this card abroad!
The Halifax Clarity credit card has no fees at all Cash withdraws are subject to daily interest until paid off. I use this for purchases.
The Nationwide debit card has no fees at all for cash withdraws I use this for drawing cash
However it has a 2% fee for purchases So its not used for purcahes.
The Nationwide Select credit card is fee free for purchases but has a 2.5% (min£3) fee for cash withdraws. I occassional use it for purchases,

Using the wrong card can be expensive.
In short I use the Halifax Clarity card for purchases with the Nationwide Select Credit card in reserve, as one is Visa and the other Mastercard, For cash I use the Nationwide Flexplus debit card, with the Clarity card used as backup taking the interest charge hit, again one each Visa and Mastercard.

Note the Nationwide Flexplus account has a £10 monthly fee but earns 3% interest on the first £2500 in the account about £6 a month. I willingly pay the fee to get breakdown insurance on all my (3) vehicles. I was previous paying £170 to cover the two cars and the motorhome. (This account has other benefits which don't apply or are not of interest to me).

 

[denisejoe]

Are you sure it covers 3 vehicles according to Broken Link Removed
It only covers 2 vehicles if you have a joint account ?

Joe

 

[chaser]

Just need to visit a branch they are open till 8 pm open sat and Sunday all done in branch and you walk away with your cards
Joe

Broken Link Removed

That's true as well but all branches are in London

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[Deleted member 29692]

True, but not available outside London.

That's true as well but all branches are in London

There are branches outside London.

https://www.metrobankonline.co.uk/get-in-touch/store-locator/

 

[Minxy]

This is what we USE:

Credit cards:

• Halifax Clarity - no commission/fees on purchases
• Aqua - no commission/fees on purchases abroad with the benefit of 0.5% cashback!

Debit cards:

• None! Too expensive to use abroad due to commission/fees.

Preloaded Cash cards:

• Revolut - no commission/fees for first £200/€200 taken out each calendar month, then commission after that (we have a card each so can get double this out which is more than sufficient for our needs).
• Caxton - as a back-up asthe rates aren't as good as Revolut but better than using any other type of card for ATM withdrawals as no commission/fee.

Cash:

• We take some with us - we tend to draw it out when we are on our way home from holiday so we have some 'in our wallets' ready for next time, but not a massive amount, just enough for a few days when we first go abroad.

We do also take our Lloyds Bank debit cards and our Nationwide Credit Cards for back-up just in case we have problems with the others.

Important: if you use Eurotunnel and pay with a credit or debit card you MUST take that same card with you just in case you have problem as they usually want to 'see' the card that the ticket was originally paid with. If you get a new/replacement card for the one you've used to pay for it with make sure you update the info on your account if you are a 'frequent traveller' ... I found this out the 'hard way' on our last trip!

 

[Sue]

This is what we USE:

Credit cards:

• Halifax Clarity - no commission/fees on purchases
• Aqua - no commission/fees on purchases abroad with the benefit of 0.5% cashback!

Debit cards:

• None! Too expensive to use abroad due to commission/fees.

Preloaded Cash cards:

• Revolut - no commission/fees for first £200/€200 taken out each calendar month, then commission after that (we have a card each so can get double this out which is more than sufficient for our needs).
• Caxton - as a back-up asthe rates aren't as good as Revolut but better than using any other type of card for ATM withdrawals as no commission/fee.

Cash:

• We take some with us - we tend to draw it out when we are on our way home from holiday so we have some 'in our wallets' ready for next time, but not a massive amount, just enough for a few days when we first go abroad.

We do also take our Lloyds Bank debit cards and our Nationwide Credit Cards for back-up just in case we have problems with the others.

Important: if you use Eurotunnel and pay with a credit or debit card you MUST take that same card with you just in case you have problem as they usually want to 'see' the card that the ticket was originally paid with. If you get a new/replacement card for the one you've used to pay for it with make sure you update the info on your account if you are a 'frequent traveller' ... I found this out the 'hard way' on our last trip!

WITH REVOLUT ....You pay commission over 200 euros per calender month?

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[Minxy]

WITH REVOLUT ....You pay commission over 200 euros per calender month?

Yes, I already said that in my posting above:

Preloaded Cash cards:

• Revolut - no commission/fees for first £200/€200 taken out each calendar month, then commission after that (we have a card each so can get double this out which is more than sufficient for our needs).
• Caxton - as a back-up asthe rates aren't as good as Revolut but better than using any other type of card for ATM withdrawals as no commission/fee.

 

[Deleted member 29692]

WITH REVOLUT ....You pay commission over 200 euros per calender month?

You do but their exchange rate is usually that much better than anyone else so the commission is more than covered and as Mel says if there are two of you then have a card each which gets you €400.

I suppose it depends how much cash you need. If it's thousands of Euros then there's probably a better way of getting it.

 

[Lenny HB]

Metro bank credit and debit cards free no transaction fee

Do you know what they base their exchange rates on?
I've asked them a couple of times, never had an answer, doesn't give me a lot of confidence in them.

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[Lenny HB]

WITH REVOLUT ....You pay commission over 200 euros per calender month?

It is £200 but even with the small commision still one of the best rates you will get.

 

[SomeoneElse]

Are you sure it covers 3 vehicles according to Broken Link Removed
It only covers 2 vehicles if you have a joint account ?

Joe

Just checked with Nationwide, The account holders are covered in any UK registered vehicled whether they own them or not. The 2 vehicle limit only applys if you have given another person permission to use your car, it breaksdown and they are claiming as its your car. But they admit they only comfirm the vehicle is registered to the account holder should a claim arise.

 

[carolyn]

Revolut plus Post office credit card.

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