Money in Europe (1 Viewer)

OddSocks

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Just went over my bank statement.

The dirty B***ds have charged me over £100 for using my visa debit card in Europe - that is just for August. That is the total of all the transaction fees and cash fees.

How do I get around this?
 

Chris

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Whichever card you use there will be a catch.

Pre loaded cards like Caxton will give a lower exchange rate than most of the clearing banks so what you save on transaction fees, you lose on exchange rates.

Check your bank statement again to see what rate they give you and then compare that with the Caxton rate.

When you add it all up there is very little in it either way.

All banks have to make money out of you after all.

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Nov 25, 2013
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Try looking at FairFx .com pre loaded master or visa 1.23 when I loaded mine plus £9.00 discount
Moneysaving expert/ Money supermarket list the best cards and rates. You can top them up on line or by smartphone.
 
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I'm sure I've read on here that the Halifax Clarity credit card is good for Europe. I don't have one so can't say for sure.

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lou020

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I never use my santander debit card abroad because of charges, i just top up my caxton card either on line or by text,,dead easy,,very good rates as well. euro 1.237 yesterday, you'll be lucky if you get that at a bank in uk.
I use santander zero credit card for fuel,tolls etc, no charges at all.
I think the zero card is no longer offered now.
 

TheDeckKing

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I'm sure I've read on here that the Halifax Clarity credit card is good for Europe. I don't have one so can't say for sure.
+1 for this. It gives the best rates all round the world with no fees. Debit cards tend to be the worst way to pay abroad. Just pay it off in full when you get the bill to avoid paying interest.
We used one for our holiday to Florida last year and it worked out nearly £200 cheaper than using cash (although we still spent a shed load:cry:)
Check out money saving expert for more information
 

lou020

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Just had a quick look at FairFx card to see how it compares with my caxton.
fairfx = 1.2385 euros
caxton = 1.2370 euros
both yesterday, trouble is FairFx charge £1.50 each time you withdraw at an ATM in UK or EU.
Caxton is free in EU but charge in UK, but why would you want to use in uk.
Think i'll stay with Caxton.

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bluemog

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When abroad:
I use Caxton for cash - no charges
I use Halifax Clarity for everything else - no charges (as long as the balance is paid off in full each month and I set up a direct debit)

No complaints from me and as Louis states, Caxton rates are up there with the best of them
 
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2657

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Halifax Clarity for credit card, N&P Classic Gold current account for free euro cash transactions, need to pay in £500 per month
 
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OddSocks

OddSocks

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Hi everyone!

Thanks for all the info. Problem is I am in Portugal, and can't apply for any of these cards from here.
I will see if I can find a way of getting a caxton via may parents address in the UK?

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JJ

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Get a Portuguese bank account and then transfer money via Currency Fair.

Or put sterling into my UK account and I will give you Euros in the folding stuff.

No charge.


JJ :cool:
 

Snowbird

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Get a Portuguese bank account and then transfer money via Currency Fair.

Or put sterling into my UK account and I will give you Euros in the folding stuff.

No charge.


JJ :cool:
Are you thinking of diversifying into banking JJ.
 
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Snowbird

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I need capital for my new garden machinery importing business...


JJ :cool:
I would have thought if you were thinking of taking a part time job then you would have chosen a more honourable profession than banking.
 

hilldweller

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or put sterling into my UK account and I will give you Euros in the folding stuff.
JJ :cool:

Then make it vanish before our eyes.

Nice try JJ, u fink wer thupid !!

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Jaws

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All over egging it by a mile. :D
Post Office card.. No charges anywhere in Europe.. Just back from a trip that took in all points from here to Croatia without a single issue or problem using the card (y)
 

oldsooty

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Just asked at Asda and they will beat any price you can get. Just got one of their Master Cards loaded with Canadian Dollars at 1.75 best rate I could get in town was less than 1.70. They do any currency so could be worth asking. I also got a good price on our US Dollars.

Keith (sooty)
 
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Cash, i don`t trust these johnny foreigners with card transactions

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callumwa

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Two words....

HALIFAX CLARITY....

Voted best card by MSE for overseas spending... http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/travel/cheap-travel-money

No charges on purchases worldwide, no commissions, Interbank rates applied on the day you use it, 10 days ago in Europe I was getting €1.263 on some transactions. Pay it off in full each month, sorted. Used ours all over Europe, far East, US and Africa......

Also no charge on cash withdrawals, but you will pay interest from the day the cash was drawn.
The exchange rates given cannot be beaten...

http://www.halifax.co.uk/creditcard...C011210HAMSE&so=Moneysupermarket_HALclarity_5
 
Feb 9, 2008
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Caxton is the way to go. You can buy your Euro's when the rate is good and then withdraw from cash points free of charge or use as a visa card with free transactions. No good for unmanned fuel stations in France though.
 

Bonio123

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All over egging it by a mile. :D
Post Office card.. No charges anywhere in Europe.. Just back from a trip that took in all points from here to Croatia without a single issue or problem using the card (y)
Just had four weeks in France,Belgium,Luxembourg Switzerland and Italy using post office card without any transaction fees. Well worth applying
 

RandallC

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Ok. Put a bit of effort in to this and found
Halifax clarity card ok for purchases eg. Super u etc but you get charged interest on cash withdrawals. Which interestingly can get charged a month after you paid off the card???
Now have a nationwide plus account, costs £10 per month but includes worldwide travel insurance, euro breakdown for you car, phone insurance, etc etc. anyway use the debit card for cash, no charges for withdrawals and credit card for purchases,ditto.
Works for me

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DBK

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I use a Barclays Visa debit card and get a good exchange rate when I use it in ATMs and there are no extra fees.
Change your account would be my advice.
 

RandallC

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I was with barclays. If you look closely at the t&cs for the card you'll find that there is a commision charge on top of the exchange rate. Can't remember exactly but recall it's about 2.5-3.5% which is why I started with a clarity card and moved to nationwide. When you factor in the travel and breakdown insurance as joint account holders it's a no brainier 2 people and 2 cars for £120 a year added to that if you keep £2500 in credit you get interest on the balance which equates to the insurances for around £6 a month.
 

Snowbird

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Have had a Nationwide flexacount for many years. They used to give interest free cash withdrawals, but stopped a couple of years ago. I still have the flexacount which gives free travel insurance but dont use it abroad. For purchases outside the UK I use the Nationwide CC which there is no charge and for cash withdrawals the Caxton card. I top this up when the exchange rate is good throughout the year and I have just put a few bob on it on Monday when there was a blip at 1.245. I did consider the Nationwide plus account, but decided against it on the grounds they were going to charge ME for looking after MY money.

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