Post office euro card

[weemalkie]

Hi every one. We are just about to set off on our first Motorhome trip to France and looking for advice on the best way to carry euros. On all our previous trips we have been staying with relatives so security wasn't a problem. However being in the motorhome is a different kettle of fish. I'm thinking of part cash and part Post Office euro card and looking for advice/information if the euro card is a good and convenient option. Is the card accepted at petrol stations for instance? Many thanks

 

[Arnside037]

I'm sure if you do a search for Revolut card you will find all the most recent answers relating to cards and currency.you need

 

[Coastal Cruiser.]

I'm sure if you do a search for Revolut card you will find all the most recent answers relating to cards and currency.you need

Only card I use
Take a bit of cash as still the odd place that don’t accept cards though.

I think the prepaid cards are not acceptable in some gas stations also.

Plenty of hiding places in a motorhome for cash.

 

[TOAD on Tour]

Some cash and then just use my debit card as I would at home. My bank does not charge for transactions in Europe (yet!). Also ensure I have my stupidly excessive credit limit credit card in case of dire emergencies…..

 

[chaser]

Halifax clarity credit card is all we take.

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[Andacami]

https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/credit-cards/prepaid-travel-cards/

 

[jongood]

Some cash and then just use my debit card as I would at home. My bank does not charge for transactions in Europe (yet!). Also ensure I have my stupidly excessive credit limit credit card in case of dire emergencies…..

Yes but the exchange rate will be very poor compared to what you could get through Revolut and you can pre buy them when the rate is good, automatically if you set it that way. I'm currently spending Euros I bought at 1.19, todays rate is 1.16 and the rate you get on a current account is probably 1.14.

 

[TOAD on Tour]

Yes but the exchange rate will be very poor compared to what you could get through Revolut and you can pre buy them when the rate is good, automatically if you set it that way. I'm currently spending Euros I bought at 1.19, todays rate is 1.16 and the rate you get on a current account is probably 1.14.

Good point, I guess we don’t go abroad often enough to be too worried about 4/5 cents difference to the pound. Off to Corfu in September for 2 weeks and then France for a couple of weeks early next year in the van is kind of our usual schedule, rest of the time in and around the U.K.

 

[bobandjanie]

Get yourself a Wise account and card, I have been using them for years, they were a real bank before many of the others and when I needed advice they were at the end of the telephone to help.
If you use my link to join them then you get a free from charge transfer and I will eventually get a bonus
Here is my link https://wise.com/invite/ata/janeh56
Wise is the best by far in my opinion. Janie

 

[denisejoe]

We use a combination of Metro debit and credit cards; Nationwide credit card and Santander debit and Zero credit card (no longer available). None of these cards charge and you get the bank rate on the day. It's worked for us for years now.

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[Shrimp]

Revolut every time, better exchange rate and easy to top up, exchange and use.
Only downfall is some fuel stations won’t take it so back up with a CC maybe.

 

[Lenny HB]

We use Revolut & Halifax Clarity and our Metro Bank DC gives the same rate as them.

 

[weemalkie]

Many thanks for all the advice and options. Interesting that no one has commented on the use of the Post Office travel card. Is this not a viable option? Good rates and easy to obtain.

 

[weemalkie]

Many thanks for all the advice and options. Interesting that no one has commented on the use of the Post Office travel card. Is this not a viable option? Good rates and easy to obtain.

Just been on to a PO review site and I think I've answered my own question. Pretty poor service all round so won't be using PO!

 

[Speve]

Always used my Post Office credit card until it changed to JAJA and that is just as good if not better

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[Andy MacD]

Used combination of post office card and Jaja credit card, no issues but found first transaction in France had to be by PIN. Took home most of the cash so other than an emergency fund I’d not bother.

 

[Andy MacD]

Pretty poor service all round so won't be using PO!

Interesting comment as I’ve used the post office money card in the US, Canada, Dubai and Europe over the last 5 years and never had an issue. Can you explain the “poor service all round” you’ve experienced as I must be missing something.

 

[Jo662]

We use a combination of Metro debit and credit cards; Nationwide credit card and Santander debit and Zero credit card (no longer available). None of these cards charge and you get the bank rate on the day. It's worked for us for years now.

We also use a combination of Metro card and Nationwide card, as neither of these charge. Just take a couple of hundred euros aswell and keep them with you in a bumbag

 

[windboy]

Halifax Clarity card and a coupe of hundred Euros, brought most of the cash back after 8 weeks

 

[Mickey1]

I have revolut, wise and starling.

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[prthomas]

Just back from the USA and used a combination of Revolut and Jaja. Our Jaja card triggered fraud detection a few times and blocked whilst we were there and the Jaja customer services are only open 9-5 M-F so wasn't easy to unblock, although in Europe it should be easier time wise. We used Revolut as the backup when Jaja was declined and only loaded this as needed. Note that Revolut skew their exchange rates at weekends so as-needed loading of the card was more costly if done then.

Usually use Jaja for all transactions and then Revolut to withdraw small amount (100-200 EUR) cash when needed - they charge for cash withdrawals above 200 EUR I think.

Revolut's app is great - we used the card in a restaurant in Huntingdon CA and it instantly popped up a notification to ask if that was me using the card and whether it should be allowed - Jaja in the same case just blocked the card.

 

[ceejayt]

I find post office travel card quite good and not bad on exchange rates plus you can transfer between currencies so it was useful this year particularly when going into Slovakia and Hungary

 

[weemalkie]

Just waiting on my Revolut card to arrive. Cash from PO so all sorted. Couple of days until the off!