Pre-paid Travel Cards

Steedie · 12 Sep 2012 at 17:42

Hey guys,

I'm off to Amsterdam on Friday, and rather than carry Euros around with me, I'd quite like one of those pre-paid cards. Trouble is, most take 5-7 days delivery, and me being the idiot I am, totally forgot about it until now due to moving and work keeping me busy

Fail

So is there any where I can just walk in and get one? Or is there an equivalent I can use that doesn't require me waiting days to get it?

Many thanks to the potential life saver than answers

Ta!

Ahleckz · 12 Sep 2012 at 17:48

http://www.kanootravel.co.uk/default.aspx

They can give you one, according to a sign in their Glasgow branch.

{{INX}} · 12 Sep 2012 at 18:39

Personally I use mytravelcash but express delivery is 1-3 day but I have just read that the Post Office do one that you get in a local branch.

https://www.postoffice.travelmoneycard.co.uk/web/post-office-travel-money/apply-for-a-card
Please note: - your card will be delivered to you in 6 - 8 days, if you require a card before this time please visit a participating Post Office branch. Branch rates will vary from the online rates.

platinum87 · 12 Sep 2012 at 18:55

What is wrong with taking some cash, and then withdrawing from the machines with your normal account when you need more??

Van Hellseek · 12 Sep 2012 at 19:02

platinum87 said:
What is wrong with taking some cash, and then withdrawing from the machines with your normal account when you need more??

Nothing. Pre-pay cards are pointless.

{{INX}} · 12 Sep 2012 at 19:18

They were very handy when we went to the states recently for the following reasons.

1. It meant we had to carry very little cash around so if something bad happened like a mugging we could draw more from an ATM without charges from our bank because it was already loaded with dollars. To be honest most things were paid directly from the card and had no problems with anyone excepting it.

2. We could top up the cards up with my phone when we needed more so we didn't have to take more than needed.

3. By doing the above it saved us having to exchange the cash back if any was left over.

Van Hellseek · 12 Sep 2012 at 19:20

1) You can do that with a credit/debit card

2) You don't need to top up credit/debit cards

3) Don't draw out more than you need.

ThundyCat · 12 Sep 2012 at 19:22

Steedie said:
Hey guys,

I'm off to Amsterdam on Friday, and rather than carry Euros around with me, I'd quite like one of those pre-paid cards. Trouble is, most take 5-7 days delivery, and me being the idiot I am, totally forgot about it until now due to moving and work keeping me busy Fail

So is there any where I can just walk in and get one? Or is there an equivalent I can use that doesn't require me waiting days to get it?

Many thanks to the potential life saver than answers

Ta!

They don't take 5-7 days from the post office.

We got 2 travel cards over the counter and they were activated within 24hrs.

Steedie · 12 Sep 2012 at 19:29

Van Hellseek said:
1) You can do that with a credit/debit card

2) You don't need to top up credit/debit cards

3) Don't draw out more than you need.

Don't a lot of banks (I use Santander) charge you for withdrawing abroad?

Van Hellseek · 12 Sep 2012 at 19:30

Steedie said:
Don't a lot of banks (I use Santander) charge you for withdrawing abroad?

It depends on the bank you are withdrawing from. Some charge some don't. In the last few years I havn't had a problem finding the ones which don't.

{{INX}} · 12 Sep 2012 at 19:33

Van Hellseek said:
1) You can do that with a credit/debit card

2) You don't need to top up credit/debit cards

3) Don't draw out more than you need.

I read somewhere that not eveyone will except a Visa debit in the states (I may be wrong but didn't want to chance it) and the Natwest charges for using my card abroad were going to cost me more than using a prepaid Mastercard with no charges and a much better exchange rate.

Another good thing was that they gave me cashback based on what I spent.
I guess it's down to personal preference but we found this the best option for us.

Mattus · 12 Sep 2012 at 20:35

I got one from MyTravelCash when I went to Spain. I chose the expedited delivery option and it arrived in two days.

It's certainly better than carrying a wad of euros around, but I'm not sure I actually saved any money over just using my NatWest card abroad. Especially as I loaded too much, and had to pay the 2.99% fee to withdraw the balance in GBP.

[TW]Fox · 12 Sep 2012 at 20:41

Van Hellseek said:
1) You can do that with a credit/debit card

2) You don't need to top up credit/debit cards

3) Don't draw out more than you need.

Basically, this.

Hold the right credit card and its cheaper and more convenient than any other method.

dowie · 12 Sep 2012 at 21:03

{{INX}} said:
1. It meant we had to carry very little cash around so if something bad happened like a mugging we could draw more from an ATM without charges from our bank because it was already loaded with dollars.

you just paid a fee to the travel card company instead... and FWIW its probably better to carry cash in case of mugging than to not carry cash/carry very little around - you want to have cash on you if you're going to get mugged in the US as it will generally happen at gunpoint.

think about it

someone pulls a gun on you in the states, threatens your life/your wife's life and demands money - I bet at that moment in time you'd wish you had a reasonable amount of cash to simply hand over and get out of the situation asap rather than have to explain that, although you're tourists, you've got this special travel card and....

well good luck with that one. You're much better off carrying some cash:

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/201...on-james-kouzaris-james-cooper_n_1381567.html

Shawn Tyson, who is accused of killing James Kouzaris, 24, and James Cooper, 25, allegedly told a friend that he tried to rob them, but when they did not have any money, he shot one first, then the other.

Mattus · 12 Sep 2012 at 21:05

Carrying a card rather than cash is much more beneficial in the case of pickpocketing than it is for mugging!

[TW]Fox · 12 Sep 2012 at 21:05

Because of 1 case out of the how many millions of people who visit the States on holiday and DONT get shot because they didnt have any cash?

{{INX}} · 12 Sep 2012 at 21:22

Dowie, what fee did I pay the travel card company? http://www.mytravelcash.com/
Sorry for keep coming back with these questions and points to people but I am trying to pick up tips for future trips abroad.

oh point taken about the mugging, but as Fox said that is just 1 case.

dowie · 12 Sep 2012 at 21:28

[TW]Fox;22757239 said:
Because of 1 case out of the how many millions of people who visit the States on holiday and DONT get shot because they didnt have any cash?

I don't know - but if someone held a gun to your head and demanded money would you rather be able to just hand over some money or try to explain, at gun point, that you don't have any money.

[TW]Fox · 12 Sep 2012 at 21:29

dowie said:
I don't know - but if someone held a gun to your head and demanded money would you rather be able to just hand over some money or try to explain, at gun point, that you don't have any money.

You honestly think thats a likely enough scenario that you'd take a pile of cash to avoid it? I mean really?

Find me another news story in the last 5 years where British tourists were killed because they didnt have cash.

dowie · 12 Sep 2012 at 21:32

{{INX}} said:
Dowie, what fee did I pay the travel card company? http://www.mytravelcash.com/
Sorry for keep coming back with these questions and points to people but I am trying to pick up tips for future trips abroad.

Its not a charity... you paid up margin on the rate when you loaded the card - how do you think they make money?

oh point taken about the mugging, but as Fox said that is just 1 case.

that case was to illustrate the point - the point was: if someone holds a gun to your head and asks for cash and you don't have any cash you'd probably wish you did have some on you...