Holidays - travel cards?

squarehead94

squarehead94

squarehead94

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Cumbria, United Kingdom
Hi all.
Luckily, me and OH are going to fuerta in Feb 17. Taking around 600 euros each for 11 nights. (All inclusive)

I'm not one to carry cash especially when flying, landing etc so I'm keen on a travel card.

From what I understand they work whereby you just top up the card and they work like a cash card, free withdrawals in Europe if your using euros, just like a visa debit card.

Is there any reason why you'd get one over another? Eg I know the post office do one, co op travel do one so, just hoping someone can advise on this.

Thanks!
 
yeah avoid those as you pay fees.

get revolut https://revolut.com/ or monzo https://monzo.com/blog/2016/07/06/how-to-travel-with-mondo/

The other option is a credit card like Halifax clarity, but requires a good credit rating and take a bit longer to set up. but you do pay interest on, where something like revolut is totally free and even transfer the cash back to your account nice and easy.
 
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I use a Clarity card, but I've been to Fuerteventura 3 times and wouldn't have any issues carrying 600 Euros around, it's quiet and safe
 
I am not sure if they are still available but I have a Santander 'Zero' credit card, which gives me the option of using it to pay a bill abroad in Euros (or any other currency come to that) which is then converted to sterling at the daily bank exchange rate, without any addition surcharge.

If I use it in an ATM then interest is charged from that date, as it would be if used in the UK.

I believe other companies offer a similar card also.
 
As above. I wouldn't bother with cash cards etc. Just get a credit card with free foreign transactions and stick everything on that. You should be fine in most places.
 
I took a Monzo card (excellent) and a Halifax Clarity to Poland recently. Didn't take any currency and just took it out the wall and paid for stuff in local currency on card where possible.

Paid it all off when back, no rip off currency conversion and had a backup if I got robbed.

No reason to take cash unless you have a terrible credit rating.
 
a1ex2001 said:
£1200 euros between two for 11 days in an all inclusive resort what on earth are you planning to spend it on?
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I kill 1500 euros in 7 days when me the missus and little one go to Tenerife.

I always take cash and a bank card as a backup just in case. ;)

Just take 1000 euros in cash and a bank card.
 
Whatever you go for, check its accepted properly in the country.

We tried a post office card in germany, none of the shops would accept it so we got hit with charges for lifting out cash, so kind of defeated the entire purpose of having a travel card
 
I use a revoult card, and it's worked everywhere so far. Korea, Japan, Thailand, Vietnam, Europe. But be aware, anything over £500 of ATM withdrawals and you'll be charged a %. You can still use it as a normal card though.

I know the Clarity card is rated about a lot though.
 
itchy said:
I kill 1500 euros in 7 days when me the missus and little one go to Tenerife.

I always take cash and a bank card as a backup just in case. ;)

Just take 1000 euros in cash and a bank card.
Click to expand...

What do you spend 1500 euros on when staying in an all inclusive hotel?
 
itchy said:
I kill 1500 euros in 7 days when me the missus and little one go to Tenerife.

I always take cash and a bank card as a backup just in case. ;)

Just take 1000 euros in cash and a bank card.
Click to expand...

Tenerife isn't Fuerteventura though, you could spend lots in Playa del las Americas, not so much in Correlejo or Caleta de Fuste
 
She wants to do excursions, they are around 80pp and I think there's 3 she's wanting to do so that's a third of the budget, plus she likes her perfumes and all that womanly junk, for me it's just beer tokens outside the hotel and the odd bit of eating out and shopping. Rather come home with change than dip into my credit card when I'm out there.

I don't carry cash in this country let alone abroad, I thought these post office euro cards work in atms like a normal bank card?

Not keen on another credit card mind, will have the one I have got paid off by time I leave! Lol
 
squarehead94 said:
She wants to do excursions, they are around 80pp and I think there's 3 she's wanting to do so that's a third of the budget, plus she likes her perfumes and all that womanly junk, for me it's just beer tokens outside the hotel and the odd bit of eating out and shopping. Rather come home with change than dip into my credit card when I'm out there.

I don't carry cash in this country let alone abroad, I thought these post office euro cards work in atms like a normal bank card?

Not keen on another credit card mind, will have the one I have got paid off by time I leave! Lol
Click to expand...

Seriously book the trips online before you go don't do any of them through the tour company or hotel you will easily find cheaper elsewhere and then just use a clarity credit card or similar you will save loads of money! Just because you have a credit card doesn't mean you need to run up a big bill on it and not pay it off learn some self control it's valuable in life!
 
a1ex2001 said:
What do you spend 1500 euros on when staying in an all inclusive hotel?
Click to expand...

Never stay all inclusive, that's for the peasants! :p

Roar87 said:
Tenerife isn't Fuerteventura though, you could spend lots in Playa del las Americas, not so much in Correlejo or Caleta de Fuste
Click to expand...

I might go there next year, I been for the day from Tenerife on the boat and the beaches where fantastic, also I liked the dolphins. :cool:

Oh and yes we stayed in Playa del las Americas on all 4 times we been.
 
Halifax Clarity card is all you need.

Use mine when I go over and last time I went for 10 nights I took 150 Euros and came home with spare.

I don't know how you'd spend that much on excursions & trips, most you can do online.
 
No it's not. You need a back up card too :p

Clarity if you can get it, though the creation card is cheaper.

For backup then the Revolt or Supercard (you get limited travel insurance with this too). The later is only for POS spending really.

Some people have mentioned Monzo (formerly Mondo), but that is unavailable to the general public yet. There was a beta test phase that closed a long time ago.
 
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