Holidays - Money

Cards for travel (Credit or Debit)

Morning all, just wondering what credit or debit cards does everyone have and if any specifically for travel (0 fx fees, free atm withdrawal etc....) Currently my Amex would charge 2 or 3 % per transaction not in £. Ive got a starling but would like some more protection (that credit cards...
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Raymond Lin said:
Someone else brought it to my attention, but I did get it too, and from what i can tell, it has everything Halifax does before + cashback.
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Only with a potentially worse exchange rate.

i.e. case in point Exchange rate for euro yesterday:
MasterCard = 1.1690109 Euro
Visa = 1.164881 Euro

So on a £1000 you'd get €4.13 more with MasterCard. The 0.25% Visa reward would return £2.50, leaving you still about £2 behind using the Clarity card.

In the grand scheme of things it's not going to make a massive difference, but it's clearly not a better card than the clarity.
 
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Feek said:
Isn't the Barclaycard now accepted as better than Clarity for travel? I'm sure @Diddums can tell us all.
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It was I.

Clarity change interest for cash withdrawals where as BC do not.

Semple said:
Only with a potentially worse exchange rate.

i.e. case in point Exchange rate for euro yesterday:
MasterCard = 1.1690109 Euro
Visa = 1.164881 Euro

So on a £1000 you'd get €4.13 more with MasterCard. The 0.25% Visa reward would return £2.50, leaving you still about £2 behind using the Clarity card.

In the grand scheme of things it's not going to make a massive difference, but it's clearly not a better card than the clarity.
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It is better where ATM withdrawals are concerned, as Clarity charge you cash advance from the moment it is withdrawn.

For weekend purchases, Revolut is still god (transfer Mon-Fri and avoid weekend fees).

For weekday purchases, BC, Curve, Chase, Clarity are all good.

For ATM when you are skint - BC is god, otherwise Chase/Revolut.

Semple said:
If you were to use the clarity card wisely by paying off any cash withdrawals within the day
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Ain't nobody got time for that!
 
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We're going to Bali in 13/09. We just changed up £300 for 5 million Rupiah at Tesco Bureau de change and will get more cash out when we're there.

If you travel abroad regularly I totally get having a system in place that's been researched and proven to save money, but we only go away a couple of times per year so just take it on the chin.
 
bainbridge said:
We're going to Bali in 13/09. We just changed up £300 for 5 million Rupiah at Tesco Bureau de change and will get more cash out when we're there.

If you travel abroad regularly I totally get having a system in place that's been researched and proven to save money, but we only go away a couple of times per year so just take it on the chin.
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See this is my thinking, I don't go abroad often enough since the pandemic (we got a dog so only travel around the UK with him now) before we were going away 5 times a year but all I had was my normal NatWest bank card and a PO Travel money card I'd 'load' up as I couldn't be bothered doing all the account changes dance to save a few quid, I figured I was going away to enjoy myself rather than worry where I could save a little change or so not changing money.

Same as banks charging to use a cash machine, I personally wouldn't use one that charges but would gladly pay the £1.50 or so for convenience, a mate of mine would rather jump in the car and do the 4+ mile round trip to a free cash machine which I think probably cost around the £1.50 the one in the village charges.
 
Maundie said:
See this is my thinking, I don't go abroad often enough since the pandemic (we got a dog so only travel around the UK with him now) before we were going away 5 times a year but all I had was my normal NatWest bank card and a PO Travel money card I'd 'load' up as I couldn't be bothered doing all the account changes dance to save a few quid, I figured I was going away to enjoy myself rather than worry where I could save a little change or so not changing money.
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You say that like you're on some kind of high horse. The PO Travel card is garbage and more effort than using a Barclaycard so it really isn't a flex. I imagine those not getting rinsed on stupid fees are also enjoying themself.
 
dlockers said:
You say that like you're on some kind of high horse. The PO Travel card is garbage and more effort than using a Barclaycard so it really isn't a flex. I imagine those not getting rinsed on stupid fees are also enjoying themself.
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Not sure where you get "On your high horse" from, just saying from my experience the PO card is simple, launch the app and put on whatever you want to spend and continue your holiday, lose the card and you've not really lost anything as you go on the app and transfer it back, I just find it easy, if you don't you go with whatever floats your boat but sharing experiences is what this forum is about and then the OP can make a decision formed from many different viewpoints
 
Maundie said:
Not sure where you get "On your high horse" from, just saying from my experience the PO card is simple, launch the app and put on whatever you want to spend and continue your holiday, lose the card and you've not really lost anything as you go on the app and transfer it back, I just find it easy, if you don't you go with whatever floats your boat but sharing experiences is what this forum is about and then the OP can make a decision formed from many different viewpoints
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You implied people not getting rinsed on fees and doing all of those extra steps are 'not enjoying themselves'. So share away but try not to project your own insecurities.
 
Come on lads, it’s not hard or any effort to apply for a BC. Use it and pay it off in full for traveling.

In fact I’d say there’s less effort doing that than going to Tesco and exchanging money. Then finding a cash machine abroad.
 
We take £200-300 in cash and the rest goes on the Clarity credit card. The cash is basically just to cover market stalls, taxis and transit. Pretty much everyone else takes card. It’s 2023 at the end of the day, even a lot of the dodgy hand bag sellers in Turkey take cars now (although you’ll get a better price paying cash).

The last two trips to Europe we used a grand total of €10 in cash. It’s going to take me awhile to get though the €300 euros I have!

The last time we went to the states (for 3 weeks) we only took $200 in cash, we used it all but only because we went out of our way to pay cash on the last few days to not bring it home.
 
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b0rn2sk8 said:
We take £200-300 in cash and the rest goes on the Clarity credit card. The cash is basically just to cover market stalls, taxis and transit. Pretty much everyone else takes card. It’s 2023 at the end of the day, even a lot of the dodgy hand bag sellers in Turkey take cars now (although you’ll get a better price paying cash).

The last two trips to Europe we used a grand total of €10 in cash. It’s going to take me awhile to get though the €300 euros I have!

The last time we went to the states (for 3 weeks) we only took $200 in cash, we used it all but only because we went out of our way to pay cash on the last few days to not bring it home.
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This is pretty much my tactics too for most places (except Japan where I would put a higher ratio to cash), now I use Barclays, and the rates difference is irrelevant to me for the difference to Clarity. It's the price of a coffee.
 
I continue to use the clarity card because I have it already, it’s grief to swap it to something else when it does the job already. It’s also handy for imports etc.
 
b0rn2sk8 said:
I continue to use the clarity card because I have it already, it’s grief to swap it to something else when it does the job already. It’s also handy for imports etc.
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The thing is the BC is a good alternative to AMEX for everyday spend. Just one less card to worry about.
 
In Europe, just use my Starling account. Create a Euro account (free) and link it to your main debit card, then just keep it topped up, spending on the cars in euros just comes straight out of it.
 
Halifax clarity card and anywhere from £0 to £20 in local currency.

Depending on the country and what Google says about taxes etc. Some places, you need to pay city tax in cash etc. (IE Rome).

Also, some places with small ferries etc may only take cash
 
For the MANY of you still stuck in your ways re: Halifax Clarity (and others), here's the benefits of Chase:
  • The physical card has no card number or details on, so if stolen it can't be used to purchase anything online
  • The app provides instant notifications on transactions, allowing you to;
    • Get alerted if it's lost and used for a contactless payment
    • Double check what you've paid
    • See what the £ spend is, particularly useful if travelling with friends and using Splitwise or similar
  • If lost you can instantly lock it via the app, AND re-generate your card number in case you fear it's been skimmed, AND unlock it once you find it at the bottom of your swim bag
  • Earn 1% on all spend (eligibility/conditions apply)
  • No interest on cash withdrawals
Zero forex fees and Mastercard rate are a given (https://www.halifax.co.uk/creditcards/travel.html), but the detail-less card is the winner for me. And remember that S75 only applies to £100+, so hotels basically.

I used to use Clarity for years but the benefits are obvious and genuinely useful.
 
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Halifax does some of that, just saying and all that. You can lock the cards via the app and get notification etc.

Not that any of it really matters as it’s a credit card and if it’s lost/stolen, you are not liable for and charges.

The kicker is the 1%, not the rest of the stuff.
 
Russinating said:
For the MANY of you still stuck in your ways re: Halifax Clarity (and others), here's the benefits of Chase:
  • The physical card has no card number or details on, so if stolen it can't be used to purchase anything online
  • The app provides instant notifications on transactions, allowing you to;
    • Get alerted if it's lost and used for a contactless payment
    • Double check what you've paid
    • See what the £ spend is, particularly useful if travelling with friends and using Splitwise or similar
  • If lost you can instantly lock it via the app, AND re-generate your card number in case you fear it's been skimmed, AND unlock it once you find it at the bottom of your swim bag
  • Earn 1% on all spend (eligibility/conditions apply)
  • No interest on cash withdrawals
Zero forex fees and Mastercard rate are a given (https://www.halifax.co.uk/creditcards/travel.html), but the detail-less card is the winner for me. And remember that S75 only applies to £100+, so hotels basically.

I used to use Clarity for years but the benefits are obvious and genuinely useful.
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A lot of those benefits (re fraud/lost card) aren't really applicable when you're comparing it to a credit card as if anything happens to a CC you just need to call up the card issuer and say "sorry someone has been spending your money as the card is [lost]/[stolen]". In fact I would say it's a drawback, rather than a benefit, of using Chase, as you're reliant on the bank refunding your money if something goes wrong which is not a given. You're also missing out on s75 protection.

If you want to run a Chase card to get the 1% cashback (which is admitedly a very good benefit and by far the main benefit of those listed above) you shouldn't do so without also having a credit card for larger purchases (e.g. prepaying a hotel in a foreign currency), unless you're happy to take the risk.
 
If Chase was a credit card I'd use it. The fact it's a debit card negates the majority of the other benefits to me. In addition to S75, I'd far rather it was the credit card company's money rather than my own in case of fraud despite the 3 bullet points outlining how to protect yourself from fraud. I'd consider picking up a Chase to avoid the faff of paying off cash withdrawals quickly - but then another card is it's own faff. 1% cashback is not attractive enough to move spend to a debit card from a credit card.
 
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