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Holiday Credit Cards

Last post Fri, Jun 15 2007, 5:20 PM by bluntg. 7 replies.
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  •  Sun, Jan 28 2007, 6:05 PM

    Holiday Credit Cards

    HI,

    Visiting Oz and need a card that gives me cheap or 0% on ATM withdrawals and cheap or 0% on purchase's.....when i get back from the holiday i will pay the card off asap

    Does such a Card exist?

    Cheers
    Tim


    P.S Be able to log in on Holiday to view my current spending would be nice :-)
    • Post Points: 80
  •  Sun, Jan 28 2007, 6:25 PM

    Re: Holiday Credit Cards

    Can only help with ps. Recently got a new cc and I manage that online. There is a delay in posting entries but I find the site satisfactory. I also manage my current account online.
    • Post Points: 5
  •  Sun, Feb 04 2007, 5:32 PM

    Re: Holiday Credit Cards

    You will probably be hard pushed to avoid ATM fees completely since most foreign banks charge a fee for use anyway. What you can try to avoid is the card company also charging a withdrawal fee although most do because they have a cash advance fee.

    One option is possibly the Egg Money Card which is a Mastercard (NOT the Green Egg Visa card).
    This card does not charge a fee for Cash Withdrawals but it does have a 2.65% loading on foreign transactions which would include foreign ATM withdrawls (This is in line with most other banks).
    Purchase interest rate is only 7.9% (depening on your credit rating).
    Additionally you can also load up the card to have a positive balance and get 4% interest paid to you.

    Another alterative is the Nationwide Visa card which has a highish rate but does not load foreign transactions - this would be a good option for making purchases abroad but not cash withdrawals.

    With both these cards you can manage account online and view while away although transactions posted may be delayed a bit if made abroad.
    • Post Points: 5
  •  Tue, Apr 10 2007, 1:22 PM

    Re: Holiday Credit Cards

    Nationwide
    • Post Points: 5
  •  Mon, Apr 30 2007, 10:46 AM

    Re: Holiday Credit Cards

    Get a postoffice card. The great thing is that it actually offers something no other cards do: a fair exchange rate. There is 0% loading fee for any currency - worldwide. The exchange rate used to convert to pounds is close to the interbank rate.

    I don't think you can get out of the ATM fee alltogether, 2% is fairly standard. But as long as you don't have another loading fee on top of that (which most cards do) you're better off using this card than your Maestro card from your bank (which in my case - HSBC- has a ridiculous exchange rate on it)

    The po card offers none of the things like cashback, points, extra insurance but personally I don't care about that. It's a highly recommended card for anyone who travels a lot.

    12.9% APR is also reasonable, although you're better off just paying what you owe, but that's true for any credit card in my view.

    • Post Points: 5
  •  Sat, May 12 2007, 2:55 PM

    Re: Holiday Credit Cards

    Yes definately Nationwide is the one to go for, you can also use your ATM card abroad. 

    • Post Points: 20
  •  Sun, May 27 2007, 10:51 PM

    Re: Holiday Credit Cards

    You are all already aware that the Post Office credit card is free to use abroad as it boasts "no cross-border fee". I travel a lot since my sisters both moved abroad and took out the Post Office's card having read up on the subject. The thing I didn't realise is that with this card the exchange rate is not the standard tourist rate it's A LOT BETTER! I bought an item from the US at the cost of $499. That days exchange rate would have meant it cost me £267, as the credit card rate is billed at a better rate it only cost £249. What a serious bargain, the difference of £18 in just one transaction. I would seriously recommend this card for anyone who is going on holiday this year. I rang the Post Office and asked about the rate and was told they base it on "the business rate and not the one for tourists", don't know exactly how that works but it's a good deal.


    (If you apply for any PO product - Credit Card, HomePhone, Instant Saver account, 5 Year Saver, Home/Travel/Car insurance. Please enter 017632 as the promo/branch code on the PO site and The Hospice Society charity gets 50p. Thanks.)
    • Post Points: 20
  •  Fri, Jun 15 2007, 5:20 PM

    Re: Holiday Credit Cards

    I have used a Nationwide Flexaccount for years for overseas spending using ATMs. No rip off fees and you get the Bank of England exchange rate (.which is not the rip off "tourist rate"). In the US and Canada, you will find a lot of rip off ATMs charging a fee. Use the ATMs at branches and you will avoid this con.

    I use a Post Office Mastercard for purchases in currencies other than sterling. Again, just like Nationwide, they give you the Bank of England exchange rate. No loading fees, etc.

    One thing to watch out for (especially in Rep. of Ireland and Spain) is companies trying to convert the bill into sterling before you sign/enter PIN to pay. This is a rip off as the exchange rate will be poor. I also have found this dodgy practice on Spanish/Irish ATMs and at the Bank of Montreal in Canada. You can demand to be billed in the local currency (euros) in Spain and Ireland both at ATMs and at credit card purchases, but I found I couldn't at Bank of Montreal ATMs. Use Scotia Bank or Royal Bank of Canada ATMs instead.

    Both Post Office credit cards and Nationwide accounts/credit cards can be managed online.

    • Post Points: 5