Reply With QuoteI always take a wee bit of cash but do the majority of my spending on my Halifax Clarity credit card.
It's worked for me from Western Canada to SE Asia .
Cheers,
Adam.
A question for the well travelled members. The past few years we have spent family holidays camping around France but as a special treat for my wife who has just had a significant birthday we are off to Canada. We have various stops planned including Vancouver, Vancouver Island, Whistler, Toronto and a quick stop in Niagara.
Its been years since we have gone on a long haul holiday (pre kids), so just wondering what's the best way to take spending Money. Currently looking at a mixture of cash, a credit card that doesn't charge for use abroad and perhaps some kind of prepaid travel card? Trying to avoid any unnecessary charges by using bank cards or travelling with too much cash.
Any tips or recommendations would be gratefully received. Many Thanks
I always take a wee bit of cash but do the majority of my spending on my Halifax Clarity credit card.
It's worked for me from Western Canada to SE Asia .
Cheers,
Adam.
Worth a read:
https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/cr...-credit-cards/
https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/tr...-travel-money/
For cards, Halifax Clarity credit card (I've had this for 10+ years) or Chase debit card (comes with cash back too).
Enjoy your trip - Canada's a wonderful country.
Always a bit of cash and the rest on card, unless going well off the beaten track then I take a little extra cash.
Revolut.
ask if any of your friends have one as there’s a £50 referral.
so easy to use, and you can have multiple currencies/spending and transaction limits etc. you can even transfer across at particular times of day for a better rate. (rates are competitive too)
they do not work on aircraft for buying food/booze for some reason.
Another Halifax Clarity fan here. Makes life easy.
Used to be a big Caxton fan. Now I just use Halifax Clarity and take a bit of cash out at a cash machine in the airport on arrival for bits and bobs.
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Starling bank cards also don’t have any foreign charges.
Halifax Clarity which we’ve used for years plus Monzo and Starling which both have charge free cash withdrawals abroad and good exchange rates. When using them abroad if given the choice, always pay in the local currency.
Bit of local currency, Monzo card - pay in local currency not GBP.
When you look long into an abyss, the abyss looks long into you.........
Thanks, looks like Clarity and some cash may be the way forward for us. I will look into some of the other cards people have mentioned, ideally a tap n go and only able to spend what's on the card without being charged for each transaction, perhaps loading up with Canadian dollars beforehand ?
Another here for a bit of cash and the Halifax clarity card 👍
I started reading the OP, and eyes skipped ahead a bit......................
I thought you were going to NIGERIA !!!!!
Another vote for Starling.Originally Posted by Bravo73
We have used it extensively in Thailand with a really good xchange rate.
Regards
V
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I don’t even bother with cash, I just take the clarity card. On my last three trips abroad I haven’t needed any cash, everywhere seems to be tap and pay.
I hear its nice at this time of year😄.I started reading the OP, and eyes skipped ahead a bit......................
I thought you were going to NIGERIA !!!!!
Hey, want to join me at Chase UK? We'll both get £20 when you join and pay in £20. Get started: https://link.go.chase/emNK/refer?code=sVJSFLQY. T&Cs apply.
Annoyingly I recommended this to lots of friends and family before the referral offer but now we both get free money if you get one.
With the current account you get 1% cashback on all debit card spending and it’s fee free for use abroad.
You don’t need to do a full switch with direct debits etc so I just transfer money from my main account and spend from it.
Also you get a 1.5% savings account which is as good as it gets for easy access savings.
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Thanks mate!
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No worries. Someone has already signed up so thanks if it was you.Thanks mate!
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Nationwide FlexPlus is another option - costs £13 a month but benefits include worldwide travel insurance for all the family and fee free withdrawals overseas.
Don't just do something, sit there. - TNH
I would also recommend looking at the Wise card.
You can load up any number of different currencies via bank transfer, debit card, Apple Pay via the app. It is super quick and easy.
They will give you a physical card as well as a digital one and you can tap and go or use pin and chip.
It logs what you have spent and allows you to swap or move currencies on the fly. Rates are very competitive but there is a small fee depending on how you transfer money. Debit card is best and using pennies rather than pounds.
It also works on planes for food and drink!
This link will help you sign up but not sure if there is any direct benefit to you. Apparently if 3 people sign up I’ll get a bonus for total transparency!
https://wise.com/invite/i/paulw377
I'm away at the moment and it's the first time since COVID hit and a chance to use my Revolut card and its great.
Using it for meals with no charge, changed GBP to Euro at a great rate.
Either pay for things with the card or draw Euros out of the cash machine again no charge.
Always used to take loads of cash on holiday with me then change whilst away for a better rate but never again after my experience using Revolut.
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Think I would be a little cautious how much money i had in the Ukraine/Russian bank that is Recolut
Well it’s not a russian bank.
that and the fact you don’t have any significant amount of money in the bank as you just have whatever you want to spend for the day.
perhaps you should read this before jumping to conclusions https://www.forbes.com/sites/johnhya...cross-ukraine/
Is it not owned by a Russian and Ukraine team?
And also I do keep a significant amount of money in a bank, thats what they are for!
It’s based and registered in the UK. The whole point of a Revolut card is you can travel and pay in local currency and just top up for the day from your app. You don’t have thousands sat there in a bank (UK, Russian or Ukrainian) it’s not meant to replace your current account.
I have about €4 on my Revolut card left over from a pre covid trip, when I finally get to Japan I’ll stick £200 of ¥ on and convert the euro’s before I leave and top up from there.
I don’t think you realise what these cards are for, spending multiple currencies when travelling, getting cash out in local currencies, not paying high rates or fees and be able to not risk losing large amounts of money should they be stolen.
I'm currently in Barcelona and thought I'd check what rate I'm getting on the Halifax Clarity card. It looks to be between 1.16 and 1.17 Euro/Sterling...
Cheers,
Adam.
This
Andy
Wanted - Damasko DC57
Ahh ok. I use monza for trips although not done many!
Shout here for Revolut. Been using it for 6 years.
Referall link to sign up for Revolut in case anyone wants an account.
https://revolut.com/referral/ian7prjq!MAY1-22-AR
Another fan of Revolut here.
4 years on the metal plan.
Never had a problem.
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Starling bank have a referral scheme, no money involved but they plant a tree when a referral is made.
Anyone have a referral code I can use?
https://www.starlingbank.com/referral?code=r4BBuf
I have a Wise account, but just use the Halifax Clarity credit card. No need to worry about conversion or loading money, just spend a a good exchange rate (always do the transaction in local currency) and sort it out when I return.
For the rare occasions we need cash - most ATMs in Spain have a small charge even though the Halifx doesn't, so we get out the maximum and it lasts us several trips. I think we only spent 20-30 Euros in cash this time.
Starling - UK multi-currency account - a 'real' bank - obviously you need to add some money to your account - pay in local currency (USD / CAD etc)
Wise - excellent - load up some money and either convert as you want or convert on the day.
Revolut (free upto 1000GBP then small charges after only 200GBP equivalent cash/month I think for free).
I use all three now in EU for my UK money and converting pension etc to EURO - all have tap cards available or cards you can link to ApplePay etc.
“ Ford... you're turning into a penguin. Stop it.” HHGTTG
Clarity - chase current acc and Monzo ( for cash from a cash machine)
It's always a good idea to have some cash, and a few higher denomination coins.
Tipping: https://arrivein.com/daily-life-in-c...as-a-newcomer/
If you use Revolut I'd check it works where you are going. We all have one for holidays and luckily I needed to pre pay an airport transfer before we went to the Bahamas to then find it doesn't work there! Thankfully I have a zero fee Nationwide card (you can no longer get) which took the brunt of all spending.
I just take a debit card, usually.
Seems a good way to get a poor rate and incur charges unless you have a debit car with free OS fees
We are taking 1000 euro between us for a week in Spain
Half board hotel. So should last us
1.15 the rate we got I think the other day
Any thing more I’ll put on my nationwide c card
We’ve taken £2000 cash with us to Turkey, the exchange rate is better in the bars than at the exchange bureau.
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I often take some cash but also take a credit card with me.
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Another Halifax Clarity fan here
Clarity here too, however I believe the Barclaycard Rewards card is now better as it doesn’t charge interest on cash withdrawals immediately like the clarity card does.
Do you get charged a fee if you use Apple Pay on your phone in Spain ?
All depends on the card Apple Pay is using I guess. I default it to my Halifax Clarity card while abroad then switch back to my bank debit card when home. Haven't been charged ever for using Apple Pay though
Halifax Mastercard just now, with backup of Caxton preloaded card and around Eur500 in notes.
You need ‘some’ cash to pay for the odd bottle of water…………………..
Starling for the ease of loading it with foreign currency and Chase for the cashback
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