UKC

I have a few trips coming up to Spain and France soon and I would rather not take lots of cash with me.

What's the best and cheapest way to do it?

Debit/Credit/Travel cards? Travellers cheques?

Cheers!

In reply to James Malloch: Try Caxton FX card

http://www.caxtonfx.com/currency-cards/


Travellors cheques!!? Is it still 1980

In reply to James Malloch: Try to do as many of your purchases as you can on your credit card. For cash use a debit card in the ATM (cash advance on a credit card in a foreign country is expensive) and always have the money taken out of your account in Euros (ATMs usually offer an exchange service where they do the conversion before taking the money from your account but they earn quite a healthy margin).

In reply to Bob Hughes:

Read your credit card conditions first. Many have a fee associated with overseas transactions. The FX card I linked above is cheaper than using a debit card.

In reply to James Malloch:
It's worth letting your bank know you will be away so they don't block your card (although I think it's pretty rare they actually do this).
Also, remember to let your mobile phone company know, they blocked my phone last time I went abroad and it was a complete pain

In reply to James Malloch:

I use my debit card. It might not be the cheapest, but provided you withdraw sufficient each time to hit the minimum charge with the percentage it is a reasonably economic and convenient way to avoid carrying too much money, and it hasn't failed on me for ages (though it's worth carrying more than one card in case it does get eaten).

Neil

In reply to MG:

Most credit cards don't have a minimum fee for overseas purchases, and the fee tends to be less than withdrawing cash on a debit card.

But any of these costs tend to be a trifle compared with what a holiday will cost you overall. So I choose the convenient option.

Neil

In reply to James Malloch: I've just come back from Europe and used a Fair FX card, which is a pre-paid credit card so it works in all the fuel and toll machines which I used. Because they aren't paying cash advanceds like credit cards, withdrawing cash is free. Unless you use it in the UK, then they charge, because the currency on the card is in either Euros or Dollars.

Worked great for me!

In reply to James Malloch: Prepay everything you can prepay (accommodation etc); get a credit card that doesnt charge for its use abroad (moneysupermarklet does a few comparisons) and carry a bit of cash for emergencies. Works best for me

In reply to James Malloch:

Not sure about other banks, but if you're with NatWest, you can tell them where you're going, but they will still block the card. Pop into a branch and get the phone number for unblocking, so when you need it, you can use it. My card has been blocked every time I've travelled in the last few years, but a quick call resolves the matter.

In reply to James Malloch: Check out money supermarket or the other site for best cards for use abroad -Credit, debit or preloaded currency cards. Post Office credit card and N&P debit cards were the best - not sure if they still are as haven't checked lately - it doesn't take long to open an account

In reply to James Malloch:

http://travelmoney.moneysavingexpert.com/holiday-money/

I use Halifax Clarity credit card for everything abroad.

In reply to James Malloch:

The money saving expert gives some good tips.

http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/travel/travel-tips

In reply to James Malloch:

This also might help

http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/travel/cheap-travel-money

In reply to James Malloch:

Yes, definitely check conditions on individual cards, and change/get an extra one if needs be. We once had a debit card that added a £4 fee onto every transaction, for example.....

In reply to Carolyn:

Name and shame...

Neil

In reply to James Malloch:

We've used one of the pre-paid currency cards from sainsburys everytime we have been abroad. Never failed us.

http://www.sainsburysbank.co.uk/travel/ins_travelmoney_tmo_skip.shtml

In reply to LastBoyScout:

Another vote for Halifax Clarity Credit Card.

In reply to bigbobbyking: the prepaid cards only seem to be in euros/dollars etc - can you use them in countries with other currencies?

In reply to Šljiva:

Don't know about the others, but Caxton do a card for euro/dollar and another ('Global Traveller') for all currencies - you can have either or both.

In reply to mark20:

Nope, they do it.