People fail to understand its how cards work, that’s the risk and why you should always have backup options really.
Revolut currency system
- Thread starter thamesvalleyman
- Start date
People fail to understand its how cards work, that’s the risk and why you should always have backup options really.
max wartbug
Striker
Barclaycard have brought out a Platinum Travel card, no transaction fees until 2022 and being a credit card it gives you the standard period before paying it off. Seems canny, albeit they will make some £'s on the exchange rate no doubt.
Anyone got one or had a look at them?
Anyone got one or had a look at them?
CharlieCappa
Full Back
You just load up with £ and then spend it abroad and the conversion is done for you
Thank you
This, and * always * choose to pay in the local currency. Never allow the ATM/card machine to charge you in pounds.
Aye. Got one of them. Worked out great for new york. Rate wasn't too bad neither iirc
Convert it while the rate is good. (like now) You can always convert anything you don't use when you're back (no commission)
max wartbug
Striker
Cheers. Think I will get one then.
You even get a free bank account with them incase people weren’t aware. If you need one anyway!
Edinburgh Black Cat
Striker
Exactly what I was looking at, going to get one.
Starling Bank looks a good alternative if you travel for long periods and want to earn some interest on your cash while you're away.
Just applied. £25 cashback via quidco too
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hairynaker
Winger
Has anyone tried to order a card by express delivery (£12), i choose that option and it asks what pin i want but then reverts to standard delivery, which would come wednesday when i would already be away then.
Their support is offline too.
Their support is offline too.
No idea. I've found that Twitter is the best way to get them to respond though.
Their customer service has gone from superb to pretty shit within 6 months. They've clearly made huge cuts to that part of the business unfortunately.
I don't think they have made cuts just grown far quicker than their staff numbers
Dizzy Keelman
Full Back
I'm now using a fairly new app-only bank account called Starling Bank. Download the app and wait for a code to get your VISA debit (the whole thing took 4 days for me). They use VISA exchange rates, no fees for withdrawals or transactions regardless of the amount. No need to convert before use (as with Revolut and Clarity) but you also avoid having to pay a credit card off (Clarity) or being accepted in the first place (Clarity - possibly not an issue for most). The problem I had with Revolut is that conversion relies on exchange available on the market they use - whilst this generally isn't a problem for currencies frequently exchanged with GBP (e.g. dollars and Euros), I couldn't get a great rate on any Asian currencies I needed a month ago (thought about shifting from Clarity to Revolut, but didn't on that basis).
Can't fault Starling so far.
Can't fault Starling so far.
Your timing couldn't have been worse; they've just added a whole bunch of currencies, most of which are Asian.
Just had a quick look and found baht, HKD and dong.
mcq10
Striker
I got card via the standard delivery and it arrived in two days
Fred Secrets
Striker
Dizzy Keelman
Full Back
Not quite, all those currencies were available when I had it. Problem is that there aren't fixed rates (e.g. the MasterCard, VISA or interbank rates) for those currencies, so although exchange was always available the rates were actually pretty poor. This was for Baht and Dong. By poor I don't mean you're losing a really significant amount - but it adds up and obviously in those cases fixed rate cards can be the better option. Doesn't help that in Asia almost all ATMs have a £3-5 withdrawal charge at their end regardless of which (foreign) card you're using!
How was the sex holiday mate?
The withdrawl fee is a rip off, especially when everywhere is cash
