Travel Money

Kailash

any recommendations for travel money, best rates...
i've heard of these pre paid cards, are they any good?
can you take the money out from a cash machine in the country and not be charged etc?

also, do you get a better rate the more you change or do some places just give you an offer if you change more
thanks

True Romance

Revolut card is great. Limited on number of free withdraws but just use like a CC with some of the best rates. Easy to top up and instant app updates when used show costs and balance.

MarkyPancake

I take cash for everyday things and use my Nationwide credit card for other things, as there's no conversion charge for foreign transactions.

I shop around for the best cash exchange rate, both online and in stores. I have noticed some places do offers on certain currencies, such as change a minimum of X GBP and get Y USD rate.

Kailash

so is everything done through the app? all purchases would need to be contactless and the like?

True Romance

Yes set up, top up, etc all via the app. Just use it like any CC contactless or chip and pin.

Abbeygoo

Another vote for Revolut here. Just used for a holiday in Orlando and really easy. Convert to US dollars before you go, use anywhere the MasterCard symbol is shown - get notifications on the app - simple.

Bilimoria

I have used Revolut card couple of times in Europe. You can request for physical card as well for small fee.

Kailash

ended up with cash but wanted to have revolut as a backup
i wasnt going to order a card but that would mean contactless only and limited to £30 spends or ...?

LV426

I don't for the life of me understand why people are so desperate to hand a huge sum of their money over to a third party before they travel.

I prefer to pay as I go, not beforehand.  That way, I have no initial outlay; no estimating (and getting it wrong) as to how much I'll spend; no money to change back afterwards, and so on.

Small amount of cash for incidentals; fee-free CREDIT card for everything else, paid off in full when due.  It depends on the country being visited of course; credit card acceptance is patchy in some places, but for the civilised world..........

Kailash

@LV426  do you use revolut you also?
i'm going to grab one for my next travel, it's only a fiver for delivery i think