 Poster: A snowHead
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Does anyone have any top-tips for spending in 2022 France; is there a best way to buy food, pay road tolls and fill up with petrol, to avoid as many bank charges and bad currency conversion rates as possible? Does it make any difference whether we use credit card, debit card (uk bank) or cash machines? All tips gratefully received.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@Pieandrun, get a Halifax clarity credit card. No charges and you get bank exchange rate so make sure you pay in euros
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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@Pieandrun, the revolut card is a go to option for lots on this forum, can use on general spending, though it can be difficult to use in self service fuel stations in my experience, and limited monthly cash withdrawals on the standard card. i have a starling bank account as well for use abroad, as the exchange rates are generally good, so have both to use as back ups for each one
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Yes - it can make quite a big difference!
Use a credit card that does not charge you for foreign transactions - I use Halifax Clarity (very easy to keep a note of spending via the app)
I also use it to withdraw cash for cashpoints - most ATM's now seen to charge a one off charge (usually 2.95 euros) therefore I make one large transaction. If you pay the cash withdrawal off immediately any interest charges for this cash withdrawal only will be minimal - although the interest charge is very small anyway. In my opinion this is beneficial to changing money at bureaus as the exchange rate will be better.
Also - virgin atlantic credit card does not charge for use in Europe (so earning Virgin points a bonus) but it will charge you for cash withdrawals.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Starling bank also don't charge for anything involving other currencies, withdrawals, contactless etc. Easy to set up an account via their app.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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I use both Virgin and Santander credit cards - no charges. I have been in resort 3 weeks and spent precisely €4.75 in cash when the boulangerie credit card machine wasn’t working. In fact it is a bit better than that as I randomly found a €5 and €20 notes laying on the snow in an off-piste area - result.
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I have a Revolut and a Monzo account. Monzo is my preference as no need to transfer into euros or anything.
I can top up in an instant from my own bank account then use the card for everything.
We took €200 and came back with €180 just used cash for a few tips. Otherwise all card for everything. No charges with Monzo account you can also use in UK. I’ve also given to my kids when they’ve been travelling multiple countries as they can withdraw cash anywhere, and tap most places. Plus I get a notification on the app when they’ve used it. From Israel to Croatia and Vienna.
(Not sure if I’m allowed, but if anyone wants a link I can give you one and you and I both get £5 when you use the card)
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Halifax Clarity or JaJa credit cards. I needed some cash so used JaJa. There was a £3 surcharge but the exchange rate was the standard Mastercard rate for the day, transferred sterling from my bank account to JAJA on the same day so didn't pay any interest charges. Worked out better than getting cash any other way. Can't be bothered with getting a Revolut for just the occasional transaction.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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I use Starling accounts, had them for a while as work regularly takes me to Europe in normal times I do occasional bits of consultancy work where I am paid in Euros so have both a £ and € accounts and just shunt the cash between them as required.
Last edited by Ski the Net with snowHeads  on Sun 6-02-22 20:17; edited 2 times in total
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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I use a currensea card linked to current account
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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+1 for Halifax Clarity. Had one for about 10 years for all foreign spending. Can't fault it.
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I have starling, monzo & revoult to get around any cash withdraw limits
Used to love the days you got top up revoult with Amex & it counted towards Amex targets.
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You know it makes sense.
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I use Jaja ..it used to be the Post Office...no charges for Euro transactions
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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Nationwide Select credit card, or FlexPlus debit card (charge applied to that but covers travel insurance) works without a charge.
Tolls, petrol, supermarkets, restaurants all took cards. Just a few small scale operations (often involving nice food!) needed cash.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Halifax clarity credit card. No charges and you get bank exchange rate
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- not quite true... I've been using Clarity for years and you get the MasterCard FX rate which is better than most but not the true interbank FX.
Have now switched to Revolut which gives the actual FX rate, which gives quite a saving over Clarity for high cost payments like lift passes; hotel bills etc(as long as you don't transfer to EU at weekends which incurs 1% surcharge)
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Thanks all for the comprehensive advice. COVID willing, we're off to Les Arcs on Friday so no time for new cards this year but I'll get it sorted for the next trip. Thanks.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Another vote for Jaja here. Had it since it was Post Office. Never had an issue & just got excellent exchange rates in Italy. Keep it just for use on foreign trips & can manage account on an app on the phone.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Starling
No charges for withdrawals (in local currencys) or using to pay bills etc. And the app is great to use.
The key is to always pay in local currency or withdraw in local currency. Otherwise the rates are rubbish and that's where extra charges come in.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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I use a Wise card which I top up via my phone app.
As for cash, I didn't 3 months in France last summer and didn't use any cash whatsoever.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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I offer the bar, restaurant or wine merchant the choice, if they want cash, happy to help.
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The Rewards Barclaycard is a better choice than the old standby Halifax Clarity card for cash advances.
If you want bricksanmortar banking with customer service .
The Clarity went through changes a few years back you will now pay interest on cash advances and if payed off early they will still take the full amount .
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+1 for the Halifax Clarity, used it for a few years since the Rev*** card royally screwed me up when I needed it. Have had no issues with cash withdrawals and payment transactions at all with the Clarity card. Also useful for paying online for anything in Euros. Just need to remember to pay it all off when you use it to avoid any interest charges.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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| Tirol 164 wrote: |
| The Clarity went through changes a few years back you will now pay interest on cash advances and if payed off early they will still take the full amount . |
What do you mean by this?
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Around 2017? the Clarity Cards terms changed .
In a nut shell it was the best card as you could pay off the balance online from your current account and stop the cash advance interest clock ticking so long as you payed off purchases as well.
It would take a few days to clear depending if it was a weekday or weekend etc and you had to pay off purchases as well as cash advances off ...although the order of payments was supposedly good with the clarity unlike many other cards
You could also load the card in credit before you left even though people say the world will end doing so it never did, mine was £2000 in credit for 6 months once .
This all had greater advantages when away for months and less so with the one or two week type of trips
I was away for over two months spending and withdrawing cash on my Clarity, interest was around a £1.50 in total for that trip as I payed off all the transactions online both cash advances and purchases.
At one time the clarity even paid a fiver for spending £300 per month and my interest rate was 9.9% so thats why it was also unbeatable in the early years .
Now at the end of the month even if you have been paying off your balance online as you withdrew and made purchases Halifax will still take what was spent or withdrawn again at the end of the month.
The far better card to use now is the Reward Barclaycard for cash advances and purchases .
Those on shorter trips generally dont care if the pay the bank to spend ones own money .
Although if you are bovvered get a Reward Barclaycard and keep the Clarity as a backup .
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FAQ
