 Poster: A snowHead
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Not having a Nationwide account we usually take a wedge of Euros and travellers cheques or I use my debit card in an ATM when on holiday but for our summer trip this year my OH has set up a Cash Passport from our local Co-op travel agent. This is a Visa backed card that you can load with a minimum of £100 in Euro (or dollars if going to USA) or a maximum of £5K. Then you just use this in ATMs in the eurozone as you would with a normal debit or credit card but without the exchange fees and card useage fees. No commission but there is a 2 euro fee every time you use the card in an ATM.
Appears to be a safe and reliable way to carry your holiday cash.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Seems this may be the way to carry dosh, makes sense 
The Post Office have a similar product IIRC .
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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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Bones, Co-op travel where I live were offering a better deal than the Post Office 5euro per pound more if you take more than £400
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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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I carry local currency and then set up an account that I can plunder at an ATM... and keep CC usage to a minimum
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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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Don't understand people not taking advantage of the Nationwide card?
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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northantsred, Not everybody wants the hassle of another account.
Most people don't micro-manage their money, and just have one or two current accounts, and one or two credit cards.
It was a significant factor for us when we changed bank accounts (aboyt 20 years ago now) that they even then offered a visa debit card with no extra charges for withrawing from foreign machines. But if we didn't have a Nationwide account, I wouldn't open one just to get cheap foreign cash.
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i take a wadge of cash and put it in the hotel safe.. i resent paying a bean to get money out abraod
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Me too (except I don't always put it in the safe).
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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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alex_heney, northantsred, I had banked with Barclays for my entire life until I changed to Nationwide a few years ago - absolutely no contest in every respect, not just the cheap foreign cash element, excellent service all round. I've now got a Visa credit card from them to use abroad (I have a favourite charity card - Art Fund/MBNA - which I use for all credit transactions in the UK). Perfect.
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Hurtle, Can't agree with you more about the servce. I have a current account with another bank just for conveneience. For all other services I use Nationwide. I can't praise them highly enough. I use their current account purely for holiday cash. Just topping it up before I go away. It takes all the hassle out of changing and carrying large sums of money with you
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Speak to your bank before going and tell them what you want. Lloyds wouldn't give me what I wanted so I ditched them and use UBS (still afloat just) and told them what I wanted which started the dialogue and now we both are happy. Amex as credit card for the best insurance and rewards programme - although a back up visa for the places that don't take amex is a good idea.
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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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Powderhound, so that's why people have amex cards. I've often wondered, since nobody accepts the bloody things.h(And why do their owners get so bolshy when you tell them so? Let's face it, it can't be the first time it's happened to them.  )
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Lizzard, we're just a bolshy crowd! Actually, it is more commonly accepted these days - especially in France actually.
I wanted the airmiles for the deposit on my car and asked the dealer if I could pay with amex and he said that as long as it was authorised it was no problem. The transaction went through for 25k and he was surprised but pleased.
His boss went berserk and made the salesman refund it to the card and sent me to the bank to get the cash... I rang amex to check that it had been refunded before parting with any more cash and they were furious, calling it an illegal refusal.
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You know it makes sense.
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I think its worthwhile just having an account with Nationwide for travel money although finding preferable savings rates elsewhere (mind you it's only for a few k so I don't know what like it will be for lots of cash).
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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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arv, of course it is worth it, it onyl take a couple of minutes online, not really a hassle at all.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Powderhound, Amex charge the retailer a whopping big fee for the privilege of accepting the card. So lots of them don't.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Lizzard, yup, and that is why we don't accept Amex. 1.49% for the visa/delta etc. but 5% for Amex 
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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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Lizzard,Frosty the Snowman, that's in the UK. Here in CH it's 3% for Visa and 3.5% for Amex so less of a discrepancy.
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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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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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| CANV CANVINGTON wrote: |
| i take a wadge of cash and put it in the hotel safe.. i resent paying a bean to get money out abraod |
But then you are paying for the money before you go abroad  I'm not sure how that is better.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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| Mogs wrote: |
| Hurtle, Can't agree with you more about the servce. I have a current account with another bank just for conveneience. For all other services I use Nationwide. I can't praise them highly enough. I use their current account purely for holiday cash. Just topping it up before I go away. It takes all the hassle out of changing and carrying large sums of money with you |
Why does having a current account elsewhere give you convenience?
Unless you are regularly paying cash or cheques in to your current account, you have no real need for branches, even if you happen to live somewhere that has branches of other banks but not Nationwide.
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| alex_heney wrote: |
| CANV CANVINGTON wrote: |
| i take a wadge of cash and put it in the hotel safe.. i resent paying a bean to get money out abraod |
But then you are paying for the money before you go abroad I'm not sure how that is better. |
Because unless you have an account such as a N'wide CC, you tend to be charged more to buy FX abroad than in UK.
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alex_heney, Convenience as in it's convenient for me not to go through the hassle of changing all my standing orders, direct debits etc. Bit of laziness I guess. It also gives me benefits like travel insurance etc. Not free as you would believe but it suits me. Also having two keeps my holiday money separated from my day to day expenses which means I can confidently spend all I have in my holiday account whilst having the other account for emergencies. Works for me
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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 carry kg of gold around me. Sorted.
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Timmaah, Alas we dont all have such reinforced pockets, mind you give it to the lackies then they can carry it! 
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FAQ
I called their customer services to enquire if they could pay the same as visa etc (two banking days) and the reply was yes but we charge an extra 3% commission for that service! 