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For SHs using Nationwide's current account card abroad

 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Haven't seen this posted already...

Beware:
Using the card abroad will no longer be free from November
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Cheers. Not good news.
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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?
Hmm. I have been thinking of switching all my banking to Nationwide. I am a little confused - since this moneysavingexpert page says that Nationwide's Flexaccount Visa Debit card is a good deal.

A useful OP - sod all to do with The Piste.
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 You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
Pants Confused
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
achilles,

You might live a happier life if you stop worrying about where posts belong.. NehNeh

This post doesn't belong anywhere specifically and will achieve greater usefulness if posted here rather than in the AZ..
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 You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
Seems like it has everything to do with the main ski forum since it's about how people get money for spending in general while skiing. Anyway - does this mean the best option is buying on Nationwide CC (with their 1% conversion charge or something) and paying it off?
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
I think it's fair enough here, too - no different from, for example, a discussion about increases in prices of flights to the alps.
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
DaveC,
I think the CC from Nationwide remains unaffected (in Europe..) and no fee are charged for transactions.

I use Abbey/Santander Zero CC which charges no fees on transactions and also does not charge the usual percentage on cash advances..
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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.
Kruisler, but there's a 1% fee in North America etc still right? Sounds like I might need an Abbey/Santander job for next season, anyway. Will look into it.
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 Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Kind of expected it really, it was the only reason I held mine.

Oh well time to switch.
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 snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
No worries, I'll just use my Nationwide credit card instead, and pay it off with my Nationwide Flexaccount.
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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.
DaveC, I'd look very carefully at the Which? reports on Santander customer satisfaction before switching to them.

Hells Bells, so if I start using my long-dormant Flex Account as my main bank account the cards work as before?

Kruisler, the post does belong in AZ - and I can't see why it should be 'more useful' here.


Last edited by And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports. on Mon 2-08-10 11:02; edited 1 time in total
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 So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
achilles, apparently they're rubbish, but will give me £100 to make up for their rubbish-ness. Just applied to have my direct debits/salary muddled with anyway...
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
achilles,

A lot of snowHeads ignore the AZ > the point of this info is with regards to planning ski trips > hence it'll be more helpful/get more coverage here than in the AZ..

Oh and BTW, dunno what Which? says but I am one happy Santander customer...
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 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
achilles, no, you will still be paying transaction fees from 1st November on the debit card, but according to Moneysaving expert, transactions with the credit card remain free.
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 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Are there any (debit) cards left that don't charge fo use in Europe?
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Kruisler, I am a very happy Vauxhall customer, delighted with my local, family-owned Vauxhall dealership, which has been the sole supplier of very reliable cars to me and Mrs a for many years. That doesn't mean that Vauxhall dealers as a whole are brilliant though.

According to Money Which? August 2010, Santander is bottom of their list. Sample size: 895. Low scores (2*) for Telephone, Resolving problems, staff, and ease of transfer, Customer satisfaction score 39. Average score (for all banks) 52.

If snowheads wish to ignore AZ - including posts such as this, that's up to them.


Last edited by Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person on Mon 2-08-10 12:01; edited 1 time in total
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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?
achilles wrote:
If snowheads wish to ignore AZ - including posts such as this, that's up to them.


Indeed and so I chose to post accordingly, still trying to be helpful and hit the wider audience. In the process I (in your view) infringed the loose guidance as to what to post where..

I think I can live with that..

PS: but then I'm French.. what are rules for eh?

PPS: Actually, the piste description is "OK, you know what a Piste is for don't you? Skiing, boarding, whatever, just remember the skiers' code though..."
I think legally I'm OK..just..
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 You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
That is bad news. It was one of the main reasons I like Nationwide, with its free cash withdrawls and good exchange rates.

I am an unhappy Santander customer. For various reasons. I am sure others have had no problem. As an example (I have many), I needed to change my name on all my bank cards so I went to all the banks I hold accounts with on the same day. Only Santander can make a simple process painful.

HSBC - arrived in bank, got given a number ticket and told there is a 10 minute wait, if that is ok? I was shown to a seat and within 10 minutes I was talking to a nice banking lady. I filled in a form and everything was sorted within about 12 minutes.

Nationwide - arrived in bank, got shown to a seat straight away and chatted with a nice bank lady. She gave me a form to fill in. I was done in about 5 minutes.

Santander - arrived in bank, queued at reception desk, no one manning it as such, just one of the consultant bank people, who were also with customers in a booth. They had to keep darting back and fore between the two desks. After waiting 10 minutes to get to the front of this reception queue, I was told I could sort this out at the main cashier desks. So I joined that (long) queue. It took 20 minutes to get to the front, and I spoke to a nice bank lady who gave me a form. I had to fill it in and then bring it back to her (took 5 minutes). She told me not to queue again once I had filled in the form but jump in behind the customer at her desk. I did this and got lots of dirty looks from people queuing. Waited another 10 minutes, as the customer at her desk had some complex issues to sort. She then took my form and sorted everything out. It took another 5 minutes. I was in the bank over 45 minutes. What a faff!

Just my monday morning moan.

Fell better now. Little Angel
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Half expected something like this to happen when they introduced charges outside of Europe. Gonna have to look in to what will be the best way for me to get cash when I'm away for the season, been great being able to withdraw without any fees and the exchange rate was a favourable one too. Only thing is I'll probably struggle to get a credit card, I get paid cash for my main job over the summer so it doesn't always all go in to the bank, tho I do get paid for my pub job directly to my account it's only about £50 a week depending on the hours I do.
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 You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
carettam, maybe Santander could do with a re-brand:

http://www.thedailymash.co.uk/news/business/new-bank-pledges-to-openly-despise-its-customers-201007302960/

Sorry, Achilles - that definitely was off-piste. Embarassed
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Quote:

Kruisler, the post does belong in AZ - and I can't see why it should be 'more useful' here.


Sorry, it's not off piste at all. As has been mentioned, many skiers (me included) have nationwide accounts specifically for using when abroad. I'll be ditching mine.
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
nbt, there's no need to be sorry. Anyway, shall we start a handkerchief thread here? Many skiers use them abroad, you know. Laughing
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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.
As an experiment, while in Turkey last week I took out the same amount from my Nationwide and Santander accounts. On checking statements, I can see that the total costs for withdrawing 250 Turkish Lira from a hole-in-the-wall were £113.31 from Santander and £108.24 from Nationwide, so £5.07 difference!!
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 Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ray Zorro,

Was that a Santander Zero CC?
Because if it was a Santander current account, they do charge for transactions abroad which would explain at least in part the difference..

I haven't got a Nationwide current account but I have both Nationwide and Santander Zero CC, but the latter is the one I use most because it doesn't charge for cash withdrawals as well as for transactions.

I doubt the exchange rate on the Santander card is the best but overall this is the best tool for us.
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 snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
achilles wrote:
nbt, there's no need to be sorry. Anyway, shall we start a handkerchief thread here? Many skiers use them abroad, you know. Laughing


actually some one did post on here once looking for replacement hankies for their ski gloves - it seems there is a little loop on the right hand index finger of the better brand gloves in which one places a small handkerchief to wipe a runny nose Little Angel
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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.
rayscoops, fascinating. I presume that it's the coalition government's fault that handkerchiefs are required at all, and wouldn't have been needed had we all voted Labour?
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 So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
achilles, don't be a silly billy and in any event such a question is perhaps best dealt with in the appropriate Apres section Puzzled but the issue of handkerchiefs on ski gloves surely belongs in the Piste Little Angel I think you should become a Mod and clean things up on here Laughing
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
rayscoops, I imagine the present mods and I would disagree - like I might want to moderate - and apart form spam posts, and maybe moving SCGB threads related to skiing out of The Piste, that seems to be frowned on in sHs. Skigloves and handkerchiefs? Now I wonder who could have come up with that Madeye-Smiley


Last edited by You know it makes sense. on Mon 2-08-10 14:15; edited 1 time in total
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 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
achilles, well stop being so grumpy then NehNeh
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 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Perhaps we should remember that SnowHeads is a forum and not a library? If the value of the euro to the pound is relevant in here, the price of spending your own cash should be too. There isn't really a relevant forum as far as I can see for this, and I don't think 'Apres Zone' is the right place, as a lot of people don't go there.
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
rayscoops,

Hells Bells wrote:
I don't think 'Apres Zone' is the right place, as a lot of people don't go there.


I rest my case. wink

Hells Bells, have you sorted out what debt ard you will use - or will use use a French € account - and so not have a problem in drawing cash without charges?
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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?
achilles, no I haven't, not yet, I don't think any debit card will be free, apart from my French one, and then I will need to transfer the money to the account and incur bank charges that way. As it is currently used only for the apartment, I don't really want to use it for my holiday spending. I'm off to France in early November, so I will see what the charges are then. I know the rate I got last month was way more than my Barclays card which I used by accident to settle a hotel bill. (1.194 compared to 1.145). I can ise my credit card for purchases of course, so may just take the hit on the cash withdrawals.
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 You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
Hells Bells,
On my HSBC VISA Debit card I know I get charged a fixed rate of 75p for cash withdraw (if I remember correctly) for whatever amount I withdraw, I do not have any special account with HSBC just a normal current account
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
livetoski, HSBC's rates for using a debit card are spelled out here (scroll down page). Even for a Premier account holder, there is a 2.75% 'exchange rate adjustment'.
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 You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
Whoever's thinking of going with Abbey, now Santander, beware. They hassled us stupidly for dad even though we'd told him he was DEAD. They were utter ******* jobsworths.

Pants about the flex account debit card!! One of the reasons I got one was in case I got stuffed up abroad running out of money. I think I'll do what Hells Bells said, as I have a credit card with them too.
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Oh sod it, I shall just have to move to Europe permanently instead.
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
achilles, Embarassed yep just checked back on my statement it was £1.75 I was think of, but I did not have any % adjustments made, just a cash machine fee the exchange rate I got was better than the rate I got before I went so not sure where that 2.75% is hidding
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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.
Kruisler wrote:
Ray Zorro,

Was that a Santander Zero CC?
Because if it was a Santander current account, they do charge for transactions abroad which would explain at least in part the difference..

I haven't got a Nationwide current account but I have both Nationwide and Santander Zero CC, but the latter is the one I use most because it doesn't charge for cash withdrawals as well as for transactions.

I doubt the exchange rate on the Santander card is the best but overall this is the best tool for us.


Both were standard bank debit cards.

There was a £1.99 transaction charge with Santander
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 Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Hmm. So all in all, the Nationwide debit card is better than my HSBC Premier's - and their credit card works well with a Flex Account. Think I'll switch.
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