 Poster: A snowHead
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Going to Pas de la Casa in few weeks.....
Thinking of taking one of these prepaid Mastercards for holiday money
Has anyone had any experience of these in Pas as they should be accepted everywhere due to them being mastercard.
Cheers
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Fairfx use for holiday money, good ex rates and withdrawals are about a quid. Only downside if you overload you just have to leave it there as the cost of transferring back to £ is not so attractive.
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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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Just don't use them for any pre-authorisations which you may want to leave (e.g. a bar tab): they are liable to take much of your balance, and it can be quite some time (e.g. 1 month after you come home!) before the amount gets freed up for you to withdraw.
TBH for a week or so trip, the few percent benefit of using them is less than the cost of two or three beers - so is it worth the effort?
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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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Just as a side note on the prepaid cards - remember to use them frequently as most of them have an inactivity charge. I forget how many months you can leave it but after which they usually charge about 3 euros (or quid) each month thereafter 
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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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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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thanks for responses but no-one has really answered my question.
I am asking how widely accepted they are in Pas De La Casa. I presume the cash machines will accept them fine.
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Not sure about Pas but should be ok in ATM's.
What p**ssed me off once was having one from First Choice and then found they wouldn't accept on their planes!
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I assume these pre-paid cards will be accepted anywhere that accepts credit/debit cards including cash machines.
What is so special for you about the pre-paid cards? I know you can play the exchange rate market with a pre-paid card but timing is guesswork, even for professional traders. You will lose as many times as you gain.
I find it far easier and cheaper to use a Metro Bank card.
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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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WorldFirst do a MasterCard. Big fan as they are normally trade rather than consumer. Costs a tender but you get that put on the card in currency. Their rates are about 1.5 to 2 cents under bank rate, I doubt you'll find a better rate. Easy online access with statement and easy loading, use it anywhere you see the MasterCard sign, even on the toll roads of France.
Getting cash from ATM costs a euro fifty each time no matter what amount you withdraw. Have my vote
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cran
cran
Guest
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I've got a pre pay Euro Mastercard from CaxtonFX which works out cheaper than using a UK bank card and free cashpoint withdrawals.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Me toocran, we're here for the season and it's great
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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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Another vote for Caxtonfx !
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Yep, we've got Caxton FX global cards as its sometime the only way I can get cash to my partner when he's off on yacht deliveries - really good service - easy to top up, good exchange rates and cheap to use.
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You know it makes sense.
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| flog873347 wrote: |
| WorldFirst do a MasterCard. .. Their rates are about 1.5 to 2 cents under bank rate, I doubt you'll find a better rate. Getting cash from ATM costs a euro fifty each time no matter what amount you withdraw. |
Quite easy to get better than that.
I have Nationwide and Post Office cards which both charge at the bank rate for all transactions, even cash - but which charge a withdrawal fee for ATMs plus interest from day one.
I also have a Santander Zero card which also doesn't charge for transactions and also no ATM withdrawal fees and NO CASH INTEREST either: this has been very useful during this season's jaunt...
Not all the above are available to new customers, but I've heard good things of the Halifax Clarity Card.
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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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I have a Santander Zero CREDIT card and it is great for foreign purchases - it one of the best. But if you withdraw cash using the Santander Zero CREDIT card you get charged interest from the date of withdrawal, which is standard practice with CREDIT cards.
The Santander Zero DEBIT card does not make any charges - but you have to open a Santander Zero current account first AND switch your existing current account to Santander.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Pre Paid cards will work in any electronic machines (chip/pins in shops/restaurants/fuel stations and ATM's) they are accepted wherever they accept VISA or Mastercard (depending on your card - in your case Mastercard)
Where they do not work.... smaller older shops which still use the "clunk Click" machines, or on trains where you have to sign with or without a pin. also some of the automated petrol stations/toll roads which are not linked by phone to get authorisation (same I presume with the Airplane) wont accept them
Car Hire will NOT accept these... they are considered Debit Cards and they can't get the pre-authorise of funds for the deposit like on a normal Credit Card.... (Please let me know if anyone has managed to hire a car with one!!!!)
I have used both VISA and Mastercard pre-paid around Sweden/France/Italy/Ireland/UK..... with no problems
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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A prepaid mastercard will be accepted anywhere a traditional mastercard is - the only difference is that the retailer must be online at the timeof transaction. This is not an issue for anything other than the old 'zip zap' machines - hence the reason why your prepaid card will not normally be accepted on an airplane itself.
For the best card for usage i would recommend Kalixa (www.kalixa.com). The difference between then and Caxton FX is that the card is in GBP - however, they offer the bank rate on the day of the transaction i.e. no mark-up. Then if you come back to the UK, you can use the funds as normal without penalty.
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FAQ
