NACRO

I plan to be buying large amounts of SUL petrol over the next few days in France- 1400 miles to drive 1 way to Portugal!!!!

Which would be the cheapest way of paying for my fuel, credit card or debit card. Do they add a few quid onto every transaction? Or is it just a poor rate of exchange?

All answers gratefully received.

Raks

I would have thought that with a Credit card trans. they will add a commission fee? Correct me if I'm wrong?

I used my Debit card. Always been more confident with it!

john_s

iTrader: (1)

I don't think they overtly charge commission, just convert the prices at an exchange rate advantageous to them.

John

boxst

Hello

In both cases they add commission and a charge for the "pleasure" of using your card abroad.

This is hidden in a lousy exchange rate. NatWest for example charge 50pence to withdraw money from a foreign cashpoint, and then 2.45% commission.

Steve.

clarence

I never use a debit card abroad, only credit card. My previous experience with Natwest is the exchange rate isn't too bad.
I have a Hong Kong HSBC Visa, which I've used in Japan recently. Turned out the exchange rate is even better than a Bureau de Change.

alcazar

iTrader: (2)

Credit cards often have a better rate of exchange than your average high street bank, travel exchange etc.
Beware credit card receipts that quote an entire number, name etc, and this OFTEN is the case on Debit cards.
Alcazar

RON

Nacro,
if you can afford not to worry about the exchange rates (not that I know what they are!!), use your credit card, put it this way, if someone uses the details of your card, at least you'll get to see the bill before the cash leaves your bank account, then you could argue the case, and/or not pay that portion of the bill, if you use the debit card, I doubt you'd ever see your money back 'if' the card was used wrongly!!
Ron.

NACRO

Thanks for all the advice,

I'll use my C/C just worrying about the high credit limit on it now though from a fraud point of view.


Off to bed now..up at 4:00am and begin 1400 mile(ish) drive to Portugal.

Should take about a day and a half/6ish tanks of SUL from what I can work out. I will be driving down some of the scariest/best roads in Europe with no fear of loosing my licence for speeding- just a whopping fine!

Markus

Use a Credit Card. I'm over in Canada and am paying for most things on the good ol VISA. The exchange rate seems pretty favorable too.

Dave P

Yes use the credit card. Many years ago I remember a Roger Cook report on cloning credit cards abroad, particularly in petrol stations. For this reason I'd stick to credit cards.

Expect a call from your cc company though. I was paying for my Ski Pass in France the other week and Barclaycards Fraud Detection Unit called me on my mobile. Irregular spending pattern and they wanted to check all the payments I had made.

Good they are on the case though.

Dave

polarbearit

*Blatent Plug*

Use a Nationwide Credit or Debit card - No charge for money conversion and the same good Visa exchange rate...

*Useful Tip*

Also for portugal at least make sure you know your VISA card PIN as they have keypads to enter it on when you pay!

scoob_babe

Had exactly the same fraud checks on our credit card when we were on holiday - I prefer this to the money going immediately out of the bank account without checks.

midget1500

yes, i've used my nationwide cards abroad (USA) and the exchange rate was great. even the machines said i would be charged something like $2.50 but i never was.

also, my parents have both had their cards refused at some time abroad (very embarrassing - i.e. foreigners in a store buying lots of clothes with a dodgy credit card!) anyhow, it was for their benefit according to the fraud people, just have to answer the security questions on the phone. to stop this happening before we go they tell the CC company where they are going etc so they don't do these irregular spending pattern checks.

Dave P

I told my cc company I was going abroad. They still did the checks.

Dave

blimey

Natwest are tw@ts!!!! I have just closed down my account with them after ten years of being right royally ripped off!!!!! Fume!!!!