Pre-paid US dollar card or another way?

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Deleted member 18121

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Hi all

I'm going to Florida (Disney, Universal etc etc) in July for 3 weeks, hope to get some golf in too!

We're looking at loading cash onto a pre-paid card as a way to save and then easily spend whilst we're out there without carrying lots of cash.

Does anyone have any first hand experience of this or any recommendations of how else we could manage ourselves?

Cheers

Adam
 
I used Revolut. Could even use over here. If u took out accounts for you and wife you can also transfer between accounts online. The other joy is you can pay money into your Revolut account from own bank account online.
 
Why load a card when some "bank" cards (like Nationwide FlexAccount) have decent conversion costs on debit (stessing Debit) cards... take the charge from the ATM in local currency if asked, the difference if you take a sterling rate there and then can be huge! Pay for purchases on credit card.....

... what does Revolut charge? Old school to USA used to be Dollar Travellers Cheques.... as they would be accepted by retailers as cash... but haven't done that in years....
 
anotherdouble said:
No charge for Revolut unless you spend 2k per month.
Click to expand...

That's interesting.... but check out the conversion rates which can hide the truth... but sounds good, FlexAccount is also free.... and can be your main current account....

....no one has taken a bundle of cash on an overseas holiday since 1981!!! :whistle: (except my mum of course!)
 
IanM said:
That's interesting.... but check out the conversion rates which can hide the truth... but sounds good, FlexAccount is also free.... and can be your main current account....

....no one has taken a bundle of cash on an overseas holiday since 1981!!! :whistle: (except my mum of course!)
Click to expand...

I still do!!

I take my debit card with me too but I try not to go the cash point whilst I’m away.
 
I'm another Revolut convert. Multiple countries and currencies, always the best rate, very controllable and easy to load, cuts your risk if it's stolen. You can even do stuff like configure it so it will only work if your phone is nearby, which is an excellent anti fraud measure. Can use free in foreign ATM's too.
 
Saga credit card - onto which you "pay in" money as a credit before you start spending with it. No transaction charges, no "currency conversion" charges, and no charge for getting cash from an ATM. But the latter is dependent on the card being in credit.
 
Nationwide, Saga and the Post Office Credit Cards all offer basic commercial rates with no fee. You really can't get currency cheaper and easier.
 
Halifax Clarity credit card no fees for overseas transactions.
It’s all kept in house at my own bank and all online banking , so I can check while I am away.
 
We've always taken travellers cheques and a small amount of cash to Florida, and of course a card purely as emergency back-up (having pre informed them first).
 
Monzo is free for all purchases abroad. and the Mastercard rate is slightly better than Visa.

Nationwide cash abroad from Flex account, Free purchases are on the Credit Card (i work for nationwide)
 
Revolut for me as well. They use the interbank conversion rate. I first used it on holiday earlier this year and numerous overseas trips since then. I have also recently relocated to Malta and it’s a pain opening a bank account here. Revolut has been a big help whilst I’m trying to sort things.
 
I've ended up signing up with revolut..... this many recommendations cant be wrong
 
Note the difference between those credit cards which have 'no currency charge/fee' and those that also use the (lowest) currency exchange rate (ie that use the commercial rate.
There not many around now that don't do the former but only a few that do the latter.

Of course, prepaid systems may help stop you overspending but you are effectively lending them money on which they earn interest (which you could be earning).
CCs are spend now, pay later (preferably when the statement is due to be paid)
 
rulefan said:
Note the difference between those credit cards which have 'no currency charge/fee' and those that also use the (lowest) currency exchange rate (ie that use the commercial rate.
There not many around now that don't do the former but only a few that do the latter.

Of course, prepaid systems may help stop you overspending but you are effectively lending them money on which they earn interest (which you could be earning).
CCs are spend now, pay later (preferably when the statement is due to be paid)
Click to expand...

Nationwide & Saga are two cards that spring to mind as regards no charges and using best rates.
It's a valid point about pre-paying, but with interest rates currently as rubbish as they are, and the pretty short duration of the "loan", you're not really losing out on anything. (At least not on the amount I'd take on holiday :)).
 
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