CC or Cash in NYC

Nationwide is the best.

If you have your salary paid or transferred into a flex account, you can withdraw cash at cash machines in NY a lot cheaper than changing the money before you go.

Without doubt use a credit card. Most people here think Nationwide's is best but if its for paid expenses it doesn't really matter since you can get them reimbursed at whatever it actually cost you in sterling anyway.

Don't even think about taking GBP to the US, it's a PITA to change it (or at least it was last time I was there, even in NY). And if you change GBP to USD cash/travellers cheques here you'll probably get charged about 5% exchange rate markup and commission.

Most credit cards charge around 3% exchange rate markup for foreign usage, a few don't, like Nationwide. Similarly most UK banks will charge for foreign cash withdrawals from your current account - sometimes as much as 4-5% (fee plus exchange rate markup). Nationwide don't charge for current account withdrawals but they do for CC cash advances and they've just put their charges up.

I would suggest getting a Nationwide credit card for all your CC spending - you can set up a DD to pay it or use internet banking, and a Nationwide current account which you could either get your salary paid into or transfer enough from your main account to cover cash spending. Withdraw cash from the NW current account at ATM's.

Point taken about expenses, however I shall be using it for personal use as well. My firm, as generous as they are, may have difficulty expensing a couple of iPods back to me !

Thanks Andy and Jonathan too for your points. I shall take a look at the Nationwide website.

Regards, Joe

Do they do work-related podcasts?

:-)

Tumbleweed wrote

My debit card withdrawals in California from my Flaxaccount here cost nothing (in charges).