I'd like to find out which credit card gives the best Euro exchange rate as I use the card in France a lot. Anybody know or have comparisons to share here? For example I mainly use two cards, Halifax and Al & Leic. In July their rates on the following days for various purchases were (transaction dates): 10/7 18/7 21/7
Hx: 0.72464 0.72993 0.72993 A&L: 0.71835 0.73136 0.72941
Obviously there doesn't seem much consistency here- anybody checked this out before perhaps? Thanks fo any help! Guy
It depends on the time of day the conversion takes place. The market moves constantly.
Nationwide VISA is supposed to be very good but I haven't got the figures to prove it. Also, their Flexaccount Switch/Maestro will allow you to use foreign ATMs without being stung for commission fees, plus the exchange rate on that is also supposed to be good. You can get the two together. See
Matt
guy snipped-for-privacy@hemscott.net wrote:
I did an actual comparison on my credit cards while visiting Thailand. The results I obtained after making three 200 Thai Baht purchases on the same day were:
HSBC Visa: GBP3.29 (Exchange rate: 60.79) Barclaycard Visa: GBP3.31 (Exchange rate: 60.42) Nationwide Visa: GBP3.22 (Exchange rate: 62.11)
Chris
Yes, they are very good. They and Frizzell Bank (if you qualify through your trade union, for example) are the only card issuers to my knowledge that don't impose extra loading on foreign transactions, which is usually 2.75%. Visa and Mastercard, who between them handle most overseas transactions, add
1% which is usually passed on to customers, but Nationwide and Frizzell don't add anything themselves. Also they don't impose handling charge on cash withdrawal with their cash cards, typically 1.5-2% with other issuers.Alec
HSBC charge 2.75% on foreign currency purchases on top of the exchange rate conversion.
Yes. Those rates included that.
i've never looked at the full proposition, but I understand that ther Nationwide Visa is quite a good card all round
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