By Vanmanme on Tuesday, 31 July 2018
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What's the best way to take spending money for an extended stay in Europe these days? Chip n pin, contactless are very popular here in the UK but how do you avoid sterling transaction fees on your own current account card, or carrying wads of euros about the place, pre-loaded cards look like the answer but I've read that they don't always work on toll roads and some fuel pumps, so what are the more experienced travellers doing to make that holiday pound stretch as far as possible?
Looking forward to your ideas and any excess euros you want to send my way,
Nationwide for us...

Credit card for all purchases including fuel etc

Debit card for any cash atm withdrawals.

Always clear credit card by payment date. Always get commercial exchange rate.

Only cost is on cash withdrawals at about £6 a go, so pays to draw daily limit.

Very rare to have card refused unless in a cr@ppy Intermarche fuel pump
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5 years ago
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I have €1000 in cash hidden around the camper.
Not the safest way but I don't use plastic unless I have too.
But then we don't stay away more than 3 or 4 weeks.
So not exactly extended stays.
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5 years ago
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Previously while in Europe we have used cash having spent time watching the market and buying at a reasonable rate, (remember the days when you could get €1.44 for a quid), In north America we used pre bought cash and a credit card for big ticket items but that got expensive in sterling transaction fees,hence the question.
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5 years ago
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Ask Martin Lewis:D
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5 years ago
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Oh I hadn't realised he was a MH fan with long trip European experience of the ups and downs of living on the road,I'll just drop him a line now.
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5 years ago
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Pretty much same as Neil does really normally put grand in safe hidden in van use plastic for fuel if need cash use my switch card have 3 visa cards as found some don't always work on some Aires try stay of tolls never had issue with fuel one my cards has no charges for abroad so that gets most use pay it end month when due never book ferry untill we decide had enough first time did that was stuck to the dates didn't want come home lol
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5 years ago
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Update.... Halifax clarity card on its way, no sterling transaction fees or any other fees for transactions abroad and no pre load required , whats not to like
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5 years ago
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Nationwide card here and a bit of cash

Hope this helps

Spinner
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5 years ago
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We use a Post Office pre payed, do a cash withdrawal once a week use normal bank card for fuel. Oh we never empty the pre paid card so that we often have the advantage of cash which has been bought at a better exchange rate as we top up on line.
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5 years ago
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