£/$ hits 26 year high today

[RachaelC]

Hi - I was just wondering - Is there something special about Nationwide credit cards or is it just a coincidence that a couple of you have them??

Sorry if I've missed part of the thread - I was just wondering whether they do some special deals in the US or if you were talking generally that all credit cards normally get a better rate than TC's and dollars???

We've always used cards abroad (and in fact at home as well!! ), so just wondered whether I should switch to Nationwide for any reason!!

Thanks alot!!

The Nationwide card is one of the rare breeds that don't charge a fee for use abroad . You also get the interbank exchange rate, so better than the tourist rate that you would get by exchanging cash .

I think that the Post Office also do a fee-free card, but I don't know much about it as I have a Nationwide one

 

[wayneg]

Yes Nationwide(and Post office) are better than any other credit cards for use abroad. they are the only 2 cards that dont charge any fees. Most others charge 2.75% (Lloyds TSB just increased theirs to 2.99%) on all purchases.
Today buying a meal for $100 would cost you £49.75 ($2.01/£1) with Nationwide, with Lloyds TSB it would be almost £51.50. Added up over a 2 or 3 week holiday it can make a big difference

 

[PoppyAnna]

Caitlin

I got mine from Tesco Finance.
Excellent service got them by recorded delivery very quickly.

https://www.corporatetravelmoney.com/TPF/JSMain.asp

My Mum had a terrible time with Tesco, 3 x 100$ bills were ripped at the serial number (by the money counter) and they wouldn't take them back unless she sent the lot back through the post! Which, needless to say she wasn't prepared to do. We changed them at a bank out there.
I got mine from Saga, great transaction from start to finish, and it was a super rate at the time.

 

[amystevekai&bump]

Thanks Wayneg and Rachel!!! I'll be getting myself one of those Nationwide credit cards before we go next year then!!! thanks alot for the advice!

 

[paulh]

dont forget its not just the usa for getting bank rate with nationwide cc/debit cards.You also get the same rest of the world ie euro zone
Paulh

 

[Richard Bruvofetc]

Mine was accepted right away but only with a £2,800 limit, I can now increase it but lowest amount I have ever been offered with a card.
What annoys me is its based on income and credit rating, never asks for investments. My invesments increase almost as much each year as my wage, but its not income. Maybe I should include it

They must like me....I opened with £7,500 credit limit. I always wonder about the so called income and credit rating as it doesn't seem to correlate a lot of the time. I could hazard a guess that my income is hell of a lot less than yours Wayne. I hold 3 CCs; One for home use; Nationwide for foreign use; and a spare should there be an issue with one of my cards. My "home use" provider was shocked a couple of years ago. I rang them and asked them to reduce my credit limit (it was close on £20K!!). Confused the hell out of the guy the other end of the line.

I also pay mine off every month so they don't actually "earn" anything directly from me either.

 

[paulh]

I also pay mine off every month so they don't actually "earn" anything directly from me either.

we do this but they earn on the 2% they charge the retailers for transactions
Paulh

 

[wayneg]

we do this but they earn on the 2% they charge the retailers for transactions
Paulh

2% and some. Small retailers like myself get stung with fees, I was paying 3.2%(I have a friend who is paying even more) until I got a corperate rate thru my relay service, now pay 1.62% so not too bad. Probably all averages out at around 2%
Sorry get wound up with bank fees

 

[JohnnySharp2]

I got some more $ at the rate of 1.94/6 today from my travel agent.
Generally accumulate ours over a period of time.

 

[DISWolves]

Unless you get offered TC or cash at $2/£1 there are not many reasons to take them.
Nationwide credit card is accepted 99% of places in Florida, no worries about losing money or TC and having to replace. Far better rate ($2.017)
Rates around just now, $1.91-$1.93 are poor.
I know some people don't like Credit cards but they have saved me £100's of pounds compared to cash/tc over past few years.

Looks like we picked the winners!
TC's from Thos Cook $2 = £1 - a few weeks back
Nationwide CC arrived yesterday

All we want now is VS075 to depart on time !

 

[tracipierce]

Yeay!!!!
Got my letter through the post today and Nationwide have given me both a credit card AND a flexaccount woohoo
and here was me thinking they didn't like me don't know what credit limit I've got yet but I don't really need that much, just enough to see me through my holiday
so anyone who has applied and wasn 't given an answer there and then you might just get a surprise through the post