Travel money

[Druk]

Anybody used TravelFX to get holiday money and are they kosher?

Which Way To Pay in association with Travel FX | Buy holiday money | Buy travel money | Best exchange rates

 

[Ethem]

Im not sure if u have a HSBC account but they dont charge you for using ur card abroad so might be worth just going with ur card...safer too

 

[Druk]

^ Thanks. We have a Santander Zero card which also has no charges...but still need some ready cash.

 

[Spin_bowler]

Try Caxton Fx. It is a pre-paid Mastercard which you can top up by mobile phone from your bank account via SMS whilst you're abroad. No charges for use at point of sale but I think that they may charge if you draw cash out.

Works a treat, although make sure you allow enough time to get the card up, running and tested before you go away.

 

[Druk]

Tnxs. Not left sufficient time for alternatives. Need to know about Travel FX?

 

[Mr E]

Try Caxton Fx. It is a pre-paid Mastercard which you can top up by mobile phone from your bank account via SMS whilst you're abroad. No charges for use at point of sale but I think that they may charge if you draw cash out.

Works a treat, although make sure you allow enough time to get the card up, running and tested before you go away.

I know it doesn't answer the OP's original question, but we use the Caxton FX Euro card for our cross-channel jaunts. Has a very good exchange rate for loading, and no charges for cash withdrawals or card transactions in the Eurozone. Mrs E and I have two, linked to one account, and it's very good.

 

[Chris Akabusi]

Check this site for good rates.

Cheap Travel Money | TravelMoneyMax.com | Compare to get the best foreign currency exchange rates with the Travel Money Maximiser

 

[crockers]

Druk - I have used them twice now - both times money arrived next day special delivery. One of the best rates on the market. Make sure you ask for small bills as last time I had some €200 notes in mine. No problem using them but I prefer smaller.
Just tried Chris's link - the rate there is marginally better..

 

[Druk]

^^ many thanks. The answer I was looking for.

Chris's rate are slightly better but I've already started the transaction process and then chickened out when I found I had to set-up a bank direct transfer.

 

[LTD]

Don't under-estimate the rates offered by the 'cheque advance' places.

Often one of the best on the High Street

 

[RobertoMercini]

Having exhausted the suggestions offered here to no avail, does anyone know of a good way to get Sri Lankan Rupees before I actually get there? All the major providers don't offer this as a currency online

 

[Mudster]

I use Fair FX for foreign money (cash and business transactions) plus I have a sterling fx card and a Euro/USD card (prepaid).

http://www.fairfx.com/

I wouldn't use anything else, particularly for security, it means I don't have to use my personal or business bank or credit cards anywhere where they would be cloned.

The exchange rate differences are quite enourmous depending where you're going. In China I use the Sterling card and the exchange rate was almost 20% better than travelex.

The US$ card is roughly spot rate minus 3 cents, compared to spot minus 15 cents at usual brokers.

For Sri Lankan Rupees, get a Sterling Fx card, pre load it, and find the first ATM in the airport when you get there and draw cash of it, it beats anything else by a mile and is completely secure.

 

[RobertoMercini]

Cheers Mudster. So to clarify you're saying that the FX card will beat Travellers Cheques pound for pound? I am aware that most Sri Lankan ATM's have a max amount per day which isnt all that much, would I save in the long term even if I'm using the ATM two or three times a day and the charges that would incur?

Thanks

 

[MrT]

I have USD current account and use Crown Currency Exchange to buy USD when the rates are good to refill it.

 

[Mudster]

When I withdrew Yuan in China the transaction fee was £2.28 - I took out about £150 worth at a time, but he exchange rate was so good that even with transaction fees it was worth while. I got more than 10 - 1 compared to 8 -1 at banks/airport. transaction fee at ATM is 1.5% from memory.

USD/Euro card is much less - but you'll get a better deal with the Sterling one in non Euro/USD zones.

After that I actually just used the card to buy anything else I wanted.

Cheaper than travellers cheques and much less hassle. Try and avoid the tourist type ATMs and find big bank ones. In Sri Lanka there will be Bank of India and probably HSBC.

Any purchases it can just be used like a regular credit card.

 

[RobertoMercini]

ok, ill look into that one cheers