Pre paid cards

[Bugsy73]

Hi,
We are going to America next summer, just wondering if anyone can advise/has experience of using a currency card. Not quite sure how they work or which one would be best. Is there a charge for using them? Do you have to put money on them straight away when you order one? Any advise or recommendations would be appreciated.
Thanks.

There are fee-free credit cards that might be cheaper? I use the Halifax Clarity card abroad as I’d previously used a Thomas Cook travel card that charged me to load it and then use it overseas.

We use the revolut card.

You download the app, top up £10 then order a card costing £5.

While in America you can top it up in pounds and convert to dollars. We got really good rates too, better than buying currency. We just topped it up every couple of days so didn't have all our money sitting in one place.

You just use it like a normal card but remember to check dollars at the machine.

We will use it again when we go to gran Canaria next year as you can also convert to euros. And I use it on nights out here. It's a great card.

Oh and because you convert your money there are no charges for using it. After the initial £10 you can add or withdraw at any time.

I use the Caxton FX prepaid card. You apply for it [free] and don't top up until you want to. I watch for when rates are good. Once you top up that amount is locked in.

No fee for paying by card or for withdrawals from ATMs [unless you use the type of ATM that charges a fee].

Easy top up online or by app.

The one I have looked at needed £75 loading onto it when applying, it's the fair FX card. Would rather not have to put so much on initially though (pay day is ages off!. So when it is topped up, from my account, in this country, does it automatically turn into dollars? Sorry, I'm being really thick! If I put money on it and then after the holiday there is some left, can I change it back to ££ and put it back in to my account?

Thanks everyone.

If it's like the Caxton card, you put in a converter on the website/app how much you want to load eg £100, and it will convert it on the spot to how many dollars you can get right now. If you like the rate, accept it, then that many dollars are loaded on to your card.

I've never had any left to convert back but you probably can do that for a set fee and subject to the exchange rate at the time you convert.

I would add that I find these cards do generally offer a better conversion rate than just going to your local exchange shop/travel agent.

Thankyou for your help. I'll have a look at the Caxton card.

I have used the travelex card in a few countries and it works similar. You top it up at whatever the rates are so can work in your favour.

I also have a post office credit card that is a travel one that offers no interest and fee free transactions abroad.

The Revolut is great and offers some of the best rates.

I have a Caxton card also. Got it when DS did a semester in Europe , it was much easier. They didn't charge for an ATM and he could use it when shopping. Just topped it up when he needed it. There was a £5 fee for the second card. It is on the Mastercard network if that is relevant.
Now use it for holidays.
Also had the HAlifax clarity CC but only used it once.

Revolut cars user here too - we go to America in 3 weeks and using it

**card

We've used it to save for spending money - every month we've loaded £200 onto it and then when the rate has been favourable, we've exchanged. The app is really good too.

i used revolut and starling card in the US and worked perfectly

I use a combination of a Revolut card and a Halifax Clarity Credit Card. Revolut is great as you can use it in so many currencies. So far I've used it in Japan, Korea, USA, Aruba, Denmark, Sweden and Netherlands. You can also use it in the UK. You load it with GBP and it converts it into the required currency when you spend on it, and the rate it uses is the interbank rate (I think), so will be the best rate you'll get. You can put any leftover money back into your bank account when you're done too.

I use the Caxton FX card, used it all over the US, Europe and Asia. I like the fact that you don’t have to load it until you’re there. I used to load a certain amount every morning and top up as needed. Meant we had good control over what we spent, wasn’t carrying heaps of cash or having to leave heaps in the hotel safe. Free to use, free to withdraw cash and usually a pretty good rate too.

We use Caxton too. No issues at all. Card is free. App is easy to use too.

I have just returned from holidaying in the states and used the FairFX dollar card. I ordered it with $75 preloaded about 10 days before my holiday, then topped up with more dollars when it was delivered. I topped it up to the total I wanted in dollars, eg $725 to take total up to $800. I then used it when paying for meals out etc and used cash dollars for smaller purchases. Anything I had left on it I spent at the airport on way home, worked perfectly for me.