Paying by card in Spain

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We’re off to Spain & I’m wondering what is currently the best way to pay while there.

Gone are the days of travellers cheques 😊

Does anyone have advice for what’s the best choice please - bank debit card, barclaycard, cash or a credit card specifically for travelling?

Plan for a mixture. Plenty of places will be happy to take cards, even for small amounts but others will either be cash only or ask for cash if under a few euros.

Plus a lot of the time the buses don't take cards, it's cash or app/travel pass. It is worth investigating the latter if you plan to use the bus as there are substantial discounts (50 to 75% IME) however apps will either be in Spanish or with unhelpful translation including place names into nonsense. Or it will take a bit of time to track down the exact kiosk or tobacconist to buy the card.

As for which card, look at the Moneysavingexpert guide as charges vary according to card.

The gold standard is a card that gives you the perfect exchange rate without fees and if you don't already have one of these cards you can get one in a few days for the physical card or more or less instantly for the virtual one you can add to your phone wallet.

Worst ones charge a fee per transaction which really adds up if you use for every last coffee, beer, ice cream etc.

On cash, we tend to just hang on to euros left over from last time as we go away 3 or 4 times a year but if you need euros, I first ask around if any friends or family have any I can buy or get 50 to 100 from a UK bureau de change. Or possibly make one cash withdrawal while abroad. I've found in Spain nearly all cash machines even those at banks, charge to withdraw cash, so if you do this, do it once to limit charges. Although if you have a Santander card you can get cash without charges at Spanish Santander machines.

While that sounds like a lot of effort to save a few quid, it's an example of 'look after the pennies and the pounds will look after themselves'

I use a mixture of cash and Halifax Clarity credit card that doesn’t charge a transaction fee. The credit card is on a direct debit to pay in full - I never pay interest.

If you don’t like credit cards there are pre-paid cards but I have never used one.

I use my phone to pay when abroad. I have a Starling account that I top up regularly to minimise the risk of fraud (so if my phone / card gets hacked, I am only ever exposed for around £100).

Starling do a euro account, so when I'm in Europe, I switch to this and it works very well.

It is the most cost effective way I have found to use euros.

I can't remember the lat time I used cash when visiting Spain. Google pay works just fine.

Thank you both for your tips.

It didn’t occur to me about bus / transport apps to consider too so I’ll take a look at these further before we go.

I’ll now get some euros before the trip and take a look at Halifax card & monetsavingexpert.

Thanks again 😎

I use Monzo card.

Second the Starling account (or Revolut; I have both). When I moved to the EU, I opened the Starling account on my phone. Super easy, and I just toggle back to GBP account when I visit the UK. Plus, they’re currently paying 4% interest, so it’s a great earner as well. I have the card, but usually just use the phone to pay.

I’ll take a look at starling & monzo too.

Wouldn’t google pay just be like using your credit card/ debit cards when it comes to charges?

Get Revolut card before you go away. Convert some money directly into euros. Use it everywhere. No charges.

Get no more than €20 out at a local ATM.

I can’t remember the last time I paid with cash in Europe (and I’ve visited 30+ of them), apart from leaving a tip for the person that cleans the room.

The main cards used abroad are Revolut, Monzo, Starling and one of the Halifax ones.

The first three are very easy to open online and you get a virtual card to use on Apple / Google pay and you can pay for a physical card sending.

I assume it varies by location but all the buses we used in our cruise ports last year and on Majorca island were tap on tap off with a debit card.

Make sure if you use an ATM that you decline their conversation, it will try and give you a euro amount which will cost a lot more than your own banks conversion (assuming you are using one of the above).

Using google pay is exactly the same as using your card, so make sure it’s linked to a decent card not just your standard bank account (unless it’s Monzo or Starling).

Mallorca buses use cards but I was in Fuengirola area last year and their buses only do cash. Depends on the area but it’s easy to check online.

Yes, exactly the same. That’s what I meant when I said I use my card - it’s in my Apple wallet so most of the time I use that.

Never had any issues with Monzo. If you use that always select to pay in euros on the card machine then you get the Monzo rate rather than the crappy rate from the shop.

We just use something called travel money on our Halifax debit card where they charge you £7 for a the week and you don’t pay any extra charges for using it, check whether your bank offers the same sort of thing. Saves faffing about with taking new cards out etc.

Tenerife and Mallorca buses have a tap on / tap off system.
Credit and debit cards work. There’s a maximum daily rate which is why they encourage you to tap off so they can count the trips. One card can pay for all passengers.

like other pp mentioned we use Halifax, either on phone or physical card in shops, cafes, supermarkets.

If you don’t want a whole separate bank account open up a Wyse card or Post office foreign currency card, you just put momey into it and it converts into your required currency and you use it like a debit card.

I've just come back from Majorca and used a combination of cash and Monzo. Really easy. As already mentioned just make sure to pick euros not gbp - although not everywhere offered that option.

I've always used a Revolut debit card in Spain, with no fees and no issues

I’ve used Monzo for years- Europe, America etc with no issues. Also take a small amount of cash for tips/taxis

I recently travelled and used Monzo for the first time. It was great - converted everything into £ for me when the transaction notification came through and then when I returned it obviously knew and then sent me a run down of my trip spending. It’s actually a fantastic bank and I really recommend them. Wizz air wouldn’t take it on the plane tho. I have NatWest too and you have to tell the app you are in another country and what dates.

I didn’t take euros that time and didn’t have a problem but it’s definitely easier to have them just in case.

p.s I used Apple Pay but always take my card too just in case

I also have a Halifax clarity card, and take some cash for sun beds, tips, ice creams.

We use Nationwide FlexPlus (no fees abroad) but I do pay an account fee every month, which also includes mobile phone insurance, breakdown cover and travel insurance.

We also take about 30 euros, mainly for carparks in the small town we stay in in Spain. Everywhere else takes cards.

Oh yes, this. If the card machine asks if you want to pay in Euros or GBP, always pick Euros, otherwise you may be charged an unfavourable exchange rate regardless of which card you’re using.