Barclays travel wallet or something else?

[QuebecBagnet]

Dd who is 20yo is going to France in ten days. She’s fretting about the fees for any transactions and I just read about the Barclays travel wallet which looks good as no fees……but am I rigght in thinking maybe the exchange rate they use is worse as they have to make money somewhere?

would revolut be better but if so does she need a card which she might not get in time or can she just use an app and pay via her phone? She has Android ?

If she applies today, she could get a Starling card in time. It's a current account but comes with a debit card that allows worldwide spending with no fees or commission charges.

Then she just transfers her holiday spending money to that account and away she goes.

I’ve been recommended Wise by friends that travel a lot, you transfer money from your usual account to it, can have up to (I think) 10 different currency ‘pots’ and pay no ongoing charges. The rate for the initial transfer are a lot better than banks, post office etc. I think it takes up to 10 days to get the card but you can pay 12 for delivery in just a few days.

I got a Halifax clarity credit card. That didn't have fees. And I think ex hanger rate seemed ok.

A Chase account would open and be in her google pay by the end of the application. Card normally comes a few days later. They use the interbank exchange rate with no fees

I think you might struggle to get a Halifax Clarity or a Chase card in the time available.

Starling is probably the best option.

Get a Revolut card. We use them when abroad

Revout without a question! It's AMAZING! No fees, live stock market currency, we have used it in Krakow, New York, Mexico, Iceland absolutely love it! Wouldn't even think about a 'proper' bank these days for travel!

Ok, we have done the revolut app. She now has a virtual card attached to her google pay wallet which she has made her default card for contactless. I’ve paid £5 for a physical card as well which should be here in time.

stupid question and I’ve looked through the app but can’t see the answer, does she need to transfer money from her bank account to revolut in order to have money on her revolut card to spend? And if so I assume she can either transfer back or use the card in the U.K. if she wants.

Yes! You just transfer what you want onto the card and can send it back just as easily! It really is that simple! I love it.

I don't ever transfer the money into currency pots, I just spend my £ and it auto converts it into the stock market currency (usually a WAY better rate that converting currency and no loss if you don't spend it)

Good luck!

You can also use the card in the UK! Only place that ever declined it was Thomas Cook airways and I'm SURE It's because they made so much on their currency in flight as it was just a MasterCard (think it's visa now) so there was no rationale for refusing to take the card!

Isn’t Revolut only fee free for foreign exchange Monday to Friday? At weekends they charge?

Revolut charge 1-2.5% for conversions at the weekend (saying it is because interbank markets are closed). But presumably it means you should load a pot for the currency you need during the week - then if your spending will be at a weekend it shouldnt be subject to that extra fee. I went with Wise in the end but this is how their ‘pots’ work, they sit on your card until you need to spend in that currency.

Thanks, that’s worth knowing about the weekend thing.