How do you take your money to France. What is the safest?

[Moley1]

Hello all
We are off to France in July and don't want to take hundreds of pounds of Euros. What is the safest way to be able to do this these days? Do people still use travellers cheques or is there a more sensible method?

Many thanks

Dave

 

[Wigandiver]

We take about 100 euros, or what is left from last time, our Nationwide Credit Card to pay for "stuff", (without charges), and our Nationwide Flex Card to get cash from the hole in the wall. We get charged for this, but not exorbitantly, and we get a very good rate of exchange.
Some folks use a pre loaded card, but we are happy with our arrangement.
Jim.

 

[carper2]

We take about 100 euros, or what is left from last time, our Nationwide Credit Card to pay for "stuff", (without charges), and our Nationwide Flex Card to get cash from the hole in the wall. We get charged for this, but not exorbitantly, and we get a very good rate of exchange.
Some folks use a pre loaded card, but we are happy with our arrangement.
Jim.

We do exactly the same, I am just deciding where to get my 100 euro from as we go next Tuesday 22nd.

Les

 

[chrisbee1]

I do exactly as above, tending to use my CC for everything I possibly can. No charges and good exchange rate.

 

[ValA.]

We do similarly - about 100 euros, plus any cash we have left from last time, then use a debit card for withdrawals of cash, but pay for everything else with our Nationwide credit card, paying the bill on line when it needs to be paid to avoid any interest payment.s

 

[Jennifer2]

We now use the Halifax Clarity credit cards all the time, we have an account each. We pay with it when possible, and take cash out on it as there is no charge apart from the interest. This is minimal as we have the 12.99% rate, so about £1 per month per £100 withdrawn. it will depend on statement dates etc. It works out less expensive that NW for us, now they have started charging.

We sometimes have a few euros left from the previous year, but we don't buy any euros in UK, just withdraw at our first stop.

On our current 2 month trip we have had to withdraw a lot more than usual.....1520 euros so far...as many sites, shops and fuel stations in Italy, Austria and Germany have not accepted credit cards. So far we have paid about £5 interest, but I expect that to end up at around £12-£15 eventually.
We also have the NW Gold credit card as back up, and leave £200 in our NW Flex account in case of problems with Halifax. And as a very last resort have (expensive to use) other credit and debit cards.

As Halifax account holders, we get £5 "cashback" on each credit card account if we spend £300+ in a month, easy to do when on holiday! With a bit of forward planning of purchases even at home, we have had £5 each every month since we got the cards about 18 months ago, which more than covers any interest charges.
We always pay in full every month and have DDs set up so we don't need to do anything other than ensure there is enough in our current account to cover everything.

 

[RayS]

Personally, I carry rather more than 100 euros in cash, particularly as on-the-spot fines are becoming increasingly frequent in France and Spain sometimes for dubious reasons and not to be able to pay these would be a great inconvenience particularly when towing. Also, it is not unknown for the tollbooths to 'loose' their computer systems for several hours meaning that cash is the only possibility.
You can, of course, hide such 'emergency money' in the car and not carry it on your person

 

[BigTim]

We take a small amount of Euro cash to tide us over until we get to a cash machine. We then get more cash from cash machines using our Nationwide debit card which gives a good rate. For most major purchases we use our Nationwide and Post Office Credit cards which do not have added charges for Continental use are accepted all over Europe including toll booths and self-service fuel pumps. Even Lidl takes credit cards in France!!
Tim

 

[smiley]

Generally I take mine in my purse. LOL

But on a more sombre note, If we have run out our first port of call is Auchan cash machine, I get out the full amount about 350 euros..
and as above use the nationwide credit card for purchases.. Recently went to belgium and with the rate good got out 2 lots ready for summer.

 

[emmerson]

We had our cards cloned two years ago, so are now wary of out-of-the-way machines. If at all possible, we draw cash either over the counter or use machines inside the bank premises.I always draw the max, which I think is €300, and split it between us,and have €100 or so hidden in the van
Btw, I had no pounds at all when we returned this time, so changed €80 on the ferry. All I got was £50!!! Be warned! .

 

[smiley]

We just keep ours until next time never change back.

If you do change back its always been the same rip off.

 

[TD42]

we have taken out the SAGA platinum credit card which you can use for any thing even cash withdrawals there is a withdrawal charge of 2% for cash but no interest charges IF you arrange for a direct debit to pay in full the account each month
we also have the Nationwide flex acc debit card & credit card as a back up the flex acc debit card can be used to withdraw cash with a 2% charge plus a £1 withdrawal fee,there are no charges for the use of the credit card except for cash advances
the exchange rates on these cards is extreemly good,much better than buying Euros from Banks ect

 

[JonnyG]

we used to have a nationwide cash card in the good old days of no charges and indeed the exchange rate was good. but with the charges and fees they use today, i am not prepared to loose £3 per £100 at each cash withdrawal, as nationwide would need to give an exchange rate of 5 cents better than anyone elses, which these days it does not. we take cash around 500 euro's in each of our two cases. and about 600 euros between us in her purse and my wallet. wife carrys C/card where we load about £500 into it upfront.
before we travel we check who is giving the best exchange rate nearby, over the years we have used a wide range from post office to american express office to thompsons to the co op ect ect. As no one seems to be always giving the best rate year in year out.
note at this moment we can get 1.22 euro's to the pound would like to know if anyone can get 1.27 from a card for cash 2 pionts above the offical exchange rate, if so then i still have time to get a nationwide card......

 

[ValA.]

I can't see the point in pre-loading a credit card - you don't pay commission on purchases on our card, so we use it to buy anything more than just a coffee and a couple of drinks - we pay for all our restaurant spending, shopping, fuel, campsite fees (if not using Camping Cheques) and anything else with our credit card and then pay it off as soon as it's due so it doesn't incur any interest. Nationwide are offering the inter-bank rate, at whatever that is on the day. We've been getting more than 1.25 on some days this holiday compared to the 1.21 we could have bought euros at before leaving.
As far as cash withdrawals go, if you only use cash for small purchases like we do you don't actually need much in the way of euros so the fees don't mount up to much at all.

 

[JonnyG]

hi Val, we load the wifes visa card because in the past we might have been away for 4 weeks and come back to interest charges,ok not great amounts but we dont play nor have we ever played the borrow and payback game, thats how we are,we dont entirely trust the electronic banking age, and as we pay for things in france luxembourg germany austria and italy as a rule. if something goes a miss,card stops working it can happen with any card,and then there is the issue using it in so many countries and places, finding out someones been enjoying your money on your return home or even maxed it out whilst you still needed to use it and regardless of if you are protected, its the hassle and inconvience of it especially whilst on holiday. So we use cash, credit card is for back up or is brought out for use sparringly at good restuarants or buying of clothes..... oh well no nationwide flex card for me then like i said you need 5 cent difference to make up for the charges per £100

. oh and dont forget "apparently" we as a nation because we dont actually physically handle money anymore everything done with swiping cards these days we are loosing our ability to controll what we spend.......maybe that applies to the youngar folk..