Currensea Card

[franko77]

Hi all

I was looking at the best option to use as a fee free card when in Florida, I was petty set on Monzo until I discovered this on Money Supermarket, just wondered if anyone had used it before, was it easy enough and accepted in most places?
TIA

Link if it helps anyone else...

moneysupermarket/pre...AV ELCARDEURO

[loves2plan]

We have a Halidax Calrity credit card that we use when over there, but I've also read that Startling are really good and fee free. We've all got Starling accounts, so will try that next time too.

[nickand]

i use revolut and monzo. Revolut for saving up my dollars in the savings vault with interest and Monzo for paying at gas pump. Also have a revolut junior for my daughter to save up her money and use out there. No fees with Revolut unless you want to take out a lot of cash out there! I get cash here to use for tips.

[dan223]

Looks like there is a 0.50% mark up on the interbank rate.
I use halifax clarity for a credit card, you get the actual interbank rate plus the added protection of being a card. I have a starting bank account if I need to take cash out or if something happens to the clarity card

[mouskevik]

We use Starling, I transfer a daily amount from my current account when abroad so there's never too much on there at one time.

You get the MasterCard exchange rate and I've used the card in four countries so far.

The app is brilliant, really clear and whenever you spend you get a push notification of the amount in the local currency and GBP.

[swintonowl]

Looks like currensea is better than a high street bank but still wouldn’t beat Revolut, starling or wise due to the 0.5% conversion fee above interbank.

With Revolut and wise you can also keep a balance in dollars so exchange it when the rate is good.

I also use Halifax clarity for big purchases.

If you want cash then find a WAWA gas station as they don’t charge to withdraw (mostly every other ATM does).

[franko77]

I do have Revolut and have a lot of issues with it in the past so its put me off quite a bit.

I am only going to use it for purchases & travel, quite like the look of the Starling one as it goes, has anyone got experience of using it on Uber, Bolt or Lyft?

[dan223]

Originally Posted by franko77

I do have Revolut and have a lot of issues with it in the past so its put me off quite a bit.

I am only going to use it for purchases & travel, quite like the look of the Starling one as it goes, has anyone got experience of using it on Uber, Bolt or Lyft?

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Starling is basically a current account, so using it is no different than using a card with any bank.

[swintonowl]

Originally Posted by dan223

Starling is basically a current account, so using it is no different than using a card with any bank.

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Except most high street banks charge you a mark up and fee. Starling don’t and neither do many of the other challenger banks such as Chase.

If you have a ‘legacy’ bank account then currensea can help you avoid this but with starling you’re in a better position anyway.

[delboybloomer]

Originally Posted by franko77

I do have Revolut and have a lot of issues with it in the past so its put me off quite a bit.

I am only going to use it for purchases & travel, quite like the look of the Starling one as it goes, has anyone got experience of using it on Uber, Bolt or Lyft?

See more...

With Revolut, you have to make sure you have the security settings set up correctly. particularly if you dont do roaming with your phone. you need to turn OFF location based security and turn ON swipe based payments.

Once these are set up I have never had issues using abroad.