Sorry probably a stupid question..but..
When you say charged..do you mean the price you were charged for the Turkish Lira..not the bank charges??
If so..then the rate you got was excellent..I just hope HBOS offer the same rate when we go there next month

Hi Chris
Is there a flat £1.50 charge with Nationwide too? I have always been charged this when I have used my card at the ATMs abroad. I am with the HBOS though.
Thanks

There are no additional bank charges Mys123 with a nationwide flex account. I opened the account specifically and only for abroad travel so there are no charges. The rates I got from my holiday in Turkey this year were 2.41 Turkish Lira to the pound. This was great as in resort it was at 2.3 and went down to 2.21 so I was very happy to get that bit extra

the great thing with the Nationwide Flexaccount is that the use of the card is free abroad - as is their credit card for purchases, no loading that you get with bank cards (remember Nationwide is a building society not a bank - it doesnt have shareholders and that's why it can pass on this to its members as a benefit of having their current account). you will definately be charged using an HBOS card.

Also Nationwide use the commercial exchange rate rather than tourist, so you get a better rate there too.

As I said the free use of the card abroad is a perk of the current account. if you are only using the card to use abroad then who do you do your full current account banking with? do you really want to use a bank that fleeces you for drawing out your own money abroad? I know I dont and that's why I use the Nationwide account for my full current account too.

just checked my Nationwide statement and it appears that the rates got better towards the end of the holiday.
for example
11 sept 200 lira = £93.72
17 sept 200 lira = £88.27
last figure gives an exchange rate of 2.26 to the pound, in resort , Bitez, best offered on street was 2.21
So, no charges and a better rate. No more TC's for me.

Thanks everyone. Must look into opening an account.

no charge for using the card abroad

del i got a bit better for my 200 lira than you, seems like the exchange did get better towards the end of the holiday.

have to say that i was well chuffed with the exchange rate.

off to load it up, now in time for my holiday to tenerife (that pesky euro)

They're brilliant rates..even with a £1.50 bank charge its still cheaper than the travel agents here..I just paid £101.80 for 205 Lira at Thomson.

Mys123

Nationwide debit card is free to use abroad, but there is a charge on their credit cards, we always use our nationwide debit card abroad and have never been charged.

lazyladee, there is no £1.50 charge.
The rate you see is the rate you pay!

and so far as Nationwide is a building society with no shareholders it does not appear to have the problems affecting so many banks, fingers crossed !!

Hiya,

def worth using your nationwide flex account... i got 2.38 lira to the pound compared to the exchange rate of 2.148 while we were there and the 2.08 that we got at m&s before going :~)

you lucky bugger myra!!!

love nikki xx

there is only a charge to use the Nationwide credit card if you draw cash off it at an ATM - then you pay the cash advance fee, if you use it for purchases i.e. in shops, restaurants etc then there is no charge

best deal is to use your flexaccount card for cash withdrawals and your credit card for your purchases.

Also there are no current problems with the Nationwide as far as the credit crunch situation is concerned. They stayed a mutual and it seems to be paying off for them - good prudent lending book apparently too.

right i'm rubbish at maths

can anyone work out what exchange rate i was getting.

Chris

You got 2.26 for the first transaction, and 2.28 for the other two.

thank you

told you my maths was naff.

my friend was getting 2.15 for cash

hopefully the ATM and Nationwide message is getting through! And keep away from the change offices...robbing barstewards!!!!!

Yes, I am definitely going to open an account before we go away next time, saves getting charged every time I take money out.

Mmm I will take a look too. I have always used travellers cheques in the past. Well in US anyway, think I took cash to Turkey.

If you don't thake card what is the best alternative?

ruth