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Post by pas2 on Apr 1, 2016 11:00:15 GMT
I know it's been discussed before but I just can't seem to wrap my head around this. What is the best way for a college student to handle money in London. DD is going on a 2 week trip. They will be doing sightseeing and classes during the day and a play 9 out of the 12 nights there. They are staying at a hostel that provides breakfast/lunch so I guess dinner is on them. DD is not a shopper so I am not worried about that. What is the best way to handle money on this trip? She has two chip cards (Chase Freedom Visa and Capital One Quicksilver). Can I request PINs for these cards? Can they be used easily at an ATM for cash advances? Will she be able to use her credit union debit card at an ATM?
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julieb
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 2,845 
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Post by julieb on Apr 1, 2016 11:20:54 GMT
My sons (one studied in Wales and the other in Ireland), had Capital One cards. No fees for the currency exchange. I'm not sure what Chase has. They used those for emergency or airline ticket purchases. They also had their Bank of America debit cards, which is linked with Barclays in the UK. They would withdraw cash that way. See if your bank is linked to any UK banks for is in the Global ATM Alliance.
They did take some pounds with them. You don't want them stuck without some cash. However, please advise your dd of getting in a taxi. Make sure they are a legit taxi (google it, not sure what color they should be). My DS ended up with a very expensive taxi ride.
I thought all chip cards had PINS? I would also invest $10-12 in a credit card protection wallet. I just purchased one for our travels.
She's going to have a blast!!! |
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Post by Basket1lady on Apr 1, 2016 11:23:51 GMT
We were there 2 years ago. We used our chip cards for purchases, but our regular ATM card to get cash. I did use more cash than expected, but not a lot. Most places I just paid with my chip card. But for small purchases, cash was nice. I did order some pounds from our bank. There was a fee, but I just didn't want to get over there with nothing in hand, just in case the cards didn't work, I couldn't find an ATM... something. I think it took 2 days for our bank to get the money.
I'd call the bank and let them know she will be traveling in London so that they don't flag her cards. They can tell you if there are any transaction or exchange fees. Some banks will charge to exchange from pounds to dollars. That's the biggest issue and the thing that will spend her money for no good reason!
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Post by gar on Apr 1, 2016 12:50:11 GMT
"They did take some pounds with them. You don't want them stuck without some cash. However, please advise your dd of getting in a taxi. Make sure they are a legit taxi (google it, not sure what color they should be). My DS ended up with a very expensive taxi ride."
As far as taxis are concerned I would definitely recommend a London Black Cab/Taxi. They aren't all necessarily black these days but are the iconic shape and they are inspected, regulated etc and display the fare as you go along.
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scrappinmama
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,877
Jun 26, 2014 12:54:09 GMT
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Post by scrappinmama on Apr 1, 2016 12:53:53 GMT
Definitely have some cash on hand. When dh was taking the train from the airport to his hotel, the train broke down. The conductor said that everyone can wait for a long time for a bus to pick them all up, or they could find their own transportation. Everyone got out of the train and dh followed. Unfortunately, he did not have cash, and that was all the cab would accept. He had to drag around his luggage until he found an ATM machine. Lesson learned there. Always have a small amount of cash with you.
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Post by hollymolly on Apr 1, 2016 14:14:51 GMT
Definitely call both card companies and your bank (that the debit card is from) and tell them she will be in London. I planned to primarily use one of my debit cards and my credit card when I was there last year. My bank forgot to flag my account when I called them, and so after my first ATM stop at the airport, they put a hold on my card. If I didn't have the back up credit card, I would have been in trouble. I was able to get it straightened out later that day, but when it happened, it was still 4 am at home and I had several ours before the bank opened.
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Post by SnowWhite on Apr 1, 2016 14:44:00 GMT
I thought all chip cards had PINS?
I have three chip cards (two from my credit union and one from Capital One) and I don't think I have PINS for any of them. Well I have a debit card PIN, but that's not the same as the chip pin is it? |
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julieb
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 2,845
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Post by julieb on Apr 1, 2016 17:57:01 GMT
I thought all chip cards had PINS?
I have three chip cards (two from my credit union and one from Capital One) and I don't think I have PINS for any of them. Well I have a debit card PIN, but that's not the same as the chip pin is it?
You're right. I do have a new chip credit card that does not require a PIN. My Target cc does require a PIN. I do believe I heard that when you use a credit card in Europe and your card has a chip it, their system requires a PIN. Could be wrong. We were in Spain, Switzerland and Italy two years ago and our Capital One did not have the chip yet (and still doesn't). We are headed to Italy in the fall and need to check into that.
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Post by melodyesch on Apr 1, 2016 18:47:48 GMT
The US Chip cards are not the same as the European Chip And Pin cards. The pin for the US cards is just if you want to take cash out, which you should never do with a credit card, only a debit card. European Chip and Pin cards require a pin to purchase anything. You insert your card and enter your pin. But US credit cards don't have that capability. Even if it has a chip, it will still have to be signed. So essentially, US Chip cards are Chip And Signature.
I would have her take the 2 credit cards she has for purchases and her debit card to get cash out. Keep the 2 credit cards separate so if one gets stolen the other one isn't with it. If she doesn't get pounds before she goes, she should head for the ATM when she arrives at the airport and get out cash.
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Post by mom2jnk on Apr 1, 2016 19:31:26 GMT
Definitely call both card companies and your bank (that the debit card is from) and tell them she will be in London. I planned to primarily use one of my debit cards and my credit card when I was there last year. My bank forgot to flag my account when I called them, and so after my first ATM stop at the airport, they put a hold on my card. If I didn't have the back up credit card, I would have been in trouble. I was able to get it straightened out later that day, but when it happened, it was still 4 am at home and I had several ours before the bank opened. DD and I were just in London last week. I second the advice by hollymolly to call your credit card companies and bank in the week before your DD departs to notify them that she will be in London. We did that and had zero issues.
Your DD should have no problems using her chip enabled credit cards in London. She does not need a pin for them. The credit card terminals are just like our chip enabled terminals here; slide the card into the slot, write your signature. All the restaurants had small hand held credit card terminals which the servers brought to our tables, so our cards never left our sight. I really appreciated that.
She should NOT use her credit cards to get cash. It will most likely be considered a "cash advance" and be subject to hefty fees. She should use her bank debit/ATM card to get cash at the airport. Do not use the currency exchange places...they also impose heavy fees. The ATMs in the city seemed to be two different kinds...ones that did not charge additional fees and those that did. Tell her to watch carefully which ATM she uses. But, there are ATMs everywhere in London. We never had a problem finding one.
You may want to invest in an RFID blocking wallet or credit card holder for her, along with a good crossbody bag. Most people we saw in the city had crossbody bags, rather than wristlets or shoulder strap purses. It is much more secure.
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scrappinmama
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,877
Jun 26, 2014 12:54:09 GMT
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Post by scrappinmama on Apr 1, 2016 20:13:13 GMT
You really should call your credit card company any time you travel. I have had my card denied because I used it in Florida, but don't live in Florida. Just an FYI.
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caangel
Drama Llama
Posts: 5,458
Location: So Cal
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Post by caangel on Apr 2, 2016 5:55:45 GMT
At least one of my cards I can indicate travel dates and location through my online account no need to call.
Safe travels!
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Post by pas2 on Apr 2, 2016 9:25:24 GMT
Thanks everyone, had a long talk with our credit union and they said London is one of the locations they "block" regularly so I need to request them to "not block" her card for the two weeks there. They said to make sure she has PINs for the credit cards for a back up. Glad to know she won't have trouble with the chip/signature thing. I will make sure she knows to not use a taxi unless it's the last resort. Thanks for reminding me about the card protection pouches, I've been meaning to buy a few anyhow.
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