Same here at the local LeClerc. Fill up and by the time I'm home (5 mins) the pre-auth has gone and been replaced by the actual amount.
Carrefour fuel pumps warning
- Thread starter Monsieur
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This is the balance of my HSBC Global Account as of this morning.
At one fuel station, there was a person at the tea hut. But just as I’ve stuck the nozzle into the tank, she locked it up and gone walkies. Resulting in €160 preauthorisation being necessary.
I do not have the issue with pressurised payments, I understand that it is necessary. But don’t hold it for days on end. Why can’t it be all cleared up by the end of a business day, say 6pm?
At one fuel station, there was a person at the tea hut. But just as I’ve stuck the nozzle into the tank, she locked it up and gone walkies. Resulting in €160 preauthorisation being necessary.
I do not have the issue with pressurised payments, I understand that it is necessary. But don’t hold it for days on end. Why can’t it be all cleared up by the end of a business day, say 6pm?
That's what happens with French cards. On the machine it say you can have up to €130, for example and then bills the actual amount. Never seen money withheld.
Never travel to distant lands, with just one card. As before, a good (no foreign charges) credit card will cope far better than a cash card, except maybe when withdrawing cash from an ATM. For ATM’s and small day-to-day expenses, a cash card is fine.
I have two credit cards, one as a back-up to the other, each kept separately. The additional logic I apply is to have a credit limit high enough to get me home in a hurry in an emergency from just about anywhere in the world, backed by good quality travel insurance. Thankfully, I have never been called upon to use a card in a true emergency…. Touch wood, I never will.
My regular HSBC UK bank credit and debit cards I leave at home. I do though have a picture of both cards with me, meaning I could, if push really came to shove, use either or both for an online emergency purchase.
I have two credit cards, one as a back-up to the other, each kept separately. The additional logic I apply is to have a credit limit high enough to get me home in a hurry in an emergency from just about anywhere in the world, backed by good quality travel insurance. Thankfully, I have never been called upon to use a card in a true emergency…. Touch wood, I never will.
My regular HSBC UK bank credit and debit cards I leave at home. I do though have a picture of both cards with me, meaning I could, if push really came to shove, use either or both for an online emergency purchase.
iPhone wallet has my uk “domestic” cards in so back up my hfx and bcard credit cards when visiting that alternate universe across in yurrup
I do note that when fueling up at Asda their self service pumps also do that pre authorisation business but never an issue with a real credit card
Obviously those foreign devils are out to make biker mates pay dearly for brexit
I’ve had 4 cards with me in the trip.
HSBC GLOBAL MONEY loaded with €250.
HSBC debit
HSBC credit
JOHN LEWIS credit
I never ever travel with just one card. It is a financial suicide. I also have all of said cards in my iPhone’ wallet, should I loose the physical card(s).
Even when I fill up in the UK, it can take up to 48h for the preauthorised payment to clear to an actual value of fuel filled.
HSBC GLOBAL MONEY loaded with €250.
HSBC debit
HSBC credit
JOHN LEWIS credit
I never ever travel with just one card. It is a financial suicide. I also have all of said cards in my iPhone’ wallet, should I loose the physical card(s).
Even when I fill up in the UK, it can take up to 48h for the preauthorised payment to clear to an actual value of fuel filled.
The answer therefore is to use your credit card for the fuel purchases, to negate the angst of the cash card being rendered useless due to holding charges being applied.
Problem solved.
Problem solved.
you are rather dependent on one bank - if they get hacked they you might be fucked, especially as Waitrose aka New Day will charge you 2.75% per transaction/
Get a proper, fee free credit card. Plenty of choices if you look at MSE Travel Money
Revolut for purchases and daily expenses.
Electronic widget for tolls/peage.
Barclaycard for fuel.
Too easy.
Electronic widget for tolls/peage.
Barclaycard for fuel.
Too easy.
You chap are highly spoke off by people I’ve met for you wisdom with all things insurance, breakdown covers, credit cards etc.
I would like to have the ultimate foreign jaunt setup.
So what would (or shall I say have) you got? What do you recommend personally, I know some things might not work for me or somebody else, due to personal circumstances, etc.
I believe it was @Paul Young who has suggested to use Curve to front all of your cards. I am far from an expert in this field, so any suggestions that folks in the know might have, are all welcome.
No thanks, after a fiasco @Doc had experienced on a trip that we were together, I have binned them, account is open but I haven’t used it for over two years now.
We use a Starling debit card as it's commission free and gives a very good rate (sometimes better than mid-market). We did have a Halifax clarity credit card as backup but as we've not had to use it for a few years we've let it lapse. We've other credit cards to use in an emergency. All cards on Google Pay which obviously works the same in France as in the UK.
aaarrrggghhh , progress.
cash works everytime i use it .
cash works everytime i use it .
It might be a good idea to close it down if you never intend to use it again, thus eliminating a potential source of fraud against you.
Personally I've never had any issues with Revolut, although I am aware of the fiasco Doc had with them plus reports of shifty employment practices/zero hours contracts etc.
I may swap to Monzo or similar myself in future, I'm still mulling it over.
Not at a 24 hr fuel pump out of hours (eg weekends, 17:00-08:00, sometimes at lunch times, bank holidays, coffee breaks, etc, etc). Cash these days has been a real PITA for some time now - you've got to get your €s somewhere, how much do we need, what do we do with it when we get back and so on. Even the French are moving away from their beloved cash & cheque books. With plastic you can use the same card(s) in the UK or Euro-land without really thinking about it.
Here is what I use:
Main current account: Nationwide with VISA debit card. Not the premium account so it levies a 3% commission. Back-up use only if others not working/lost.
2nd current account: Kroo - mainly used as an easy access savings account as paid over 5% when opened but dropped a bit since base rate dropped. This has a VISA debit card with no currency fees and free cash withdrawals. Primary source of ATM cash. Rumours that Kroo will start charging for cash withdrawals so might look for an alternative especially as the interest rate is no longer class leading.
Travel credit cards: Halifax Clarity Mastercard opened specifically to be primary travel card. Also registered in Google pay on phone. Virgin Mastercard credit card as legacy of being a former Yorkshire Bank customer. Both have zero currency conversion charges. Used to pay for all fuel & hotels and incidental expenses where cards taken.
Main credit card used in UK: Barclaycard VISA Cashback. Serves as a back-up in foreign. 3% fee.
Last chance saloon: unloved MBNA credit card, previously used to stooze some stuff at 0%. Never used now paid off. This lives in the knee armour pocket of my trousers as I hope a mugger does not take my trousers. This has the 3% fee on currency.
I also take some euros cash as a contingency. This might be some left over from a previous trip or from a local bureau de change. Most has been 200 euros but usually less.
I have never seen the need to have one of these cards you preload. They aren't regulated like bank accounts.
Main current account: Nationwide with VISA debit card. Not the premium account so it levies a 3% commission. Back-up use only if others not working/lost.
2nd current account: Kroo - mainly used as an easy access savings account as paid over 5% when opened but dropped a bit since base rate dropped. This has a VISA debit card with no currency fees and free cash withdrawals. Primary source of ATM cash. Rumours that Kroo will start charging for cash withdrawals so might look for an alternative especially as the interest rate is no longer class leading.
Travel credit cards: Halifax Clarity Mastercard opened specifically to be primary travel card. Also registered in Google pay on phone. Virgin Mastercard credit card as legacy of being a former Yorkshire Bank customer. Both have zero currency conversion charges. Used to pay for all fuel & hotels and incidental expenses where cards taken.
Main credit card used in UK: Barclaycard VISA Cashback. Serves as a back-up in foreign. 3% fee.
Last chance saloon: unloved MBNA credit card, previously used to stooze some stuff at 0%. Never used now paid off. This lives in the knee armour pocket of my trousers as I hope a mugger does not take my trousers. This has the 3% fee on currency.
I also take some euros cash as a contingency. This might be some left over from a previous trip or from a local bureau de change. Most has been 200 euros but usually less.
I have never seen the need to have one of these cards you preload. They aren't regulated like bank accounts.
You probably right. It serves no purpose for me now. TY
Halifax Clarity Credit card has worked perfectly abroad for hotels, tolls and fuel over the last few years......no charges for foreign purchases and a decent exchange rate done on the day of transaction
Also have a Santander Credit Zero held before the Halifax card, which operates the same, no foreign charges. This one as a back up in emergencies as I keep the limits on both cards at £1500
Never used the debit card abroad, just pay the credit card on return
Cash for the food and beer kitty
Also have a Santander Credit Zero held before the Halifax card, which operates the same, no foreign charges. This one as a back up in emergencies as I keep the limits on both cards at £1500
Never used the debit card abroad, just pay the credit card on return
Cash for the food and beer kitty
Here is mine:
1. I separate my home banking and credit cards from my travel life, absolutely.
2. A Halifax Clarity credit card. I actually have two, the credit limits of which I can pool together into one single number, in an emergency. These I keep separate from one another.
3. A Barclays Bank credit card. As with the Halifax card, this does not charge for foreign transactions. This replaced the Post office credit card, which was withdrawn.
4. A Caxton cash card. This I just load up as necessary.
5. A Post Office cash card, as above. Kept separate from the Caxton card.
6. Notes of my UK bank cards, only to be used if the shit really hits the fan.
7. A small bunch of low denomination Euro currency notes and change. This I use only for small transactions and / or say, a taxi.
8. Good Travel and Vehicle Breakdown insurance.
9. Not money but…. A motorway blipper thing. The less you touch your wallet, the less chance you have of losing something.
1. I separate my home banking and credit cards from my travel life, absolutely.
2. A Halifax Clarity credit card. I actually have two, the credit limits of which I can pool together into one single number, in an emergency. These I keep separate from one another.
3. A Barclays Bank credit card. As with the Halifax card, this does not charge for foreign transactions. This replaced the Post office credit card, which was withdrawn.
4. A Caxton cash card. This I just load up as necessary.
5. A Post Office cash card, as above. Kept separate from the Caxton card.
6. Notes of my UK bank cards, only to be used if the shit really hits the fan.
7. A small bunch of low denomination Euro currency notes and change. This I use only for small transactions and / or say, a taxi.
8. Good Travel and Vehicle Breakdown insurance.
9. Not money but…. A motorway blipper thing. The less you touch your wallet, the less chance you have of losing something.
you didn't read what i wrote .....
cash works everytime i use it .
you just have to think a bit more , fill up every 80-120 miles , that way you aren't worried about where to get fuel so you can use the little garage in the village you pass through
euro's , i buy in bulk , and spread it out by how many days i'm away , when i get back ...it goes back into my euro stash , it's not hard.
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