Carrefour fuel pumps warning

[EVskiy]

Why does HSBC Global Money account take such an age to clear the payment. I loathe this system.
I used the card in France on 21st of May at around 14:30.
Preauthorised payment of €150 for sub €32 worth of fuel as I have missed the kiosk lady by a few minutes whilst waiting at the back of the que, this preauthorisation it is still hanging there waiting to get cleared.



Any alternatives out there that give you good exchange rate from sterling. I mean cards that you load up with cash, and exchange when the rate is favourable?
I know proper Travel CC has been recommended (which one again?), but then you not getting the true exchange rate.
I suppose I can used the CC solely for filling up and robotic PFS. So the exchange rate difference would be marginal, and use my HSBC card for all other in person payments.

 

[er-minio]

Because it's HSBC.

Any alternatives out there that give you good exchange rate from sterling. I mean cards that you load up with cash, and exchange when the rate is favourable?

Wise.
I opened a Wise account a million years ago. And for ages I only used it for the Telepeage direct debit.
Then I got the card after being fleeced at a cash machine in Spain. So I can load the card with Euros and use it at cash machines in Europe. Some of them, if there is no value conversion, charge zero.
I don't do this that much, but it's good to have the option.

Exchange rates are very good. To be fair Monzo does almost exactly the same exchange rates when they convert from GBP when you use your card abroad.
I generally use Monzo for euro payments when away, use the Wise card those rare cases I'm withdrawing at the cash machine. Charge/Credit cards for anything else.

I've also been using Wise as a normal account (that is not - Wise is not a bank) in the last couple of years, managing euro balances and using it for all the payments I am managing currently in Italy (I do not have bank accounts in Italy) and works extremely well. It also does instant wire transfers in Italy, where wire transfers would usually take days because they live in the stone age banking-wise (pun intended).
It is really good. Give it a go.



Regarding HSBC: keep in mind that the app might show that value still, but it might not be accounted for (you could charge the card if you want).

 

[NeilDD]

Starling account works well EV.
Pre auth's usually sorted in under 5 min's
Spot rate rather than tourist rate for exchanges

 

[EVskiy]

Starling account works well EV.
Pre auth's usually sorted in under 5 min's
Spot rate rather than tourist rate for exchanges

Interesting Neil, I bank with Starling where business is concerned. Will look into it. Thank you.

 

[Berin]

Why does HSBC Global Money account take such an age to clear the payment. I loathe this system.
I used the card in France on 21st of May at around 14:30.
Preauthorised payment of €150 for sub €32 worth of fuel as I have missed the kiosk lady by a few minutes whilst waiting at the back of the que, this preauthorisation it is still hanging there waiting to get cleared.

View attachment 412294

Any alternatives out there that give you good exchange rate from sterling. I mean cards that you load up with cash, and exchange when the rate is favourable?
I know proper Travel CC has been recommended (which one again?), but then you not getting the true exchange rate.
I suppose I can used the CC solely for filling up and robotic PFS. So the exchange rate difference would be marginal, and use my HSBC card for all other in person payments.

Caxton Fx pre load card. Only problem with using a pre load card for fuel/hotel reservations etc. is you have to have enough cash on the account to cover you.

 

[EVskiy]

Caxton Fx pre load card. Only problem with using a pre load card for fuel/hotel reservations etc. is you have to have enough cash on the account to cover you.

So how is it different to HSBC Preload account card that I already have? :nanau

I also have Revolut account, but haven’t used it since 2022, when Doc has been hacked and money taken, it took him an age to get it back.
Once again not to dissimilar to my HSBC account, just knowing that it is HSBC, I’ve a little bit more protection compared to Revolut.

 

[NeilDD]

EV,
Just had a look at my Starling account (Which may differ from your business account) and you can setup a saving space for your travels, then only use that space when your out and about for payments etc

 

[Redboots]

So how is it different to HSBC

I know its UK based, but it is Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation
Yellow critters get everywhere.

 

[EVskiy]

I know its UK based, but it is Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation
Yellow critters get everywhere.

I knew that!

 

[Redboots]

I knew that!

And you still bank with them

 

[EVskiy]

Aye, for over 22 years . Also have a first direct account.

 

[wessie]

Just get a fecking Halifax Clarity Credit Card

 

[jefformston]

Just back from France after 5 nights away. Each and every (unmanned) fuel station had a preauthorisation of anywhere between €120 & €200 whilst only filling up with €35-€40 worth of fuel. The latter was a killer for two straight days, meaning I had to use my credit card for all other transactions, whilst racking up non sterling fees and less than favourable exchange rates.
Whatever happened to good old tea huts and even older attendants.

Change your credit card, RBS/NatWest, Nationwide, Halifax all offer cards that incur no charges in Europe and you also get the interbank exchange rate.

 

[twizzle]

So much angst…

I have two credit cards (one visa one MC) that bit is important - both have £20k limits

I sail through France laughing at pre authorised payments….

Job done

 

[EVskiy]

So much angst…

I have two credit cards (one visa one MC) that bit is important - both have £20k limits

I sail through France laughing at pre authorised payments….

Job done

I have credit cards too. That’s not the point from my perspective.

My point being, is that I wish to use the cash I have allocated for the trip, by means of using a bank account card that does not charge me foreign transaction fees as well as giving me market exchange rate.

For example with my HSBC card, I can change from Sterling to Euro a day before I travel or any amount of time before and/or during my travels, so that I could benefit from it. Ok it makes hardly any difference when changing couple of hundred £££, but sure does add up on say £3 for longer trips or for when I know I have multiple trips in a year.

I have used credit cards last year. Whether it is a prepayment account, regular bank account or indeed a credit card account, they all get preauthorised payments at the pump, unless there is a person in a tea hut willing to take your payment, I always go for option two. Because as it was last year, I’ve accumulated 3 prepayment authorisations, which essentially locked my allocated for the trip funds. I wasn’t able to pay for anything anywhere despite having €500 allocated for a short 3 night get away. The preauthorisations ranging anywhere from €120-€200. It too took a long time to clear, well over 48h, which forced me to use my credit card, shit exchange rate and foreign transaction fees.

Ultimately I’d like a credit card that does not.

• charge foreign transaction fee
• allow you to withdraw a little cash without a penalty fee and/or charging interest.
• Gives you current FX rate without charging you for it.
• A credit limit of £5k would suffice for most of my jaunts.

PS. What Visa MC are important. I’ve never thought it mattered. It like shopping at Asda and Tesco from my perspective. Both do same thing, just different branding label.

 

[Wapping]

Why does HSBC Global Money account take such an age to clear the payment. I loathe this system.

Pre-authorised fuel pump debits and hotel pre-authorisations (along with delays over them clearing) have been a fact of life for several years. Cash and credit cards all take a while to clear pre-authorised payments. Whether HSBC’s Global Money card is slower (or faster) than others, I have no idea. To remove the problem, use a credit card instead, limiting the cash card’s use to ‘fixed price’ transactions and / or obtaining cash from an ATM.

There are lots of recommendations as to which credit card is best. I have three:

1. A Halifax Clarity card.

2. A second Halifax Clarity card, with a separate credit limit. In the event of a real emergency, I can add the credit limit of card one, to that of card two.

3. A Barclays credit card, which (like the Halifax card) does not levy transaction fees. Pooling card one, with card two with card three, will give me a bit under £30,000 of instant credit. This figure is more than enough for any really serious emergency when abroad, which is all that is important.

I keep the three cards separately, in case I lose my wallet. Each card is linked to an app on my phone, so I can lock or freeze a card if I want to.

For ATM’s and ‘fixed price’ transactions, I use my HSBC Global Money card, backed by a separate Caxton card. Again, I keep these separately. These two are also on app’s on my phone.

I leave my regular ‘every day’HSBC debit and credit cards at home. I do not take them on holiday with me. In other words, I keep my travel costs / expenses, separately from those at home.

 

[EVskiy]

Pre-authorised fuel pumps and hotel pre-authorisations, have been a fact of life for several years. Cash and credit cards all take a while to clear pre-authorised payments. Whether HSBC’s Global Money card is slower (or faster) than others, I have no idea. To remove the problem, use a credit card instead, limiting the cash card’s use to ‘fixed price’ transactions and / or obtaining cash from an ATM.

There are lots of recommendations as to which credit card is best. I have three:

1. A Halifax Clarity card.

2. A second Halifax Clarity card, with a separate credit limit. In the event of a real emergency, I can add the credit limit of card one, to that of card two.

3. A Barclays credit card, which (like the Halifax card) does not levy transaction fees. Pooling card one, with card two with card three, will give me a bit under £30,000 of instant credit. This figure is more than enough for any really serious emergency when abroad, which is all that is important.

I keep the three cards separately, in case I lose my wallet. Each card is linked to an app on my phone, so I can lock or freeze a card if I want to.

For ATM’s and ‘fixed price’ transactions, I use my HSBC Global Money card, backed by a separate Caxton card. Again, I keep these separately. These two are also on app’s on my phone.

I leave my regular ‘every day’HSBC debit and credit cards at home. I do not take them on holiday with me. In other words, I keep my travel costs / expenses, separately from those at home.

Thank you Richard.

I’ve looked at Barclays card yesterday as recommended by Martin Lewis. However I am not eligible for it.
Following my wife loosing her job last May and not being able to gain another until early December, and my workload last year not being as I was hoping, meant that we had to use some savings as well as our credit cards to pay the bills etc. this naturally has affected our credit scores, not least as being married, this does link us both on our credit profiles.

 

[stever1]

Some banks can be a nightmare. In general I’ve been happy using Santander bank. However, when I go away I use there credit card and had a pre authorise request in France which caused them aright tizz.
I got a text message about fraud activity when trying to fuel up. Pump wouldn’t authorise so I pushed my bike to the side of the garage and rang them.
15 minutes later finally got it sorted. Happened again twice during my trip. Funnily, all 3 garages happened to be TOTAL stations.
Oh, and the bank won’t issue a second card so I have a spare.

 

[Wapping]

Oh, and the bank won’t issue a second card so I have a spare.

Apply for a separate card from a different bank. Most will dish out a suitable card for free, using nothing more than an online application. I got a Nat West credit card (no fees and some cash back) for my 90 year old mother for her holiday in Madeira. On her return, I simply used an app to close it, until it’s (hopefully) needed again.

 

[er-minio]

My point being, is that I wish to use the cash I have allocated for the trip, by means of using a bank account card that does not charge me foreign transaction fees as well as giving me market exchange rate.

For example with my HSBC card, I can change from Sterling to Euro a day before I travel or any amount of time before and/or during my travels, so that I could benefit from it. Ok it makes hardly any difference when changing couple of hundred £££, but sure does add up on say £3 for longer trips or for when I know I have multiple trips in a year.

A simple solution if you want to operate this way could be: Monzo.

I find that the exchange rate they apply is fairly good. Considering most of us do not spend 20+ k per trip in cash spendings, there is probably no need to exchange all the money at once in advance as the FX fluctuation would be minimal.

Dump the allocated money (in GBP) onto a Monzo accunt (I assume non of us are using Monzo as primary bank account) and just set up a 1k or something overdraft for those rare cases you might go over. If you shift the money back same day there is no charges.

Apart from withdrawing cash, IMHO this is sorts out almost everything with no drama.