It’s always a good idea to carry some cash when you are overseas, not least because many smaller destinations won’t accept digital payments, while it’s always handy for paying tips in local restaurants and bars. But if you are travelling abroad this summer, there are several reasons why you should consider using your Weatherbys debit card in the same way you do at home – whether paying for an alfresco meal, a hotel bill or filling up a hire car.
No card fees
Unlike some banks, Weatherbys does not charge fees for withdrawing cash or making payments overseas. There may be occasions, as in the UK, where a small number of independent cash machine operators charge a transaction fee, but this should be clearly displayed on the screen before you complete the cash withdrawal.
Added protection
The Weatherbys debit card is a secure way of paying and you don’t have to worry about keeping all your cash safe. We monitor all card transactions for fraud 24/7 for 365 days a year. So, if we identify a suspicious transaction, we will check with you to ensure it’s not fraudulent. If necessary, we will block your card, which is another reason to take more than one method of payment when you go overseas. Our debit card also has a feature called ‘Areas of use’ where you can enable or disable different continents depending on whether you are visiting or not. Any transaction in a disabled area will be automatically blocked.
Favourable exchange rates
When you use your Weatherbys debit card to withdraw cash or make a payment in a currency other than sterling, we will convert the amount into sterling on the day the transaction is processed using the Visa exchange rate.
Pay in the local currency, not sterling
If you withdraw foreign cash or pay for items in shops and restaurants using your debit card, it’s almost always best to pay in the local currency, not in pounds sterling. The exchange rate used will be more favourable because there will be no local currency conversion charges applied.
Give yourself payment options
It isn’t a case of cash versus cards when you go on holiday. It makes sense to take a combination of both. There may be occasions when a transaction is declined due to local conditions and so it is always worth having some cash as a safety net. Take more than one card with you too, in case one gets blocked, so you have an instant ‘replacement’ to hand.
Plan ahead to make the most out of your currency
Try to avoid buying your currency at an airport bureau de change as conversion rates will typically be higher than you can get elsewhere. For travellers going to Europe, it can be worth waiting until you have arrived at your destination before taking out any cash. If you use your debit card to withdraw euros from a cash machine while in the UK, the bank operating the machine will set the exchange rate and may charge you for the conversion.
We are here to help
Should you have any questions about using your Weatherbys debit card overseas or any other overseas money matters, please contact your private banking team, who will be more than happy to help.