[Obi-Wan is lost...]

I've got to pay for a gite in Font on a visa card and am trying to get the best exchange rate. Does anyone know how to find out which banks offer the best exchange rate? I used Lloyds to pay for the deposit but got a pretty bad rate plus a £1 charge. We could use HSBC, First Direct, Lloyds or Egg, or possibly Barclaycard.

Any to avoid or are they all as bad as each other?

[tomtom]

look up their T&C's on the web... MrsT uses barclays and they hammer her for a fee and exchange rate, I use halifax and just get the exchange rate.. who knows!

[moodyboy]

 Travelex - could be an option.The cash passport has a visa symbol on it. So I presume you can use it in the same way.

http://www.travelex.co.uk/uk/default.aspx

[Paul B]

Moneysavingexpert have some comparisons of cards and charges, if thats any help?

I set up a nationwide account for this kind of thing, they knocked it down to a cashcard, they then removed the very reasons I took it out in the first place.

[Jim]

what Paul said above.I got nationwide credit card just for using abroad

[Paul B]

what Paul said above.I got nationwide credit card just for using abroad

I seem to remember Abbey Zero being the other option.

[Jim]

I think it was santandear which my misses has

[psychomansam]

There's a whole section about it on

http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/travel/cheap-travel-money

[slackline]

Consumer Focus submit super-complaint to OFT over complex foreign exchange charges

[Paul B]

Has anyone used the Monarch euro cash style cards?

http://www.monarchcard.co.uk/travel-money-products/eurozone-card.html

We've booked flights to Spain (incidentally, Manc -> Barc with Monarch is very cheap at the minute and includes baggage), and details on this cash card came through.

It seems if you used it like a debit card, then the cost of doing so would be very low? I'm guessing they sting you if you choose to use it in the UK. Even ATM withdrawls are flat rate unlike our bank who charge a fee then a percentage.