Prepaid CC

[Ben Jorell]

Sorry if this has been asked before - anuone with experience of using a prepaid credit card just whilst on holiday?

[gpullan]

Hi Ben,

Yes we use the FairFX card loaded with dollars for our USA holidays. Very easy to do, great rate all the time.

You can text a number whilst away and will receive an instant balance update. You can also go online and top the card up while you're away, getting the best rates and not having to use a UK credit card which will be a poor rate and will incur charges.

Also if you want to, you can get cash from ATM's for a small fee.

Finally, we got our dollars from FairFX too, getting top rate and free next day delivery.

They say on the website that there is a £9.95 charge for the card but there are a few sites offering the card for free if you use their link.

Really can't fault it Ben.

[floridadreamvilla.co.uk]

I'll let Roger confirm it, but I'm 99.99% sure none of the car hire companies will accept a prepaid credit card for a deposit when you pick the car up. It may be that you already know this but I thought I'd mention it just in case.

[gpullan]

Yes you're right.

I'm talking spending money Ben not security deposits etc...

[SteveandJan]

Yes you can't put security deposits down on cars but I used one on my last trip to New York and every shop accepted them

[gpullan]

The FairFX is a Mastercard so you can use it pretty much anywhere just as a normal credit card.

[becbecs]

We have Travelex Prepaid Visa Electron cards both US Dollar and Euro one,s (They are called cash passports), really good as have never been refused when using in the US or Europe and no big bills on our return home.

[Lesley S]

friends of ours had a prepaid card from the Building Society, they had no problems using it.

[rogerdunnaker]

Just used FairFX this year ourselves, no problems accepted everywhere. No US charge for cash at a bank but charged at an ATM, UK charge of $2.95 for cash though.

[madhouse2]

I looked into using these as deposits for Alamo but as I thought it isn't possible (which makes sense really)

We've got a FairFX card and a Escape Travel Money Card (via Phones4U) the escape card is free for everything including ATM withdrawls the only drawback I found is if you load via the Post Office you get charged 99p.However what they don't tell you is that is it's 99p per £250 you load up!! That said it's free to load at a Phones4U store and BACS transfer.

On the car deposit front, we don't do credit cards so have been advised we can leave a cash deposit at $200/week.

Mark