Travel Money vs ATM

flegg

flegg

New Member
Hi All

I wonder if regular Ibiza goers/Residents could give some advice.

I'm travelling to Ibiza in july, and I'm wondering if I should order all my cash as euro's and take it with me, or if I should order one of the following:

https://www.weswap.com/en/learn-more/

This is a pre-paid Mastercard which purchases currency off people who want to convert your needed currency into your current currency, essentially to swap money with someone else which allows higher exchange rates.

According to their website, you will not get charged for withdrawing more than £200/€250 each time.

https://www.weswap.com/en/help/general/how-much-does-it-cost-to-use-my-weswap-prepaid-mastercard/

My question is, will the Ibiza banks still charge you for essentially using a UK prepaid card with withdraw cash out? So regardless of "swap" not charging you, the bank still will?

If this is the case, then I'm guessing the same would be for my actual UK debit card. So taking euros would be better?

Thanks all!

Dave
 
Last year I got stung by pressing with conversion on withdrawal and it cost me real bad. Also another point is I thought loads of ATMs were broke but in fact actually were empty which was a pain. I will still be taking pre paid card but also a larger amount in cash and will remember to press without conversion
 
I always take a pre paid travel card + cash - pretty sure you don't get charged for withdrawing money on one of these cards
 
Last year I took a pre-card by Moneycorp. I always drew at the local currency. Didn't charge me to draw my money out. Good rates I found as well.
 
I always enough euros with me to get going.

Once I run out, I start using ATM's and there's plenty of them about in Ibiza! They are all multi lingual so can be understood by most. The downside is you are charged about €2 or so when using them. Also, the ATM will ask you if you want to accept their exchange rate or get your own bank to do it. I always get my own bank to work out the rates though have been told its a gamble anyway.

One tip though, try and use those ATM's within the banks themselves rather than those dotted about on walls in streets.

If using your cards in shops, some ask if you want to pay in pounds or euros.
 
I always take a mixture of euro's and my credit/debit card.

My debit card has commision free foreign currency withdrawls and the rate was very competitive the last time I used it in Spain, better than what the exchange shops were offering.

I use my credit card to pay for any purchases or meals over say €80, again it's a credit card with no surcharges for using overseas.

ALWAYS pay in Euro's when using cards, otherwise you get shafted by the merchants conversion rate which is almost always quite a bit worse than your own banks.
 
Funky Trev said:
I always enough euros with me to get going.

Once I run out, I start using ATM's and there's plenty of them about in Ibiza! They are all multi lingual so can be understood by most. The downside is you are charged about €2 or so when using them. Also, the ATM will ask you if you want to accept their exchange rate or get your own bank to do it. I always get my own bank to work out the rates though have been told its a gamble anyway.

One tip though, try and use those ATM's within the banks themselves rather than those dotted about on walls in streets.

If using your cards in shops, some ask if you want to pay in pounds or euros.
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always change and ask or get it in euros.not £
 
well i used to years ago use my nationwide card.since they now charge.i am lucky to change money via a web site,so its now cash for me.but i take a visa card for back up.risky but i put my money split my money up when i fly out,plus get a safe,i change enough for 3 trips ayear plus for other family members.rate i got was 139 one time and 140 another.

if you do use any other bank card to draw money out.always take the limit of the day £300.00.waste of time with lower amounts as the fees are the same.
 
caw2510 said:
used a revolut card last summer
worked a treat
found it easier than carrying wads of cash over

https://revolut.com/
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Agree on this! Revolut is amazing. Just got one this summer. Basically you exchange at the inter-bank rate. Best thing about it is once you get the card you can control things through your phone I.e. Block your card when not in use. It's pretty good if you're trashed at DC, block your card through the App and if anyone steals it they get nothing.
 
Have also used Revolut....very good. You dont get charged by the Spanish bank for using a debit card in an ATM. I have an old Santander account that gives me a live exchange rate with no commison but they dont offfer it to new customers anymore. its an amazing account for travelling.

I also changed £700 to euros a few days before the vote just in case :)
 
I'm taking a crap load of cash with me, with my Canadian debit card and visa card too. Cards staying in the damn safe doe
 
Evolution said:
I used revolut this year, got a better exchange rate than anywhere else i could find and no issues with the card etc once out there.
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Hi mate just wondering how you verified your Revolut account. I've signed up today and when I go too verify it by a picture of passport and my face on the app it doesn't scan anything. Did the same happen with you?
 
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