Best credit card

[Simpo Two]

I'm sure this has been done before somewhere, but I was a bit peeved last year to discover that Capital One added charges for transactions in France. This hadn't happened before - but maybe it was reflected in a worse exchange rate then. I get 1% cashback but this was wiped out if not more by the charges.

Anyway, I shall be spending a fair bit in Canada, so wondered if there were better options. Or is it easiest to stay with Capital One, get the 1% and then lose it in fees?

[Simpo Two]

Though you have to compare 'no commission' with the exchange rate you get. The PO, for example, boasts 'Commission Free!' but has dire exchange rates. So they're just taking it another way.

[Simpo Two]

Thanks folks, looks like Halifax it is. But I think I'll wait until nearer the date because no doubt the small print will change in the meantime!

[Simpo Two]

Actually I just tried. The online application had two mutually impossible options and when I rang them to ask, the bloke on the phone said he could process my application there - then said it would take him 20 minutes to read me the small print. So I bailed out and will try again when I'm sufficiently bored!

Oh, and they have no e-mail address: http://www.halifax.co.uk/contactus/contactushome.a...

Twitter and even Sign Language but no fking e-mail

Edited by Simpo Two on Thursday 19th February 19:18

[Simpo Two]

Well you're smarter than me Ray. I decided to carry on past the bit that declared I had no other credit card (there was nowhere to enter it) and got '7000001 : Sorry, there’s a technical problem. We can’t complete your transaction right now. Please try again later.'

Just before that, when it came to the employed/self-employed bit, the info said: 'If you're self employed, please give us the name that you trader (sic) under. This should be your company's name...'

I can forgive Joe Public for not knowing what a company is, but not the Halifax. If you had a company you'd be an employee, not self-employed.

Ho hum. I'll try again tomorrow.

[Simpo Two]

Confirmation of charges from Capital One:

'I'd like to confirm that you'll earn cashback on trasnsactions made abroad. Also, if you use your card whilst abroad, there will be a 2.75% non-sterling transaction fee added for each transaction made. This is also applicable on any cash withdrawals or foreign currency purchased, which will also be subject to a cash fee of £3 or 3%, whichever is higher. Cash trasnsactions don't have an interest free period.'

In short, don't use it abroad!

[Simpo Two]

Ah, well much to my surprise that time it worked and a card is on its way!

At the end of the process it asked if I'd like to leave feedback. I thought they should know about the self-employment/employment issue and also the fact it defaults to 'no other credit card' with no option to change it. So I clicked 'Yes' and was asked which product I'd requested:

Balance Transfer Card
Purchase Card
Reward Card
Student Card
Dual Offer Card
Low Rate Card
Don't know

Well it was none of those so I clicked 'Don't know'. It said 'Thank you for your feedback' and closed me down! Let's hope the card works better than the website.

[Simpo Two]

So how does a PO Card compare with a Clarity card?

Whenever I've looked at the exchange rates on the board at my PO they look very poor.

[Simpo Two]

Not stupid, merely ignorant. On reflection I think the rates quoted are for cash at the counter. If they want to sell credit cards perhaps they should advertise their credit card rates as well.

[Simpo Two]

User33678888 said:

"Their' rates are the mastercard ones, and comparison tables have already been linked to in this thread. You are asking stupid questions, which is why you are being called stupid. You're unfortunately too ignorant to realise you're being stupid, but then this is the internet.

Quite why you're so interested in a second or third best buy is beyond me. What's wrong with a halifax clarity card and the mastercard interbank exchange rate? For instance, they were doing 1.367096 EUR/GBP yesterday.

If you had actually bothered to read what I posted at 10.58 you will see that a Clarity card is on its way. But you were too busy being an anonymous keyboard warrior to notice. I am not familiar with international travel and don't dabble in FOREX (as you obviously do when not taking time out to insult strangers halfway through a thread).

My thanks to REALIST and the others for providing helpful information rather than pumping their own egos

[Simpo Two]

User33678888 said:

Why you are ignorant is of no interest to me. You asked a stupid question. Presumably you cannot read.

Evidently it's a quiet afternoon in Perfectville. Why spend time sniping and chestbeating when you could be doing something useful? Next time, try to reply to threads only when you have something helpful of amusing to say.

ETA: Wow, you even came back to add more stuff to your reply. Awesome.