2007 HOLIDAY REPORTS

[Maggie]

Harold, I think you just sold Nationwide to me!! Thanks.

[raff]

with regards to the cash machine, does anyone know if there are charges for the Halifax? If so it might be worth me transfering to the Nationwide for the Summer.

[Erja]

I am Halifax as well, so I am most interested to hear about this too.

[John B]

HSBC charge, if thats any help

Janine + John

[raff]

sorry, no!

[eve]

I believe the nationwide is the only bank to offer no fee, as the advert implies, we took it out for that reason but have yet to use it and as yet cannot confirm! Gosh it sounds like the place is really changing, hopefully not too much!

[Lozicle]

OOh I wonder if Abbey charge - if they do I'd open a Nationwide account just for my holiday money

[Maggie]

I had a Halifax account and could get cash without charge from any of their machines, but I'm sure they charge for other machines. As far as i'm aware, the nationwide is the only one where you can use any machine worldwide. Also, they do the business exchange rate for card withdrawals, so you get a better rate than most tourists. I know all this cos I went in to ask today...

[Joe]

I Bank with the Halifax to, taken straight from their website:

Charges for using your card abroad   

If you use your card abroad, the amount of the transaction will be changed to pounds sterling on the date we take it out of your account. This may not be the same date that the transaction is carried out. We'll choose the exchange rate that applies and we'll include a conversion fee of 2.75% of the amount of the transaction. We will also deduct a service charge of £1.50 from your account immediately for each transaction.

[harold]

wow Joe you would think the money belonged to the Halifax and not its members,but i suppose thats the price you pay when you vote to change from a building society to a bank,they have to get the money back off you somehow

[Joe]

I think its more that nationwide are the exception to the rule, offering a product that differs to the norm. The Halifax account pulls back some credit though by giving me an interest rate of over 6% on my current account compared to 0.1% on my #@%$ RBS account, that's a higher level than my ISA.

If say you use the card one or twice on your hols for medium amounts, say  €100 then the charges are tolerable its just means you have to be very restrictive on when you use it. As a company employee I get an exchange rate of 1.54 on my Euro with no commission but obviously at that rate there is a limit to what I can change.

[Lozicle]

Thanks for the info Maggie