Get a Nationwide Credit Card while in UK
 

To all of you still in UK, if you haven't already got one get a Nationwide Credit Card as is the cheapest card to use abroad as doesn't charge extra on exchange rate and no commision fee.

So when you get to Aus and can't get a Credit Card you can use it for cheap GBP spending when you first get here as long as you have left some money in a UK bank account ... any bank account as long as you have arranged with Nationwide for CC to be paid by Direct Debit.

You will need to do all of this a few months before coming to Aus as will need to sign all the usual forms etc. to get cards and wait for them to come etc. also may need few trips to Nationwide branch to sign for things and prove identity. Then forget to tell them you have moved to Aus for good.

Also worth getting Nationwide Flex Account as also cheapest way to get dosh abroad.

For more info see...
http://money.guardian.co.uk/travel/s...514104,00.html

http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/credit-...6&in_page_id=9

http://thorntree.lonelyplanet.com/me...messid=5166646

So to all you soon to be expats use those last few months to sign up to Nationwide.

Re: Get a Nationwide Credit Card while in UK
 

Just a suggestion and my own 'personal' opinion!

Hows about NOT getting a Nationwide credit card and actually (heaven forbid) trying to live your life 'spending as you earn'.....like I have happily and easily done for the past 10 years or so now!

Why is everyone so het up about having a credit card?????
( I use a debit card to shop online etc........)

:confused: :confused:

Re: Get a Nationwide Credit Card while in UK
 

Personally I like having a credit card as it gives me extra protection on purchases (particularly online purchases). But I also always pay it off in full every month which is really easy to do these days as all the providers seem to offer direct debit options. Using and paying off credit cards can also be a good way of improving your credit rating (same with overdrafts) which can be useful for getting the best rates for large borrowing.

With regard to Nationwide I have opened one of the Flex Accounts though so I can receive money for birthday and Christmas presents and spend it in Australia without getting sung on the currency exchange. With the account you can also give them your Australian address and it isn't a problem as long as you have a UK address when you open the account.

Re: Get a Nationwide Credit Card while in UK
 

cos in Australia as my sister says to me who has just migrated there, 'you need a credit card over here for bloody everything' this is what she has told me to do also so I feel it makes sense. At you can pay for things and then take the money into the bank and pay off the balance then you are not spending what you don't have.

Congrats though to you for not falling into the trap of debt xx

hugs Lace x

Re: Get a Nationwide Credit Card while in UK
 

Yep - why use your money when you can use someone else's for a month and a half?

Re: Get a Nationwide Credit Card while in UK
 

thats a really good Idea I am going to look at thsi Anne and spottydog

cheers
Lace x

Re: Get a Nationwide Credit Card while in UK
 

My god do you still go to work on horseback ;)
How do you live without plastic!!
If you use it to your advantage you get 60 days free credit, insurance on all purchases, you can even get cash back on what you spend!
Get hundreds of them ;) :D

Re: Get a Nationwide Credit Card while in UK
 

Lol,
looking into it tomorrow
hugs Lace x

Re: Get a Nationwide Credit Card while in UK
 

I've just got myself one - ta - a flexaccount and cc. Very happy with them so far. If only the Halifax closed my a/c with them as easy - took over half an hour today to hand in my cheque book and card !!

Heather

Re: Get a Nationwide Credit Card while in UK
 

Well said. For many people on this board I suspect that emmigration will mean that they are able to escape from any unsecured debt (non mortgage). Credit cards are dangerous little things and I personally dont use them. I do use an Amex charge card to get around the fact that I can only spend $1000 per day on my fpos card (they are limited that way) and to pay for things over the phone/net. But then I have to clear the balance in full every month.

Only pay with money you have and life becomes a little easier I think.

Re: Get a Nationwide Credit Card while in UK
 

lacey21, spottydog, ohippy I like you spend spend spend and pay off at end of month so no charges and get the extra protection also.

Our first few weeks here found both flex card and cc invaluable as could not sign up for Aus cc straight away and hadn't transfered all our money over to Aus banks then either.

Also with a lot of Aus switch care equivilants only allowed 500$ to 800$ per person up to account max of 1000$ so credit card gives you more spending power.

We would have been in sh*t without ours that's for sure... :beer: .

Re: Get a Nationwide Credit Card while in UK
 

Not everyone who has a credit card is in debt. You can pay your credit card balance in full every month then you don't owe anyone anything. They are also extremely useful in the event of an emergency.

I also think that you definitely need one when you first get to Australia. The limit they give you on your EFTPOS/debit card isn't that high and if you are purchasing things like furniture, etc when you first get here then a credit card is an absolute necessity. Plus you need a credit card to order things on the Net (in the UK I could use my debit card to pay for stuff on the Net cos it had the Visa symbol on it but I can't do that here with my Aussie bank card). If it hadn't been for Jim being an Aussie and having a Aussie Visa card then we would have found it extremely difficult to get ourselves organised when we first got here. I had credit cards in the UK which I cancelled before I flew out but I wish now that I had kept one going at least for a few months.

All I can use now is crappy EFTPOS card or take Jim shopping with me (not to be recommended....lol).

Wendy

Re: Get a Nationwide Credit Card while in UK
 

lacey21, spottydog, ohippy I like you spend spend spend and pay off at end of month so no charges and get the extra protection also.

Our first few weeks here found both flex card and cc invaluable as could not sign up for Aus cc straight away and hadn't transfered all our money over to Aus banks then either.

Also with a lot of Aus switch care equivilants only allowed 500$ to 800$ per person up to account max of 1000$ so credit card gives you more spending power.

We would have been in sh*t without ours that's for sure... :beer: .

Re: Get a Nationwide Credit Card while in UK
 

Dearey deary me!

I hear what you are all saying, believe me I do, and I am 'astounded' at how willing you all are to take on debt!!!!!!

Now dont get me wrong, we all need to borrow money to get through life (mortgage, business etc....) but, c'mon guys...........

I have seriously managed to live without credit (or the need for it) for the last 10 years now!

Big purchases? Simple......withdraw the cash! You'd be surprised how many companies are willing to do a discount for cash!

As for 'protection'....who
needs it? Use your nowse [sp] when making purchases!

All those of you who say, 'but we pay in full every month'.....just wait til hubby gets made redundant!

Can hear you now, 'oh, we'll just use it this once blah blah........'

Slipery slope indeed and not a slope I choose to utilise!

Personal opinions again, of course :)

Re: Get a Nationwide Credit Card while in UK
 

I had a friend that did that, having just bought her first house she went and withdrew £600 in cash from the building society to buy a cooker, before she had got 200m down the road to the cooker shop someone had cut her bag from the strap and taken it and her money. As it was cash she ended up with nothing but some saving and kettle food for a couple of months, had she been paying by card she wouldn't have lost the cash.

And when purchasing over the internet the extra protection is very important to me as I don't get to deal with the company face to face and I have to trust the Royal Mail to get it to me (spent to many years working in banking to not be concerned about it).

I absolutely hate cash especially in large amounts as if its a forgery or stolen then you've lost it all.