YvonnePaul

Hi,

we were wondering how we would go about paying a UK credit card from Australia? Is this possible, how do we go about it and will it cost us anything on either side? If anyone else has done this/is doing this or has any advice it would be much appreciated!

Thanks,

Yvonne & Paul

Pollyana

Did it for a few years before finally clearing them all - thats a great feeling, believe me!
Anyhow, the way to do it is - make sure you have internet banking on your UK account.
Set up an account with www.tranzfers.com
Set up your Aussie bank account with internet access.
Then you move money as you need to from your Aus account in $, to Tranzfers, who then pay it into your UK account in £.
You then pay the money into your UK credit card account, either by a cheque drawn on the UK account/direct debit/direct transfer.

Costs £7/$15 a transaction and usually takes about 3 /4 days.

Their phone and email support is great, and if you search tranzfers on the forum you'll find they are very well patronised on here!

donovandenese

hi
i had to pay a UK card from Oz when I spent a year in Oz travelling. Westpac lets you transfer money internationally online so I used to send money back that way to my Barclays account in the UK, then pay the card online from there. As Westpac and Barclays are part of the same group this was easy to do. There is a small charge for the transfer but it was the best way I could find, and doesn't work out too bad if you send a few months at a time.

YvonnePaul

Pollyanna - thank you so much for your very swift reply.

You make it sound very easy, I hope it lives up to your description!

I know this is not the best way to conduct a credit card account but it's good to know that this is an option should we need the lump sum to take with us.

Thanks again,

Yvonne

Pollyana

Well, I only had problems twice in 7 years, the first was my email acocunt routing the emails to the spam box, and the second was a new staff member at Tranzfers unsure of the process. Both were ironed out by the company in minutes when i rang them.
I've got no connection with them, just think their service is excellent, and I've got no hesitation in recommending them

sg1964

keep a uk bank account as it comes in handy for the relatives in the uk to pay in xmas/bday money, tell credit card company new oz address, set-up direct debit to pay account, keep sufficient cash in uk account, also comes in handy to continue to pay class2 NI contributions to ensure full payment of uk pension in the future.

simon

Kernow1

Simon

A couple of questions about NI payments:

1) Do you not have to be self-employed to pay Class 2 NI contributions?
2) Can you pay this when you are living abroad?

Thanks.

DunRoaminTheUK

The way we do it is to draw on money that we left in our UK account and pay for it through online banking. Luckily for me I'm with Barclays bank and I have a Barclaycard.

djfbug

This is interesting - I am currently self employed and pay Class 2 NI contributions - Obviously the self employment will stop when we emigrate but is it possible to keep paying the contributions and then collect a full pension?

Wol

Keep a sensible amount in a UK current account, forget about the loss of interest and use the internet to pay the credit cards from the account.

youngy73

i know one couple who racked up a heap of uk debt (credit cards) before they left on the basis they were never going back. they just didnt bother paying it back.

steandleigh

Do they sleep well at night?

ElshaUK

I am paying a loan, electricity bill (from hell) and visa card from OZ. I left enough money to cover 5 months worth of repayments and now am about to top it up with £2000 to keep it going another 4 months. It's a pain, but if you just do lump sums every now and then, it makes it easier.

sssstew

how did they get awaly with that then? surely debt sticks with you where ever you go? you cant levae it in a country can you?

sg1964

1) - No, as I am now in Melbourne fully employed and pay from my UK account.
2) - Yes, once you have your pension forecast, there is another form to complete, but cannot remember the number, then they take your money on a monthly direct debit.

You will need to check-out the UK Tax / Pensions Service web-sites

Simon