If there’s one thing that annoys me, it’s the way that banks screw you over when you do transactions in non native currency. Whether that’s purchases in the Android Market or holidaying abroad, it’s pretty annoying to get home and find a bunch of charges you weren’t expecting.
Over the past few years we’ve been using a FairFX card. I have a Euros card and a Dollars card – they are basically prepaid mastercards that you top up from your regular debit card and then use as required.
The FairFX card has always been excellent, but lately it’s gained a whole extra load of awesome so I thought i’d share it with you all. I really like…
- no transaction fees!
- previous card issue fee of £9.95 waived when you sign up with this link
- currency rates that beat just about everyone
- instantly updated balance online (great for keeping track of funds abroad)
- easy to top up (I top up often from my mobile!)
- no fees for adding funds (including no fees from your debit card provider)
- available in dollars and euros
- top ups are virtually instant
- accepted everywhere that takes mastercard credit cards
The FairFx card also makes it a lot easier to keep track of what you’re spending while you’re away… I tend to preload it with my budgeted funds, and when / if it runs out, I know I need to cut down on the beer. 
The card normally has a £9.95 issue fee, but this is waived if you sign up via a referrer link such as mine. Each buddy you sign up also nets you £2.50… but I blog this genuinely – it has really saved me a ton of hassle on my foreign trips!
P
