Calis Beach and Fethiye Turkey Discussion Forum
Calis Beach Forum => Calis Beach Questions and Information => Topic started by: simon7685 on July 23, 2009, 22:56:21 PM
-
I am going to follow the advice of a lot of you on here and bring quite a bit of sterling to change while there. I am also looking at bringing a prepaid travel card with an amount on to draw out over there as I don't want to carry loads of cash and my bank charge a small fortune for using my debit card abroad.
Has anyone any experience of either the Fair fx card or the Caxton fx card?
Both of them seem to have equal things going for them but any advice from anyone that has used them would be appreciated. Thanks in advance:D
-
Get a Nationwide Flexi card - no charges !
-
Just to back up jwood's comment I changed money in Calis last week and got 2.45ytl/£. Within a half hour I drew some at the atm with my Nationwide Flex and got 2.495 8).
Currently 2.40 in Calis
-
I can't get a Nationwide account unfortunately so that is not an option, hence looking at either fair fx or caxton fx.
-
I have the Fairfx card and have used it for Euros in the past. The advantage is that you tell them how much you want to put on your card and the amount is credited to your card at that day's exchange rate. You then need to choose an ATM that does not inflict any other charges for withdrawals and the only other charge is then a 1.25 Euro charge per withdrawal however much you withdraw - no other currency loading or extras.However my understanding is that the card is only available for Euros and Dollars at the present time.
-
I've noticed the rate beginning to drop over the last week or so, so picked up some turkish lira this morning at our post office. I never normally do this, as the rate is always so much better in Turkey.
The rate I got today was 2.36, but the way its started to come down, by the time we arrive in Calis and are able to cash money on 2nd August, it might possibly have dropped to this rate anyway. :o Thought I'd take the chance.
Was it last summer that it dropped right down to 2.16, and that was in Turkey [?][?]
(No doubt, we'll run out anyway, and will need to get more when we're there! 8)
-
I have been watching the exchange rate for the last ten days or so and it has nose dived in the UK! Just over a week ago the Post Office were doing 2.41 and Thomsons were happy to match that.
I have been looking for info on the web and found an article about Turkey striking a deal with the IMF, it said when the deal goes through the £ will drop a lot further, they are predicting about a 10% drop, so 2.16 could be where it is going again. I must admit I am tempted to buy some currency now and take a chance, it is just so difficult to know what to do for the best.
-
I've been tracking Fairfx TL currency rate for the past 3 weeks and it has come down each day starting at 2.4550 on the 30th June to today at 2.3684. I think it is time to order some now as the trend definitely seems to be downwards..
-
We started coming to Turkey about 15 years ago and have noticed a trend where the best rate against GBP is usually mid July dropping to the lowest around end Dec/January. There are some exceptions to this of course, but if past performance is anything to go by it's probably already heading downwards.
It's worth noting that the rate always seems to be slightly better on Mondays than later in the week.
Bring stirling by all means but make sure you've got somewhere safe to keep it.
-
Thanks for the info about the fair fx card Fifi, it definately seems a better option to the Caxton global travel card. I emailed Caxton and they said that with their card it costs you 2.5% on every purchase but there is no ATM charge, so £2.50 for every £100. Still cheaper than my debit card costs but dearer than Fair fx.
I am not really surprised that the £ has gone down so much in the last week and after todays news that the economy has shrunk more than expected I think it will go down with another wallop next week.
Has anyone changed any sterling today in Calis? If so what was the rate?
-
quote:
Originally posted by simon7685
I can't get a Nationwide account unfortunately so that is not an option, hence looking at either fair fx or caxton fx.
If this is because of the new rules set by Nationwide, in that you need to use the flex account as your main account there is a way around it (thanks to www.moneysavingexpert.com for this info).
Open an e savings account with them (has to be done online), as you need a flex account to run this account. I've just tried it and my application seems to be going through for the flex account ok!
I did get turned down for the flex account on its own as I didn't want to switch everything over.
-
I got turned down and offered to switch, so I think it must be something else, they only offered me a cashcard account.
-
I just tried it the other way you mentioned and it still only offered me a cash card, so this option is definately out for me I am afraid. Back to the pre paid options and currency.
-
I have just have the cash card account, it works fine for
me, we call it the Turkey fund and just add to it each month
and withdraw from the atm machines while we are out there :)
-
quote:
Originally posted by julesbob0303
I've noticed the rate beginning to drop over the last week or so, so picked up some turkish lira this morning at our post office. I never normally do this, as the rate is always so much better in Turkey.
The rate I got today was 2.36, but the way its started to come down, by the time we arrive in Calis and are able to cash money on 2nd August, it might possibly have dropped to this rate anyway. :o Thought I'd take the chance.
Was it last summer that it dropped right down to 2.16, and that was in Turkey [?][?]
(No doubt, we'll run out anyway, and will need to get more when we're there! 8)
You are correct it did drop down to 2.16 last August. I must admit I am in a quandry as to what to do for the best. Come over on the 14th August and would normally change money in Calis but the best rate I can see here at the moment is 2.36 - worth the risk? Would be good to know if someone exchanged money in Calis today and what rate they got. Does the rate always tend to go down in August???[?] :)
-
So does the cashcard account give you free ATM use as well?
-
I am also worried about all the break ins that people are suffering at the moment! The apartment we are renting doesn't have a safe, so there is also the security aspect to take into account, if I bring lots of sterling and we got unlucky............. So is it better to take it on a travel card and at least its reasonably safe. I have just ordered a Fair fx card today in Euro's (it's either Euro or Dollars), I have only put the minimum amount of 20 Euros on it for now and got £7.50 cashback through Topcashback, so thats a good start. Also I know its a gamble but maybe the Euro will get a better exchange rate the way the £ is going.
-
babcc, we have always changed our money in Calis/Fethiye, as the rate is so much better, but I'm watching the rate drop, and, even though we arrive early hours on the 2nd August, I'm thinking I MAY get a better rate in the UK now, rather than hang on to my sterling. I'm prepared to take the chance! A few less lira is hardly going to break the bank anyway .............. :P
As for security, Simon, sometimes you have to take a chance. These break-ins are awful for the people concerned. But you have to put it into perspective - there are loads of hotels/apartments/villas in Calis, and the break-ins are minimal in comparison (again, apologies to anyone who has been broken into - I cannot begin to imagine how bad it must be. I have teenage daughters, and the thought of someone breaking in, and being in their room .......... well, it doesn't bear thinking about.)
But I personally am going to take a chance. I also plan to get bars put on our apartment as soon as possible. Don't want to push my luck too far. :P
-
I take the point on putting it into perspective and I know what you mean. I don't have any credit cards to fall back on though, or an o/d facility on my account, so the only money we have will be with us. It has taken me a year to save up for this holiday and I have to think about that as well. If you don't know about break ins and things like that, I don't think you worry about them and the risk or chance is easier to take. When you do know I think the element of doubt creeps in, at least it does with me.
-
there is no charge to withdraw cash from the atms with
a nationwide cash card Simon you can withdraw, I think,
up to £300 per day
-
Can anyone tell me where the ATM's are nearest to the Mutlu, not having used them before?
Cheers
-
Hi Fifi sorry I can't help you with this one but I am sure someone on here will be able to answer your question.
-
Three machines in Calis. One across the bridge from the water taxis, and two at the top of the road on the left going out of Calis where the yellow taxi stands are. The nearest to your hotel is the one on the bridge.
-
Hi Simon, I only have a cash card with Nationwide and always use it when in Calis as there is no charge.
-
There you go Fifi, I knew someone would be along to help you out with your query!
Looks as though the cash card option with Nationwide is going to be the one to go for for free withdrawals then.
On a seperate note going back to the Fairfx travel money cards, it is worth considering going through Topcashback site. I got £7.50 for taking out a card with the minimum amount on of 20 Euros (£17.52). You are allowed upto 5 cards on each account and you get £7.50 cashback on each one.
5 cards with 20 Euros on each gives you 100 Euros which you can draw out in any currency, each ATM withdrawal costs £1.50 but with the cash back it still leaves a profit of £6 per card! Better still if you use the cards for a purchase online or in a shop you don't pay the ATM fee and there is no conversion fee or anything else. I will use the 100 Euros in Calis on holiday, so no charges and £37.50 profit!
-
Thanks for the info. My daughter is in Crete at the moment and is coming with us to Calis. She has a Fairfx card with Euros loaded on to it - I wonder if she will be able to use it in the ATM in Calis?
-
Yes she should be able to. It can be used anywhere that accepts mastercard according to Fairfx. Maybe someone who is in Calis and has one of the cards could confirm that for you.