Thanks, but I think the web page link you gave me is broken.
Thanks. It's UK oriented but does have some useful general tips.
The word money in full was missing from the URL. MSE has lots of tips if you search on travel money or similar. Nothing similar for Australia?
No, there is no norm, but the card operators will put a loading on the exchange rate if they think they can get away with it. There are sites linked from MSE which will show you the actual Mastercard and VISA exchange rates, so I'm not sure why operators still think like that. The most honest way is if the operator says you get the main exchange rate, then show any fees they add for conversion or ATM use. If it's a borderline decision between which of two cards is likely to work out cheaper for use, I'd go for the one with clearer fees even if you think it might be a % or so more expensive.
It doesn't necessarily matter if there are. About a decade ago, Halifax's Spanish subsidiary was one of the most expensive ways to get money to/from Spain. Don't trust bankers not to make money.
The card system is already charging the merchants and we're all paying for that, so it still wouldn't be completely free.
I'm sorry, it seemed to me like you were saying that it's OK for Caxton to charge cardholders 2.49% as well as whatever they get from merchants and get paid twice for the same service.
No, but I also don't expect the card user to be charged a second time for something that is already supposedly built into the price we pay, so Caxton's 2.49% extra charge means it isn't a good deal.
On any transaction not in the card currency (so putting money on it or paying for things). Basically, they don't give you the real Mastercard exchange rate, unlike some other cards.
Not for free, but for what they already charge the merchants, so they don't double-charge like Caxton. There are lists on the MSE site linked earlier.
