post office travel money card transfer between currencies

Post Office Travel Card Review 

Travelling is one of the most exciting and liberating experiences out there. Whether you’re jetting off to a far-off destination or just exploring your own country, having the right travel card can make the whole experience easier and more enjoyable.

Are you planning a trip? If so, you may be wondering if the Post Office Travel Money Card is a good option for you. In this article, we’ll take a close look at the Post Office Travel Money Card, how it works, and what you need to know before using it. 

By the end of this guide, you’ll have all the information you need to make an informed decision about whether or not the Post Office Travel Money Card is right for your next trip.

Table of Contents

Benefits of Having a Travel Card

First and foremost, travel cards are an excellent way to earn miles and points. This can be incredibly valuable if you are a frequent traveller or want to visit somewhere far off where you’ll have to pay high airfare. Plus, you can use these miles and points to book travel, hotels, flights, vacation packages, and more. 

Another major advantage of travel cards is their versatility. As you travel, you’ll have the ability to withdraw cash from ATMs using your card, pay for purchases using your card, and even get roadside assistance on select cards. You’ll also have access to excellent trip cancellation and travel insurance. 

Plus, travel cards are typically easier to qualify for than other types of credit cards. This is because many companies view travel cards as a “safe” type of credit. However, having a travel card can also help to improve your credit score.

Post Office Travel Cards: What Are They?

The Post Office Travel card is a Mastercard prepaid card, which can be loaded with a choice of 23 currencies. ATMs are available in more than 200 countries where you can spend and withdraw money.

You can load your account with any currency before travelling and then use it abroad without having to convert your currency.

Post Office Travel offers a contactless card that can be accessed through its app.

Post Office Travel Cards Benefits and Features

Here’s a quick look at the Post Office Travel card’s main features and benefits:

• Payments for low-value items can be made quickly and conveniently using contactless technology
• Compatible with Apple Pay and Google Pay
• With the Travel app, you can manage your card, top it up, transfer currencies, as well as freeze it.
• You can choose from 23 different currencies and top it up whenever you need it
• Accepted everywhere Mastercard is accepted
• Call centre assistance is available 24/7
• Whenever there is currency left over, it can be transferred into another currency by using the wallet-to-wallet feature
• If you use a local currency supported by your card to spend abroad, there are no fees 

Post Office Travel Card Costs

Travel money cards from the Post Office cost nothing to order and no fees apply when you pay for purchases using the currency you hold. Provided your available balance is in a currency accepted by the card, you can shop, dine, and drink without any charges.

When using your card in a country that doesn’t support the currency of your card, you will have to pay a 3% foreign transaction fee. Using your card in Brazil, for example, will result in a 3% foreign transaction fee since the Brazilian Real isn’t a supported currency.

Despite the card’s currency support, you’ll still have to pay ATM withdrawal fees. Each currency has a different ATM fee. 

An example would be:

• Euro – 2 Euros
• Canadian Dollar – 3 Canadian Dollars
• US Dollar – 2.5 United States Dollars
• Swiss Franc – 2.5 Switzerland Francs
• Australian Dollar – 3 Australian Dollars
• Pound Sterling – 1.5 Pounds Sterling plus 1.5% commission

Regarding fees, one final note. There is a three-year validity period on all Post Office Travel cards. After your card expires, you will be charged a maintenance fee of £2 per month.

Exchange Rates

Exchange rates fluctuate based on the demand for currencies at the Post Office. Thus, you’ll receive a particular amount of travel money depending on the current exchange rate.

For travel money cards, you can get exchange rates at Post Office branches and on the website. Be sure to remember that rates may differ whether you are purchasing online, by phone, or in person.

In addition to the margin, the exchange rate at the Post Office will probably include a markup. When you search for the rate on Google or currency websites, you’ll most likely get an accurate one. Consequently, a margin will reduce the amount you receive when exchanging EUR, USD, or another currency.

A Post Office Travel Money company profits by offering its customers a better rate than the base rate. U.K. pounds are converted into U.S. dollars at a rate of 1.23 dollars per pound, for example. 

If you exchange £400 through Post Office Travel Money, you can get 1.18 USD per pound. In this case, there is a difference of £16 or 4%. Exchange rates are better when you exchange large sums of money . 

Exchange Rates for In-Branch Travel Money

According to the Post Office, in-branch exchange rates are determined by many factors, including branch location, competitor pricing, convenience, etc. The company will always strive to offer the best possible rate within these parameters. Online orders/distribution is the cheapest method for many retailers, as they can use centralised packing costs. Because of this, online exchange rates are always better than branch rates.

Comparing Post Office Travel Money Rates to Other Providers

There are several new services that it’s worth comparing directly to Post Office Travel Money.

Online-Only Banks

There have been several purely mobile banks launched in recent years both in the UK and across Europe. With services like Monzo, N26, Revolut, Monese, or Bunq, consumers can access a wide range of banking options. 

Each of these modern financial institutions provides services such as money transfer agencies and international travel cards, and it makes sense to compare them with Post Office Travel Money.

For example, Monzo facilitates international money transfers through the popular exchange company Wise. For example, when sending a thousand pounds to a Swedish account using Monzo/Wise, the recipient receives 12,103 Swedish crowns versus 11,546 with Western Union, a difference of around 5%.

Other Currency Providers

It may also be possible to transfer money at a better rate in some countries. Using Xendpay, you could send 500 pounds to Saudi Arabia, and the beneficiary would receive 2,289 Saudi Riyals instead of 2,158 Saudi Riyals with Post Office Travel Money.

Supported Currencies

Prepaid travel cards from Post Office can be loaded with any of the following 23 currencies:

• CAD – Canadian dollar
• JPY – Japanese yen
• USD – US dollar
• AUD – Australian dollar
• CHF – Swiss franc
• AED – UAE dirham
• CNY – Chinese yuan
• DKK – Danish kroner
• PLN – Polish zloty
• CZK – Czech koruna
• ZAR – South African rand
• GBP – Pound sterling
• TRY – Turkish lira
• HKD – Hong Kong dollar
• THB – Thai baht
• HRK – Croatian kuna
• SGD – Singapore dollar
• HUF – Hungarian forint
• SEK – Swedish kronor
• SAR – Saudi riyal
• NOK – Norwegian krone
• NZD – New Zealand dollar

Sending Money With the UK Post Office

Many Post Office branches and their website offer Post Office Travel Money. They offer convenient and quick foreign exchange services. They are useful for local currency exchanges because they are so widely available. Post Office services like international money transfers and travel cards offer additional options for sending and spending overseas.

How to Get and Use a Post Office Travel Card?

Post Office travel cards are only available to UK residents over 18 years old.

Ordering Your Card

To order a Post Office Travel card, you can do one of three things:

• You can order through the Post Office Travel app
• Visit the Post Office website to apply online
• Get your card at your local Post Office. It will be necessary to bring photo identification, like a passport or driver’s licence

Your card should be available immediately if you apply at a branch. Your card will be delivered within two to three days after you apply online or via the app.

Card Activation

It’s necessary to activate your travel card before you can use it. You’ll find detailed instructions in your welcome letter.

Using Your Card

ATMs and online sites that accept MasterCard accept Post Office travel cards, too. If you are buying something in person, you’ll need your PIN to verify your purchase and possibly your signature if the Chip and PIN system is not widely available in the country.

In some countries, contactless payments are also allowed for small amounts, although the rules and limitations vary.

According to its terms and conditions, you should not use your Post Office card in certain situations. 

Some of them include:

• Tolls on the road
• Petrol pumps with self-service
• Deposits for car rentals or hotels
• Airline or cruise ship transactions

Adding Money to Your Card

With the Post Office Travel app, you can add money to your card easily. Additionally, you can add money at a local branch or on the Post Office website.

Buying Back Currencies

Having unused currency on your card gives you a few options. You may be able to withdraw cash at your local Post Office branch or ATM, but there may be a fee.

Wallet-to-wallet transfers are also available in the app. You can transfer unused balances from one currency to another. In preparation for your next trip to Europe, you can convert unused USD into EUR.

Each currency listed above can be topped up for between fifty pounds and five thousand pounds on your card. Your card can hold up to ten thousand pounds, as well as carry out transactions of up to thirty thousand pounds annually.

Different currencies have different limitations on cash withdrawals. For example, in a single transaction, you may withdraw up to 450 euros or 500 dollars.

App Overview

On Google Play and the App Store, you can download the Post Office Travel app for free. With the app, you can activate and order your card, check your balance, add money to it, and more. 

In addition to transferring leftover currency between wallets, it’s possible to convert it to another currency you prefer by using the new wallet-to-wallet feature.

Furthermore, you can book airport parking, purchase travel insurance through the app, and use other features.

Contacting the Post Office 

If you need assistance, you may reach the contact centre by dialling 0344 335 0109 in the United Kingdom or 0044 20 7937 0280 from abroad. Customer service is available each day of the week at any time of the day.

In addition, you can reach Customer Services at the Post Office in the following ways:

• Postal mail at PO Box 3232, Cumbernauld, G67 1YU, Post Office Travel Card
• Send an email to [email protected]

Post Office Travel Card: FAQs

Here are some common travel card problems you might encounter.

When I lose or damage a card, what do I do?

Post Office currency cards are easy to replace if lost or damaged. Your card will be blocked, and another one will be sent to you. App users can also freeze their cards.

How should I deal with a declined or blocked card?

The first thing you need to do is ensure that you have enough money in your account via the app. If you don’t have enough money in your account to purchase your item, call the customer care centre.

If I forget my PIN, what should I do?

Call the customer service centre if you cannot remember your travel money card PIN. If you need a new one, they can issue it for you.

My card is about to expire. What should I do?

A new card should automatically be sent to you. You can call the contact centre if it hasn’t arrived after the expiration date, and they’ll issue you another.

Post Office Prepaid Travel Card Summary 

Travel cards from the Post Office are handy if you want to keep your money safe while you’re away from home. The convenience of not carrying cash around with you and not having to change money during your trip will make your trip much more enjoyable.

Because it’s a contactless card, you can pay in local currencies quickly and easily. This helps you budget because you can only spend what’s on it.

If you travel frequently or take multi-destination holidays, the card is convenient since you can store 23 currencies on it. A card that supports a variety of currencies might be more useful if you love exploring far-flung areas.

The exchange rate is a drawback to take into account. Post Office rates may be competitive (compared to airport exchange rates, for example), but they will likely include a margin or markup. ATMs also charge fees when you use your card.

Comparing other travel money cards could help you find a better deal, so make sure to shop around.

by Matt Woodley

How does a post office travel money card work?

The Post Office offers a prepaid multi-currency travel card allowing you to hold 23 different currencies. But be careful as there are hidden fees.

The Post Office offers one simple plan, their basic Post Office Travel Money Card. While the travel money card is free to get, there is a minimum load amount of £50 of whichever of the 23 currencies you choose. 

Terms such as fee-free, no commission, and zero charges are used a lot by travel money providers, and the Post Office is no different when it comes to marketing their card, which offers 0% commission. But as with most others, there is often a hidden fee under the bonnet. After all, how else would a provider make any money?

It’s worth noting that if you use your Post Office travel money card to withdraw cash abroad, you will be charged at the point of loading your desired currency (the FX mark-up rate), you will then be charged a minimum of £1.50 per ATM withdrawal on top of this. So withdrawing £100 worth of currency could cost around £5.20.

Read our full Post Office travel card review here

What fees does the Post Office charge? 

What's an alternative to a Post Office travel money card?

A new solution, only offered by Currensea, the UK's best rated travel debit card. Currensea connects via Open Banking to your existing debit card and is accepted anywhere which accepts MasterCard. Plus, Currensea use the best live interbank exchange rate for 16 separate currencies (which is what the banks use between them), this guarantees that you'll receive the best current exchange rate every time you use your card. Plus there are no hidden fees and charges like the Post Office and its even free to get and use.

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See how much you can save using a Currensea travel debit card

Save in 180 currencies vs high street banks or any prepaid travel card..

Find out more

Savings calculator

Using your currensea card whilst on a beach holiday in spain for a week. currensea will save you money against all the major high street banks, travel and prepaid cards*, 5 things to consider before choosing a travel money card, 1. what’s the rate.

Prepaid cards offer a huge range of rates that might not be as good as the rate offered by your bank. Whilst almost all providers say no fees, the fee is often hidden in the exchange rate. 

2. Does your travel money card offer protection?  

Some cards are covered by section 75 protection, but not all, it’s worth checking the T&Cs before you sign-up to ensure that all your purchases will be covered by some kind of chargeback protection.

3. Can you get back unused currency?

Once your holiday has finished you’re unlikely to want to leave any leftover currency on your travel money card. Make sure that you can easily get your money back, without incurring further fees. 

4. Are there any hidden fees?  

Check for any fees, prepaid cards generally have more hidden fees than credit or debit cards. Make sure that you keep an eye out for fees such as application and replacement fees, transaction fees, and inactivity charges.

5. Are there any limitations to where you can use the different types of cards?  

All providers say that they can be used wherever you see the Visa or Mastercard logo but there are some big exceptions that may impact your choice. If you want to pay at a petrol station, hire a car, or pay on a cruise - generally, you can only use a  Credit, Debit, or Currensea’s travel debit card - prepaid travel cards are often not accepted.

Why is Currensea better than a travel card?

We link with your current bank account via open banking to make saving money simple. you can find out more about open banking here.

No new bank account needed

Forget having to set-up and manage multiple accounts

No need to top-up or pre-pay

Remove the hassle and inconvenience of pre-loading another card

No ATM fees

Pay no ATM fees if you withdraw under £500

Your account is secure with Currensea

Authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority

Freeze your card anytime at the click of the button via the app

All purchases protected by Mastercard Chargeback Protection

Our connected banks

We work with all the major uk high-street banks.

Currensea pricing plans

Our plans are simple and transparent. we give you the best live exchange rate so you can spend in confidence, without the hidden fees..

Saves 85 % on bank charges*

Across card spend & ATM withdrawals

2% FX rate over £500pm

Send £100 - £20,000 per transfer

Spend notifications, set spend limits & freeze/unfreeze card

Mastercard chargeback protection

Get the best live interbank exchange rates

Convert savings into air miles

Mastercard travel debit card

Saves 100 % on bank charges*

1% FX rate over £500pm

Access our latest offers for Premium travel debit card users

Including Hertz Gold Plus Rewards with complimentary Five Star Status and a 20% worldwide discount with Avis

Complimentary night's stay when booking a trip of 4 nights or more

£ 120 /year

1% FX rate over £750pm

Send £100 - £20,000 per transfer 

Mastercard World Elite travel debit card

Access our latest offers for Elite travel debit card users

Exclusive membership to Avis President's club and Hertz's President's Circle

Enjoy 4 nights for the price of 3 and other exclusive benefits with 'Elite I Prefer Member Status'

24/7 travel concierge giving you truly luxurious benefits

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Explore 3,000+ locations with extravagant benefits incl complimentary breakfast, room upgrades and much more

Tap to Pay With Google Pay ™

Get all the benefits of your Currensea travel debit card conveniently on your phone. Just add a card to Google Wallet™ to get started.

No hidden fees

No weekend charges, non-sterling transaction fees, foreign currency purchase fees, internet purchase fees or dormant card fees.

So, how does Currensea make its money?

U.k. Post Office Travel Money & Money Transfer Review: What Are the Rates? How Does It Work? Is It the Best Deal?

François Briod

Co-Founder of Monito and money transfer expert, François has been helping Monito’s users navigate the jungle of money transfer fees, bad exchange rates and tricks for the last ten years.

Links on this page, including products and brands featured on ‘Sponsored’ content, may earn us an affiliate commission. This does not affect the opinions and recommendations of our editors.

Is UK Post Office the best option for sending money abroad? Compare your options to make sure you get the best exchange rate and lowest fees for your transfer.

What Monito Likes About UK Post Office

• Wide availability across the U.K. 
• Variety of services including online and local travel money, wire transfers and travel cards
• Post Office Travel Money services are safe, secure and regulated

What Monito Dislikes About UK Post Office

• Exchange rates are more expensive than the base exchange rate or exchange rates from other providers
• Local bureau de change rates can be more expensive still and you can only get quotes on these rates when you visit or contact a Post Office Travel Money location

Compare UK Post Office to Cheaper Money Transfer Alternatives

Our independent review of post office travel money.

The UK Post office provides several convenient travel money services including foreign currency exchange, online ordering, a travel money card and international transfers to foreign bank accounts. 

Post Office Travel Money provides services from more than 11,000 locations across the U.K. Post Office locations are often open for long hours, and around 3,000 branches are open every day. The Post Office offers money conversion services into 80 foreign currencies. 

Local Bureau de Change Services From Post Office Travel Money

You can buy and sell travel money directly at a Post Office location using the exchange rate for that Post Office location. These local exchange rates will differ from the Post Office online exchange rates and can be more expensive than from a specialist online currency exchange provider. The Post Office does not provide local exchange rates online although you may be able to get a local exchange rate by calling a specific location. There is no minimum order amount when exchanging money in a Post Office branch.

Online Foreign Currency Services From Post Office Travel Money

You can order your foreign currency online and have it delivered to your home or pick it up from a Post Office location. If you order before 3 PM U.K. time, you will get your money on the next working day. You can get better online exchange rates if you convert larger amounts of money—there’s a minimum value of £400 and a maximum value of £2,500. If you order euros or U.S. dollars, the Post Office Click and Collect Express service means you can pick up your currency from a Post Office branch two hours after you place the order. 

Bank Account Wire and Money Transfer Services From Post Office Travel Money

You can send money overseas directly to a foreign bank account by using the Post Office International Payments service. Their wire transfer services are provided by Western Union, which means the beneficiary can choose to pick up money at a Western Union agent location in their own country or have the money transferred into their bank account. Please see our Western Union review for examples of exchange rates, fees and other important information.

Post Office Travel Money Money Card

Post Office Travel Money provides a prepaid Mastercard travel card that you can use to spend money overseas. You can load up to 23 currencies onto the card and use it wherever you see the Mastercard logo. You can manage your travel card through the Post Office Travel mobile app and should activate your card before you leave the U.K. The card is Chip and PIN enabled and also allows contactless payments. 

The travel card allows you to load money in the following currencies: Euro (EUR), US Dollar (USD), Australian Dollar (AUD), Canadian Dollar (CAD), Croatian Kuna (HRK), New Zealand Dollar (NZD), Polish Zloty (PLN), Pound Sterling (GBP), South African Rand (ZAR), Swiss Franc (CHF), Thai Baht (THB), Turkish Lira (TRY), UAE Dirham (AED), Czech Koruna (CZK), Japanese Yen (JPY), Hungarian Forint (HUF), Norwegian Krone (NOK), Danish Kroner (DKK), Swedish Kronor (SEK), Chinese Yuan (CNY), Hong Kong Dollar (HKD), Saudi Riyal (SAR) and Singapore Dollar (SGD).

UK Post OfficeFees & Exchange Rates

Post Office Travel Money does charge fees for some specific services, like certain activities on their travel card. In most cases, they make their money on the difference between the “base,” interbank* exchange rate and the exchange rate that they charge to you. 

*The interbank rate is also known as the mid-market or standard exchange rate, which is the midpoint between the buying and the selling prices of the two currencies.

Post Office Travel Money Card Fees

Post Office Travel Money charges fees for some services offered through its prepaid money card. The fees we’ve shown below are for cards issued in the U.K. You can find fees for other countries on the Post Office Travel Money website.

• There is a fee of two euros or equivalent to withdraw cash using the card through an ATM or at a physical location
• If your card expires, Post Office Travel Money charges an inactivity fee of £2 per month after 12 months
• A three percent additional charge applies if you use your card to pay in a different currency than the 23 available on the travel card
• If you load U.K pounds onto the card there is a commission of 1.5 percent (min £3, max £50)

Post Office Travel Money Card Limits

Post Office Travel Money does have limits for its prepaid money card. 

• You can load between £50 and £5,000 onto the card after you have passed an address verification check
• The maximum amount you can have on your card is £10,000 and you can’t load more than £30,000 in a 12-month period
• The maximum amount you can withdraw in a single transaction is 450 euros or equivalent

Post Office Travel Money Online Fees

If you order online and arrange for the foreign currency to be delivered to your home, there is a delivery fee of £4.99 if you order less than £500, but there is no delivery fee if you order more than that.

The Post Office does state that additional charges may sometimes apply when ordering online, but they do not provide information on how much those charges may be. Here’s what they say on the website, “Any fees relating to commissions, card issuer, or delivery will be displayed during the order process. Please note that your credit card provider may charge a cash advance fee for buying Travel Money. When you place your order you will be given the option to select a preferred delivery date/time. Any additional charges that may be applicable, for example ordering for home delivery on a Saturday, or for home delivery orders under £500, the system will display the fee charged.”

Overseas Money Transfer via Western Union

Post Office Travel Money provides overseas transfers through a partnership with Western Union. Please see our Western Union review .

About Fees Levied by Banks

Certain fees may be levied by banks when you are transferring money to another account. These fees are outside the control of Post Office Travel Money. Circumstances, where banks may charge additional fees, include:

• Wire transfers into or out of sender or beneficiary accounts
• Transfers that are sent via SWIFT or certain other banking protocols
• Beneficiary banks charging a fee to receive a transfer
• Intermediary banks charging fees to process money in transit

These fees could mean that the beneficiary receives less money than stated by Post Office Travel Money due to circumstances beyond Post Office Travel Money’s control. If you want to understand what these extra fees are likely to be, please contact your bank and the beneficiary's bank.

Post Office Travel Money Exchange Rates for Online Travel Money

Post Office Travel Money offers online currency exchange services and makes money on the difference between the exchange rate they offer to customers and the base exchange rate. For example, the base rate to convert U.K pounds into U.S. dollars is 1.23 dollars per pound. Post Office Travel Money offers an exchange rate of 1.181 USD per pound if you’re exchanging £400. That’s a difference of four percent, or £16. 

Note that the more money you exchange, the better the exchange rate. Here are some other examples:

Exchanging 400 U.K. Pounds Into Euros

• Base exchange rate, 400 GBP converts to 449 EUR
• Post Office Travel Money exchange rate, 400 GBP converts to 432 EUR
• The Post Office Travel Money exchange rate is 3.8 percent more expensive, or around 15 GBP in exchange rate fees

Exchanging 900 U.K. Pounds Into South African Rands

• Base exchange rate, 900 GBP converts to 16,922 ZAR
• Post Office Travel Money exchange rate, 900 GBP converts to 16,189 ZAR
• The Post Office Travel Money exchange rate is 4.3 percent more expensive, or around 39 GBP in exchange rate fees

Exchanging 1,400 U.K. Pounds Into Swedish Krona

• Base exchange rate, 1,400 GBP converts to 17,003 SEK
• Post Office Travel Money exchange rate, 1,400 GBP converts to 16,145 SEK
• The Post Office Travel Money exchange rate is 5 percent more expensive, or around 70 GBP in exchange rate fees

Exchanging 2,000 U.K. Pounds Into Australian Dollars

• Base exchange rate, 2,000 GBP converts to 3,669 AUD
• Post Office Travel Money exchange rate, 2,000 GBP converts to 3,539 AUD
• The Post Office Travel Money exchange rate is 3.5 percent more expensive, or around 70 GBP in exchange rate fees

Exchanging 2,500 U.K. Pounds Into U.S. Dollars

• Base exchange rate, 2,500 GBP converts to 3,074 USD
• Post Office Travel Money exchange rate, 2,500 GBP converts to 3,012 USD
• The Post Office Travel Money exchange rate is 2 percent more expensive, or around 50 GBP in exchange rate fees

If you’re purchasing currency online or you want to transfer money to an overseas account, you can get better deals by comparing specialist currency exchange providers . Several money exchange services have overall fees of one percent or lower, even when taking into account differences in exchange rates. 

All of the Post Office Travel Money exchange rates quoted in this section are based on their online rates for converting money for home delivery or store pickup. Local bureau de change rates may vary and are more expensive than what we quote here. All rates correct as of early October 2019.

Post Office Travel Money Exchange Rates for In-branch Travel Money

Here’s what the Post Office says about its in-branch exchange rates, “Branch exchange rates depend on several factors, eg., branch location, competition, cost of order, convenience, etc. We will always try and offer the best rate, subject to this criteria. As with many retailers, the cheapest order / distribution method is online, where centralised packing costs can be used. This is why online exchanges are invariably better than branch rates.”

Comparing Post Office Travel Money Rates To Other Providers

You can easily compare many money transfer services directly using our comparison tool . There are several new services that it’s worth comparing directly to Post Office Travel Money.

Modern, Mobile-Only Banks

There are several new, mobile-only banks that are becoming more widely available throughout the U.K. and Europe. Providers like N26 , Monese , Revolut , Monzo or Bunq provide a wide variety of financial services to the modern consumer. All of these modern banks provide international travel cards and international money transfer services, and it’s worth comparing them to Post Office Travel Money.

For example, Monzo provides international money transfers through TransferWise, a very popular and trusted currency exchange provider. If you compare sending 1,000 GBP to a Swedish bank account the recipient would get 12,103 SEK with Monzo / TransferWise compared to 11,546 with Western Union, a difference of around five percent or £50.

Specialist Currency Providers for Other Destinations

You may also be able to get a better deal for money transfers when you’re sending money to certain countries. For example, if you’re sending 500 GBP to Saudi Arabia, the beneficiary would get around 2,289 SAR with Xendpay , compared to 2,158 with Post Office Travel Money, a difference of around 5.3 percent or £26. 

How Easy Is It To Send Money With UK Post Office

You can find Post Office Travel Money facilities at most Post Office branches and through their website. Their foreign exchange services are quick and convenient. Their wide availability makes them useful for local currency exchanges, although the fees can be high. International money transfers and travel card services from the Post Office provide a range of additional options if you want to send or spend overseas.

Credibility and Security

You can trust the Post Office to provide a safe and secure exchange of foreign currency. Post Office Travel Money offers currency exchange through First Rate Exchange Services Ltd. First Rate Exchange Services Ltd has a Money Service Business licence No.12133160.

Customer Satisfaction

Unfortunately, the Post Office does not score well for customer satisfaction on Trustpilot, achieving a score of just 1.5 out of 5* across 700 reviews. Ninety percent of the reviews said that they were “poor” or “bad” compared to nine percent of reviews that said they were “excellent” or “great.”

*The scores we show here are for the Post Office overall, not specifically for travel money. 

There were not many positive reviews of the Post Office Travel Money service, however, some did praise the Travel Money card with reviews like this, “Really easy opening of the Travel money card at the counter, with great face to face friendly service. Next day activation of the card was smooth and excellent telephone customer care service was friendly and helpful. Giving their names and added extra attention by offering to help with 'anything else we can be of service.'” 

Issues raised by reviewers that are specific to Post Office Travel Money include unreasonable conversion rates on the travel money card, poor top-up rates, differences between branch and online exchange rates and difficulties with customer service. Here’s a quote from a review about their in-branch exchange rates, “avoid their travel money service like the plague, purchased currency, then checked after only to find I've been levied over 8%, in the exchange rate, they have totally ripped me off, explained to counter clerk wasn't needing money for 2 weeks, but no mention of a better rate, they’ve ripped me off to the tune of 40 pounds more than I could have paid.”

Post Office Travel Money Mobile Applications

Post Office Travel Money provides a mobile app for both iOS and Android devices. The app allows you to:

• Manage your account
• Top up your travel money card
• Check your balance 
• Move money between currencies
• Freeze your card

How Post Office Travel Money Works

Post Office Travel Money services work in slightly different ways, depending on what you want to do.

To request currency online you will need to sign up for an account, provide some identification, let them know the currency you need and provide payment.

To request currency locally you will need to visit a Post Office Travel Money location. 

To get a Post Office Travel Money card you can sign up online or visit a Post Office location bringing your passport or a U.K. driving license. 

If you want to send money overseas to another bank account you will need to:

• Setup an account through the Post Office partnership with Western Union—they will need your name, address, contact details, bank details, and proof of identification.
• Decide the currencies that you want to exchange money between.
• Book a rate through the website.
• Provide details of the sender and receiver of the funds.
• Pay for the transfer.
• Western Union converts the money and deposits it in the beneficiary’s bank account or they may be able to pick it up at an agent location. 

Why You Can Trust Us

You’re probably all too familiar with the often  outrageous cost of sending money abroad . After facing this frustration themselves back in 2013, Monito co-founders François, Laurent, and Pascal launched a real-time comparison engine to compare the best money transfer services worldwide.

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A Guide to Travel Money Cards

Often deemed the cheapest way to spend money abroad , travel money cards are deemed a failsafe option for many travellers. Given the rapid growth of the financial services sector, we want to find out if travel money cards are still as cutting edge as they once were, by comparing them to the new alternatives. Our job is to identify the best international money transfer services and payment providers in the industry: will travel money cards make the cut?

What are travel money cards?

Travel money cards are a popular payment method for individuals headed abroad. Customers will load funds onto the card, using the money as foreign currency when overseas, much like a debit card is used at home. Also known as travel money prepaid cards or currency cards, they facilitate free foreign transactions and overseas ATM withdrawals.

We recommend finding a travel money card which lets you lock-in a favourable exchange rate and supports multiple currencies on one card, to make sure you are securing a flexible and cost-effective deal.

How do you use a travel money card?

Using a travel money card should be straightforward and stress-free. Simply load funds onto the card before you leave, and once abroad, you will be able to reload funds and change currencies using the website or associated money transfer app . The card can be used to make withdrawals, in-store purchases and book travel arrangements.

Where can I get a travel money card?

Travel money cards are available from different retailers and can be purchased and preloaded online, over the phone or in-store, depending on the brand. In the UK, popular brands include Travelex and the Post Office.

Where can I use a travel money card?

Again, this depends on the brand and where you get your money travel card from. Available currencies vary from card to card but commonly used currencies include US Dollars, UK Pound sterling, Euros, Japanese Yen and New Zealand Dollars. Make sure you check with the provider before ordering a travel money card.

How secure are travel money cards?

Generally, travel money cards are considered a lot safer than handling multiple currencies in cash, or travellers cheques, as your provider will be able to cancel it if need be. Furthermore, some of the best travel money cards employ an equivalent level of security to traditional debit cards, including a PIN code, touch ID and face recognition.

Many consider it safer to use a travel money card abroad than a debit card, as they are not associated with your bank account and therefore cannot be linked if lost or stolen.

Travel money cards vs. Credit cards: What is the difference?

One of the biggest advantages of using a travel money card is that your chosen currency is preloaded before you arrive in the foreign country and you won’t be charged conversion fees. This means you are able to benefit from the most favourable exchange rates, locking it in ahead of time and using the funds at a later date.

Most people who use their credit card abroad do it because it is more convenient. The cost of this convenience, however, can sometimes amount to 3 - 5% per use, depending on the transaction and financial institution. Making a foreign ATM withdrawal with your credit card can incur flat-fees of $5 and up, each time.

This being said, there are some excellent traveller credit cards on the market, so we would recommend users compare exchange rates and transfer fees offered by each provider before making a decision on which card is more beneficial.

If you're planning on using your credit card, we suggest you take a look at our credit card wire transfer guide.

What are the alternatives to travel money cards?

Multi-currency accounts.

International money transfer companies are often tailoring their products and services to meet the needs of their customers. Wise , offers a multi-currency account designed with “international people" in mind. This savvy travel credit card is aimed at frequent flyers who want to spend in various currencies in over 200 countries. Wise is a reliable company to trust with your overseas spending habits.

Challenger banks

More and more alternative service providers are popping up around the world, many of them offering reputable banking features for the modern traveller. In a bid to distinguish themselves from traditional banks, challenger banks are scrapping fees on foreign exchange and international spending. Monzo customers, for example, can benefit from free international ATM withdrawals as well as fee-free spending overseas.

We hope this guide to travel money cards has enlightened you and helped you make a decision about whether this is a suitable payment method for your next trip overseas. We appreciate the value of your hard-earned cash and want all our customers to benefit from the best possible rates when dealing with international payments. Use our comparison tool today to make sure you are offered the most desirable exchange rate for your currency.

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Post Office Travel Money Card   Reviews

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Reviews 3.7.

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Ordering Travel Money card and a second…

Ordering Travel Money card and a second card for my wife was straight forward once I used the web site (the app had issues). Both cards were loaded with Euro's and arrived within a couple of days. My card was added to Google Wallet, wife's to Apple Wallet. In use no issues so from that point of view we were happy. The app does seem to be flakey at times, especially when topping up and trying to pay however a recent app update seems to have improved this. I would use them again

Date of experience : August 01, 2024

Reply from Post Office Travel Money Card

Hi Martin, thank you for your review!

Bought a Post Office Money Travel card…

Bought a Post Office Money Travel card and ;loaded it with Thai Baht for holiday. First tried to use in Phuket on 17 June 2024 at 3 different ATM's. Machines said to contact card issuer, This I did by telephone and website to be told card validated and ready to use. Tried in 2 shops, one restaurant to be embarrassed when card would not work, Tried in 2 further ATM's and no Baht issue. Card did not work for 4 days resulting in me having to use credit card for hotels and Bank charges to get my hands on cash Baht. I raised a complaint with Post Office on my return to Dundee and they said they would reply to my complaint by 5 August. I have now been advised by letter that they shall reply by 2 September. I am NOT a satisfied customer

Date of experience : June 17, 2024

Hi Kevin, we are sorry to read this. Can you contact us at [email protected] so we can look into this further?

A good card, but…

The app is very easy to use, it is very easy to top up money and withdraw money. The card is easy to obtain directly from the post office long aș you take identification or you can send for it… it is accepted universally, and means you aren’t leaving a trail with your usual bank card or incurring fees which some banks charge abroad…BUT, what is not clear or explained anywhere, I had to ring to find out, is that you cannot have money transferred back into your regular bank , if you don’t use it all on the post office card, if it is under £600!!! I had to ring up to find that out! Who comes back from holiday with that much still on the card? That is an unfair way to operate the card, it means that smaller balances are stuck on the card and it is really difficult to spend the exact amount stuck on the card so the Post Office is always going to make a significant amount of interest on smaller or very small balances.

Date of experience : July 15, 2024

Hi there, thank you for your review. We do have to meet certain criteria before a bank transfer is offered, but we do have alternative ways to redeem the full balance from your card. Along with what you have mentioned we also offer a redemption barcode that you can take to your Post Office branch and you will be able to withdraw the full amount

Easy To Use…

It was so easy to download the Post Office travel app and set the card up. The app let you know your card balance and it was easy to top up the card. I was able to use the card everywhere when I was away.

Date of experience : July 03, 2024

Hey Ronnie, thank you very much for your review!

Sign up for online

App only allows minimum £50. Not easy to register online to pay smaller amounts!

Date of experience : August 08, 2024

Thank you for your review, we’re sorry to read that the Travel Money Card hasn’t met with your expectations on this occasion, we would like to understand more so we can help resolve this. Could you call us at 0207 937 0280 or email us at [email protected] , Thanks. - Jordan

No where on the app is there the option…

No where on the app is there the option (highly necessary) to be able to update the payment debit card when a new one is issued or indeed to edit users' payment card options. Luckily I discovered this before travel and will be taking up with GPO, this is really bad as no one wants to find out whilst abroad in a cash flow emergency that they can't get any cash via this card. UPDATE Received almost immediate reply to email enquiry, there is a solution but it's not obvious or intuitive (highlights a fault with the app and lack of thought on the potential things that cause unnecessary stress to users).

Date of experience : August 03, 2024

Thank you for your review, were sorry to read that the Travel Money Card hasn’t met with your expectations on this occasion, we would like to understand more so we can help resolve this. Could you call us at 0207 937 0208 or email us at [email protected], Thanks, - Rhys

Used every where in Lanzarote every for…

Used every where in Lanzarote every for ten days not an issue, Rate reasonable, worked in atms, however some of those charge. No issue with the app, of course you will need WiFi or mobile data, tops ups showed instantly as well.

Date of experience : July 31, 2024

Hi Craig, thank you for your review!

I am a cooperative bank member and for…

I am a cooperative bank member and for some reason that nobody can explain it is not possible to top up card using the app. My wife has NatWest and has no problem. So when I'm away on holiday and my card needs topping up I'm snookered. Tried to get problem fixed but support is non existent.

Hi Philip, thank you for your review. We are aware that a limited number of customers may be experiencing problems when using their bank card to top up their Travel Money Card on our app. We understand that this is because the 3DS security feature is not working properly and payments may be declined as a result. If this happens to you, please contact the bank which has issued your bank card directly, to let them know about the issue. Remember, you can still use your card to top up your Travel Money Card online while abroad or at a local Post Office branch.

Not allowing me to top uo

I am in Canada and cannot top up my card. Every time I try I get a message saying there is a problem with the payment system. I have tried several times over the last 2 days. I can't phone the help number because I am in Canada and it will cost me a fortune and there is no other way to contact them. It has worked well for me in the past but this is really frustrating.

Date of experience : August 05, 2024

Hi there, thank you for your review, and I am sorry to hear this. Can you please contact us via email at [email protected] so this can be looked into further. Thank you.

Great way to pay abroad.

After reading the reviews, I was worried I'd made a mistake ordering my post office travel card. However, thankfully, my experience was nothing but positive. It was easy to order, transfer money, it arrived quickly and worked everywhere, every time.

Date of experience : July 16, 2024

Hi Amy, thank you very much for your review!

The app is good and everything was…

The app is good and everything was quick and easy to set up. If I have one quibble, it's that you have to top up each time with a minimum of £50. Towards the end of a holiday especially, you sometimes only want to add a smaller amount to last you a bit longer. Some more flexibility there would be good.

Hi there, thank you so much for your review, and feedback! I have passed your feedback over as we are always looking to improve our services for our customers.

Post Office no longer operable in Portugal

For many years I was satisfied with the PO prepaid card. Recently I had problems in Portugal. The bank cash machines stopped accepting the cards. The PO helpline said they 'reactivated the card. Several banks and machines later the card was again not accepted. More phone calls to the PO. Eventually exasperated I canceled the card and requested a refund. Told it would take 10 days for a message and I have to telephone the PO again. Not the best service. Ray

Date of experience : July 30, 2024

Hi there, Apologies for the troubles you have experienced with your Travel Money Card, if you would like for us to investigate this further you can contact our customer services on [email protected] or 0344 335 0109 or +44 207 937 0280 if calling from outside the UK, we are open 24/7.

Great but app

Great to have but the app didn't work had to call up to activate card

Date of experience : August 02, 2024

Hi Jennifer, thank you for your review! Apologies to hear about the app, hopefully all is working now! If not please give us a call using the number on the back of your card so we can investigate

Brilliant card for holiday

Brilliant card for holiday, easy top up system as long as you have your own card details to hand or you save your card details to app, Works just like a debit card and no issues whatsoever A+++++++

Date of experience : July 17, 2024

Hi Neil, thank you very much for your review!

Does not work abroad

I have used the card in Prague,as well as in Istanbul, recently, it did not work whilst doing contact less, then tried chip and pin, still no luck. Contacted the helpline, said will work, but did not, I will travel to France next week, will see if it will work, have low hopes! I ended up using my Halifax bank card, which was more reliable, I had to take cash out at an ATM in Istanbul from the PO card, which was not the point I got the card for. Improvements need to be made, for the card to be used smoothly, as it is embarrassing when you trying to pay for a service abroad.

Date of experience : June 10, 2024

Hi Tasnim, thank you for your review, we’re sorry to read that the Travel Money Card hasn’t met with your expectations on this occasion, we would like to understand more so we can help resolve this, as we may need to issue you a new card. Could you call us at 0207 937 0280 or email us at [email protected]. Thank you

Easy to apply for and transfer money…

Easy to apply for and transfer money onto accepted in many places abroad with the ability to keep a track on useage

Hi Dave, Thank you so much for your review.

Excellent option for travellers....

Simple process to set up the card which was obtained over the counter at my local Post Office. Activated the card via the App the following morning. Card works as any other bank card with Mastercard recognition. Ability to top up card via App or withdraw cash from an ATM. Excellent option for travel cash....

Date of experience : July 01, 2024

Hi Steve, thanks so much for your review!

An absolute winner from the Post Office

Well the Post Office have an absolute winner here. The TMC and its app are very easy to use. We switched currency to Euros when heading for Europe and switched back to Sterling on our return. Very easy. And while abroad no additional charges are made when making purchases. Also, Post Office staff locally (Staffordshire) very knowledgeable about the card and helpful re its acquisition and use. 10 out of 10.

Date of experience : July 19, 2024

Hi John, thank you so much for your review and feedback!

Easy but flawed

Easy to follow process. Helpful FAQs and instant access helpline. BUT.....one major issue that needs addressing in my opinion. The card can only be used by the registered cardholder and there is no (free) option to link a second card for a partner or spouse. We are using the card for holiday money and can only spend on the card if we are together. I contacted the helpline about this and was told we could buy a second card for an additional £50. That should not be necessary in my opinion.

Date of experience : July 23, 2024

Hi Simon, thank you for your review! The card is intended for personal use and we do advise against third party usage on the card, but we appreciate your feedback and we will be sure to pass this on. Thank you

So easy to use!

It was so easy to transfer money onto card. It was simple to use and accepted every where. It was a life saver!

Date of experience : July 22, 2024

Thank you Ian for your review!

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The 6 Best Travel Money Cards for Travelling Overseas 2024

If you’re planning on travelling overseas, getting a travel money card can help you cut the costs usually involved in spending foreign currencies.

Travel money cards can include travel debit, prepaid and credit cards, which each work slightly differently, but which all come with features optimised for reducing the costs of spending and withdrawing cash overseas. This guide covers everything there is to know about the different travel card categories, plus we’ll introduce 6 of our top travel card picks so you can see if any suit you.

Wise - our pick for travel debit card when travelling overseas

Wise accounts can hold and exchange 40+ currencies, and you can get a linked Wise card for a one time delivery fee. Top up your account in GBP and switch to the currency of your choice before you travel. All currency conversion uses the mid-market exchange rate, with low fees from 0.41%. Here are some of the pros and cons of the Wise travel money debit card, to help you decide if it’s right for you.

Hold and exchange 40+ currencies

No fee to spend any currency you hold, low conversion fees from 0.41%

Mid market exchange rate on all currency conversion

Some fee free ATM withdrawals every month

No ongoing fees and no interest to pay

7 GBP delivery fee

No option to earn points or rewards

Click here to read a full Wise review

What is a travel money card?

Travel money cards work much like any other credit or debit card you might have, but are designed to be easy to use when you’re overseas or spending in a foreign currency. You’ll be able to use a travel money card to spend and make ATM withdrawals while you’re travelling abroad, or when you shop online with foreign retailers. Most cards have contactless technology and can also be added to a wallet like Apple Pay for mobile spending, too.

The features you get with a travel money card can vary a lot, but you’ll often find you can hold a balance in multiple currencies, pay low or no foreign transaction fees, or earn cash back and rewards overseas.

What are different types of travel cards?

Travel cards can broadly be split into the following categories. We’ll walk through the features and benefits of each in a moment:

Travel debit cards

Travel prepaid cards

Travel credit cards

Quick summary: Best travel cards for travelling overseas

UK customers can pick from a good selection of different travel card types and providers. This guide includes an overview and in detail reviews of 2 of our favourites from each travel card category to help you choose. Here’s what we’ll be looking at:

Wise travel debit card : Hold 40+ currencies with no ongoing fees, and spend with the mid-market exchange rate with no foreign transaction fee and low conversion costs from 0.43%

Revolut travel debit card : Hold 25+ currencies in one of 4 different plan types, including some with no monthly fee, and some which come with ongoing costs but which unlock more benefits and no fee transactions

Post Office travel money card : Hold 22 currencies, with no fee to spend a currency you hold - 3% fee applies if you don’t have the currency required in your account

Monese travel money card : Hold a balance in GBP, then spend in foreign currencies with no fees, up to your plan’s limit. Different plans on offer, including Simple which has no ongoing fees to pay

Barclays Rewards Visa travel credit card: Spend with the Visa exchange rate, and earn 0.25% cash back, with no foreign transaction fee and no cash advance fee. Interest and penalties can apply

Halifax Clarity Mastercard travel credit card: No foreign transaction fee, no annual fee, and no cash advance fee if you withdraw money at an ATM. Variable interest and penalties can apply

Travel money cards for travelling overseas compared

Here’s a brief comparison of all the cards we’ve picked out - in a moment we’ll also look at each card in more detail.

The good news is that you’ve got lots of different travel cards available in the UK, from specialist providers, banks and card issuers. The right one for you will depend a lot on the way you like to manage your money - but by doing a bit of research you’ll be able to find a good match for your preferences, even travel cards with no foreign transaction fees .

Generally, travel debit cards can be cheap and flexible, but you’ll need to have your travel money saved in advance, so you can top up your account. Credit cards have the advantage that you can spend now and repay later - but are usually more expensive overall between interest and fees. This guide walks through some key points about each of these travel money card types, and proposes a couple of options you might want to check out and compare.

Travel Debit Cards for travelling overseas

Travel debit cards can be ordered online from specialist providers, and are usually linked to a digital multi-currency account. Add money to your account in GBP and then you can either convert to the currency you need in your destination if the card supports it, or just leave your money in pounds so the card’s autoconvert technology can do the conversion for you at the point of payment.

Travel debit cards are generally cheap, secure and reliable, but the exact range of supported currencies, and the way the card fee structure works, can vary a bit depending on the provider you select.

Travel debit card option 1: Wise

There’s no fee to open a personal Wise account , but you’ll pay a one time card order fee of 7 GBP. After that there’s no minimum balance and no monthly charge. Wise accounts can support 40+ currencies for holding and exchange, with low fees from 0.43% when you convert currencies, and transparent ATM fees when you exhaust the monthly free transactions available with your account. If the Wise card can’t support the currency you need to spend in your destination, you can just leave your money in pounds and the card will convert for you at the point of payment.

No fee to open a personal Wise account, no minimum balance requirement

7 GBP one time fee to get your Wise card

2 withdrawals, to 200 GBP value per month for free, then 0.5 GBP + 1.75%

Hold 40+ currencies, convert between them with the mid-market rate

Get local account details to receive GBP, NZD, EUR, USD and a selection of other major currencies conveniently

Travel debit card option 2: Revolut

Revolut has a selection of different account tiers for personal customers in the UK, from Standard plans with no monthly fee, to the top end Ultra plan which has a 45 GBP/month fee and comes with loads of perks including a fancy platinum plated card. You can hold around 25 currencies, and convert currencies with the mid-market rate to your plan’s allowance. The higher account tiers also come with extras like various different forms of complimentary insurance, discounts, cash back opportunities and travel benefits. If the currency you need can’t be held as a balance in your Revolut account you can still use your card to pay - just let the card do the conversion for you with the live rate at the time you transact, plus any applicable fair usage fee.

No monthly fee for a Standard Revolut account, or upgrade to one of 4 different account plans which have monthly fees running from 3.99 GBP/month to 45 GBP/month

All accounts have some no fee weekday currency conversion with fair usage fees after that which are 1% for Standard plan holders

Standard plan holders can withdraw 200 GBP overseas per month for free

Hold around 25 currencies

Pros and cons of using debit travel cards when travelling overseas

How much does a travel debit card cost.

Travel debit cards are usually free or cheap to order, and often offer low or no cost currency conversion.

To give an example - Wise has a one time fee to get your card, but then no monthly charges or minimum balance requirements. Currency conversion uses the mid-market exchange rate with low fees from 0.43%. Revolut has 4 different account plans, including one with no ongoing charges, or several different account options with a monthly fee in exchange for extra perks and benefits. Each account has some no-fee currency exchange, but fair usage fees of 0.5% - 1% apply if you exceed your allowance.

How to choose the best travel debit card for travelling overseas?

There’s no single best travel debit card for travelling overseas, the right one for you will depend a lot on the way you prefer to transact and manage your money.

The key things to consider include whether you’re happy to pay a monthly fee for a card or would prefer to have an option with no ongoing fees for occasional use. You’ll also want to look at the transaction costs you’ll need to pay, and what exchange rate is applied when converting currencies.

If you’re struggling to decide whether a travel debit card suits you, the Wise card and the Standard Revolut card both offer no ongoing costs, so are a fairly low risk and low commitment way to test out your options.

Is there a spending limit with a travel debit card when travelling overseas?  

You’ll probably find there’s a spending limit for your travel debit card. However, this limit can vary quite significantly, depending on the provider you pick. You can also usually adjust your spending limits for security in the provider’s app which means you can set the limit you’re comfortable with.

For the providers mentioned above, Revolut UK travel debit card holders have some spending caps based on merchant and transaction type. This applies to things like sending money to others, buying travellers cheques or money orders, and betting. Wise caps monthly card spending at 30,000 GBP but you can also move your limit lower if you’d like to, for security reasons.

ATM withdrawals

ATM withdrawals with a travel debit card are also likely to be subject to limits. Revolut applies a 3,000 GBP limit based on any given 24 hour period. Wise ATM withdrawal limits are 4,000 GBP per month. Both providers allow you to make some no fee ATM withdrawals monthly, but the exact amount you can withdraw will depend on your account type.

Prepaid Travel Cards for travelling overseas

[Prepaid travel cards] ( https://exiap.co.uk/guides/best-prepaid-travel-cards ) work in a similar way to travel debit cards, but may have slightly different features and charging structures. The way prepaid travel cards work varies - for example, with the Post Office Travel Money Card, you can collect your card in person at a branch and add any of 22 currencies to it for spending and withdrawals.

The Monese Travel Money Card only lets you hold GBP, EUR and RON, but allows you to spend in foreign currencies with no fees up to a limit specified in your account plan. This range of different functionalities means you can pick the card that works best for your specific needs.

Prepaid travel card option 1: Post Office Travel Money Card

You can order a Post Office Travel Money Card online or pick one up in person at a branch as long as you have a valid ID on you. You’ll be able to top up and hold in 22 currencies, although bear in mind a fee applies if you add money in GBP. There’s no fee to add foreign currencies. The exchange rate used when you top up or convert may include a markup, but once you hold a currency balance in your account you can spend it with no further charges.

22 currencies are supported for holding and exchange

No fee to spend a currency you hold on your card

3% cross border fee if you spend in an unsupported currency

Small ATM withdrawal fee which varies by currency withdrawn, about the equivalent of 1.5 GBP per withdrawal

Manage your account and card from the Post Office travel money app

Prepaid travel card option 2: Monese Travel Money Card

Monese offers several different account plans which come with linked cards you can use while overseas. Depending on the plan you pick you’ll get some free international spending and some free ATM withdrawals. Simple account plans have no monthly fees, but are more limited in terms of no-fee transactions compared to the other account tiers.

Pick the account plan that suits your needs, including a Simple plan with no monthly costs and some plans which do have a fee to pay every month

Accounts offered in GBP, EUR and RON

Simple account plan holders can spend up to 2,000 GBP a month in foreign currencies with no fees - other account plans have unlimited overseas spending with no extra fees

All accounts have some fee free ATM withdrawals every month, with variable limits based on account plan

Virtual cards available

Pros and cons of using prepaid travel cards when travelling overseas

How much does a prepaid card cost.

A prepaid travel card could help you save money compared to using a bank debit or credit card when you travel abroad, but the chances are there will still be a few fees to pay. That could be ongoing monthly fees, currency conversion charges, or fees when you top up, particularly if you top up in cash. Weighing up a few different prepaid travel cards is the only way to decide which is the best value for your particular needs.

How to choose the best travel prepaid card for travelling overseas?

The best prepaid travel card for travelling overseas depends on your spending patterns. The Post Office Travel Money Card has the advantage that you can convert your money to the currency you need in your destination and see your budget instantly. However if you don’t do this, you might end up paying a 3% fee. Monese has different plan types, so has the flexibility to allow you to pick the one you want - but you can’t hold a foreign currency balance aside from RON and EUR.

Prepaid travel card spending limit

The Post Office travel card lets you top up to 5,000 GBP at a time, with the maximum balance at any given time set at 10,000 GBP, or 30,000 GBP annually. Monese accounts may have different limits based on the tier you pick - usually set at a maximum holding balance at any time of 40,000 GBP. You may be limited to spending up to 7,000 GBP a day, depending on your account type.

With the Post Office card, you can make up to the equivalent of 300 GBP maximum daily withdrawals and each withdrawal costs the equivalent of 1.5 GBP. Monese accounts may have a maximum ATM withdrawal of 300 GBP a day, depending on the specific account you pick, so it’s worth reading the fee schedule carefully to understand the details.

Travel Credit Cards for travelling overseas

Travel credit cards are like other credit cards in that you’ll be set a spending limit which you can not exceed on a monthly basis. At the end of the month you’ll have to pay back your bill in full to avoid interest and penalties. When you spend overseas your foreign currency transaction is converted back to GBP to add to your monthly charge - often with a foreign transaction fee added, which can be around 3%. Travel credit cards often waive this foreign transaction fee, which makes them better value for foreign currency spending compared to other credit cards. However, as with any other credit card, you might find you have fees to pay in the form of interest, particularly if you use your card in an ATM, making this a relatively expensive way of managing your money internationally.

Travel credit card option 1: Barclaycard Rewards Visa 

The Barclaycard Rewards Visa credit card is a good, straightforward option for UK customers looking for a credit card which does not have foreign transaction fees, and which doesn’t have an annual fee. As with any credit card, some costs can apply including interest fees if you don’t clear your bill monthly, but you’ll be able to earn 0.25% cash back on all your card spending at home and abroad.

No annual fee, with 0.25% cash back on card spending

Currency exchange uses the network rate and no foreign transaction fee

No ATM withdrawal fee - but interest can still apply

28.9% representative APR, with penalty fees for late payments

Secure spending with extra protection on some purchases

Travel credit card option 2: Halifax Clarity Mastercard

The Halifax Clarity Mastercard has a variable interest rate which is based on your creditworthiness, but doesn’t use different rates for different transaction types as some cards do. There’s no foreign transaction fee when you spend or withdraw in foreign currencies, but bear in mind that an ATM operator might charge a fee, and interest accrues instantly for cash advance transactions.

No foreign transaction fee when spending or making a cash withdrawal overseas

Interest applies instantly when making cash withdrawals

Same interest rate applies on all purchase categories

Variable APR based on your credit score - you’ll need to check your eligibility online to see the APR you’d be offered

Spending is covered by the Consumer Credit act which means extra protections for purchases from 100 GBP to 30,000 GBP in value

Pros and cons of using credit cards when travelling overseas

How much does a travel credit card cost.

Credit cards are convenient and secure - but they’ll also often be the most expensive way to pay for things. That’s because you may end up paying an annual fee, interest costs, foreign transaction fees, cash advance charges, and penalties if you’re late to repay. The cards we’ve picked out above have the advantage that they have no annual fee, no foreign transaction fee and no cash advance fee - but if you use your card in an ATM you’ll start to accrue interest instantly, which does mean paying more in the end.

How to choose the best travel credit card for travelling overseas?

The best travel credit card for travelling overseas depends on your preferences and situation. Because there’s an eligibility screening process with credit cards, you may find you can’t get approved for some cards if you don’t have an established and strong credit history. It’s generally worth looking for a card with no annual fee, and the lowest available interest rate, just in case you can’t always repay your bill monthly.

Travel credit card spending limit

Your travel credit card spending limit will be set by the card provider, and will depend on your credit score. You’ll be shown details of your spending limit when you’re approved for a travel credit card.

The cards we’ve looked at earlier don’t charge a cash advance fee, but this is a common cost when using a credit card at an ATM, so worth looking out for when you select any credit card. It’s also worth noting that it’s very common for ATM withdrawals to start accruing interest instantly, so you’ll end up needing to repay some charges whenever you use your credit card in an ATM.

How much money do I need when travelling overseas?

Naturally, the costs of your trip can vary wildly depending on where you’re going, how long for, and what you’ll be up to during your holiday. Costs to consider when budgeting include:

Any visa fees, or travel health costs such as vaccinations, if required

Travel or medical insurance

Flights or other travel costs - don’t forget to buy baggage allowance in advance if you need it

Travel to and from the airport, or parking if you drive yourself

Local SIM or roaming data

Accommodation, plus any local tourist taxes

Food and drinks while you’re away

Activities and entry costs to tourist sites

Travel within the country - taxis or bus rides for example

Kennels or any other requirements to look after pets back home

Conclusion: Which travel money card is best for travelling overseas?

Travelling overseas is exciting but does need a bit of planning. In particular, working out how you’ll manage your money while you’re away is essential if you don’t want to get ripped off by poor exchange rates, pay high fees, or end up having a stressful time with money changers on arrival.

Travel cards can help you avoid all these potential pitfalls, manage your travel budget flexibly, and pay less for your trip in the end. Consider a Wise travel debit card for convenient, low cost spending and withdrawals with ways to pay and get paid in foreign currencies. Or as an alternative, check out a Monese travel prepaid card for free currency conversion to your specific plan limit, or a travel credit card like the Barclays Rewards Visa for cash back opportunities and ways to spread your costs over several months if you need to. No matter what type of travel card suits you best, there’s going to be an option for you - use this guide to figure out which is your perfect match, and your travel money could take you further in the end.

FAQ - Best travel cards for travelling overseas

Can you withdraw cash with a credit card when travelling overseas.

Yes. You can use your credit card to make an ATM withdrawal at any ATM where your card network is accepted when travelling overseas. However, bear in mind you’ll pay interest instantly when you use a credit card in an ATM. Choosing to withdraw with a low cost travel debit card from Wise or Revolut may bring down your overall fees.

Can I use a debit card when travelling overseas?

It’s unusual to find you can’t use a card to pay in tourist areas in more developed countries, towns and cities. However, card usage varies widely and in many places, cash is still king. Because of that, having multiple ways to pay is essential and carrying both a prepaid or travel debit card and some foreign currency in cash is a smart plan.

Are prepaid cards safe?

Yes. Prepaid cards are not linked to your normal UK bank account which means that they’re safe to use. Even if you were unlucky and someone stole your card while you're travelling overseas, they would not be able to access your main account - and you could freeze your prepaid card in the app easily if you needed to.

What is the best way to pay when travelling overseas?

Paying for things with a specialist travel debit, prepaid or credit card when travelling overseas is most convenient. However, having a few options for payment is a good plan, just in case your preferred payment method can’t be used for some reason. Consider getting a travel card from a provider like Wise or Revolut, which has some no fee ATM withdrawals so you can also conveniently get cash as a back up, and for when card payments aren’t offered.

Common questions about Cash Passport

Choose a topic.

About Cash Passport Travel Money Card

Cash Passport is a prepaid, travel money card. You can use Cash Passport to pay for goods and services, online and in-store, at millions of locations worldwide (anywhere that Mastercard is accepted). You can load multiple currencies on a single card, locking in your exchange rates at the time of booking your reload via the website, so you know exactly how much you have to spend. You can also withdraw local currency from millions of ATMs where the Mastercard acceptance mark is displayed.

If you purchase your Cash Passport online, we will dispatch your card the moment payment is received. When buying your card, you can opt to pay via Debit Card or BPAY. Debit card means we will get the funds faster, so if you are in a rush to receive your card – this is your fastest method. BPAY can take up to 2 business days for us to receive your funds from your bank. Your card will be delivered within 3 business days to your home address.

Cash Passport is not a credit card nor a debit card. Cash Passport is a prepaid travel money card that is not linked to your everyday bank account. You will need to load money onto your Cash Passport before you can use it. When you make a purchase or withdraw cash from an ATM, the amount is deducted from your prepaid balance.

Yes. You can use your Cash Passport to shop online (within the limits and restrictions of your card) at any merchant that accepts Mastercard. By using a Cash Passport loaded with the currency that the online site trades in, you know exactly what your purchase will cost and won't be stung by unknown exchange rates, as may happen if you used your domestic credit or debit card.

Cash Passport may not be used for money transfers or for accessing or purchasing goods from adult or gambling internet sites and must not be used for any unlawful activity. You must comply with all laws and regulations (including any foreign exchange controls) in respect of the Card in the country of purchase and/or use.

Cash Passport can be loaded up to 11 currencies, including AUD, USD, EUR, GBP, NZD, THB, CAD, HKD, JPY, SGD, AED.

You can transfer money between currencies at your convenience, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week via 'My Account'.

An exchange rate set by Mastercard Prepaid Management Services will apply when you load funds to the card or transfer funds between currencies. The exchange rates will be displayed to you before proceeding with your transaction at www.cashpassport.com.au

You will be able to use your card anywhere Mastercard is accepted.

Your Cash Passport should not be declined in any shops that accept Mastercard unless you have an insufficient balance or that particular store does not accept prepaid cards at their own personal choice. Please note that some restaurants and car hire companies require your card to have an available balance greater than the purchase amount before they will authorise payment.

It is currently not possible to use your Cash Passport in a number of countries. If you attempt to withdraw cash from an ATM or use your Card at merchants in any of these countries, your request will be declined.

The countries and geographical regions currently affected by sanctions are: Iran, North Korea, Sudan, Syria and Crimea.

Managing your Cash Passport Travel Money Card

Your default currency is initially set to Australian dollars. You can change your default currency at any time via cashpassport.com.au or the Cash Passport mobile app.

If funds are sent to your card without a currency being specified via cashpassport.com.au, they will be loaded to the default currency.

When you load your card directly from your bank account using Bank Transfer or BPAY®, without first booking an order via My Account, funds will automatically be loaded into your default currency.

For example, if your default currency is USD, loads will automatically be credited to your USD currency.

If you plan on travelling and want to load directly onto your card in local currency via your internet or telephone banking you can change your default currency to the local currency.

It's always best to login to 'My Account' and book your exchange rates with an order when loading your card.

No, only Australian dollar amounts can be transferred onto your Cash Passport. E.g. you use AUD to load onto your card, into the foreign currency of your choice.

If your card is lost or stolen, Card Services will help you get you back in control of your money. If your card is lost or stolen, contact us immediately.

If your card is stolen, we’ll close it to prevent fraud. You may be eligible for an emergency cash disbursement, allowing you to access funds on your card, if your card is lost or stolen whilst you are overseas. Simply contact us.

You can suspend your card online via www.cashpassport.com.au or by contacting Card Services if it is lost or stolen.

You will still be able to transfer funds between currencies on your card, but you will not be able to transact using your card, while it is suspended.  If you find your card, you can reactivate your card online via 'My Account' or by contacting Card Services. 

Some ATMs will display your total Cash Passport balance in local currency. For accurate balances for each currency login at cashpassport.com.au. Remember, many ATMs will charge you for checking your balance, so opt instead to visit www.cashpassport.com.au and login to 'My Account'.

Your Card Expiry Date is printed on the front of your card. You cannot use your card for purchases or cash withdrawals after it has expired. Please do not load funds onto an Expired Card.

You will not be able to use your card, whether topping up your card or using your card in-store or at an ATM. Please contact card services on 1800 098 231 to arrange replacement cards. You may also Cash Out by logging into My Account and follow the prompts and have funds transferred to a nominated bank account.

• Login to My Account
• Select Transfer money > Cash out to a bank account.
• Select all the currencies you’d like to Cash out.
• Enter the full amount you’d like to Cash out for each currency.
• Enter your bank account details: Account name, BSB, Account number will be required. Please check these details to ensure a successful Cash out.
• Select complete Cash Out and you are done!

Funds will arrive into your nominated bank account within 3-5 business days.

Please contact card services on 1800 098 231 to arrange a replacement card and your positive balance will be transferred to your new cards. It can take up to 15 days for your new cards to arrive.  

Your new cards will be valid for up to 5 years.  

Transactions

Your Cash Passport Travel Money Card Transactions

Yes, however it is not recommended.

Cruise Ships often charge a security bond by pre-authorising your card to cover incidentals, similar to hotels.

These pre-authorized funds cannot be used whilst onboard or until such a time those funds are released by the cruise company themselves (not us), which can take up to 30 days after the cruise has finished. It is suggested that you use a credit card to cover any such pre-authorized amounts and Cash Passport can be used at ATM's or at merchants onboard.

Some overseas merchants and ATM operators may give you the option of paying in the local currency, or in Australian Dollars (this is called Dynamic Currency Conversion or DCC).

If you make a purchase or ATM withdrawal in a country where the local currency is the same as a currency on your Cash Passport facility (e.g. using your US Dollar funds in the US) and you opt to pay in Australian Dollars, this may result in a foreign exchange transaction at additional cost to you as the card will seek to transact in Australian Dollars. If you have funds loaded on your Cash Passport facility in the currency of the country you are in, you can select to pay in the local currency to ensure that the transaction is taken from the correct currency loaded on your card. If the merchant gives you the option of paying in AUD please note that they will then determine the exchange rate used to convert your AUD to the local currency.

A pre-authorisation is a hold over card funds.  Hotels, cruise lines and car rental companies may estimate the cost of your bill and ask you to provide a card as a guarantee.  This will place a hold on funds, which cannot be used to make transactions, and can last up to 30 days. If a merchant requests a pre-authorisation we recommend using a credit or debit card, instead of Cash Passport.

 As Cash Passport is a prepaid facility a pre-authorisation will temporarily reduce your available funds. You can still settle your final bill with Cash Passport. If you do use Cash Passport for a pre-authorisation and need access to the held funds within the 30 day period, you’ll need to contact the merchant directly to request they lift the pre-authorisation.

Dynamic currency conversion, often referred to as DCC

Dynamic Currency Conversion (DCC) is an optional service that is sometimes offered by foreign retailers and ATM operators, giving cardholders the choice of paying in either the currency of the country they are visiting or their own domestic currency. If you make a purchase or ATM withdrawal in a country where the local currency is the same as a currency on your Cash Passport (e.g. using your US Dollar funds in the USA) and you opt in to a DCC service, this may result in a foreign exchange transaction at additional cost to you as the card will seek to transact in Australian dollars. If you have funds loaded onto your Cash Passport in the currency of the country you are in, you should NOT opt in to DCC.

A transaction may be declined if you’re shopping online and use a different billing address to the address you used to apply for Cash Passport. Your billing address and Cash Passport address must match.  You can update your Cash Passport address to match your billing address at any time by contacting Mastercard Cash Passport Global Support.

For some purchases a minimum balance on your Cash Passport facility is required to pre-authorise the transaction.

These include: • Purchases at an automated fuel pump – minimum balance of AU$ 80 (or foreign currency equivalent) required • Telephone calls – minimum balance of AU$11 (or foreign currency equivalent) required • Utilities bills – minimum balance of AU$ 15 (or foreign currency equivalent) required  If you spend less than these minimum pre-authorisation amounts you will not be charged for the excess; however any unused portion of the minimum amount may be temporarily unavailable.

Your transaction history may display differently depending on whether you are using the Cash Passport mobile app or cashpassport.com.au

All of your transactions, including pending transactions will be shown on cashpassport.com.au. Pending transactions are transactions which have not yet settled. Pre-authorisations and tolerances may result in a pending transaction. For pending transactions, the transaction amount will be held, and not available for use, until the transaction has cleared. Once this occurs you‘ll be able to access the pending amount. Pending transactions will not be shown on the Cash Passport mobile app until they are settled, which may be several days after the transactions were made. To view these transactions go to www.cashpassport.com.au

Some merchants may add an additional amount to your transaction as an anticipated service charge or tip. This is common amongst both prepaid and debit cards and protects your card from unexpectedly going into a negative balance.

The most common place for this to occur is bars and restaurants.Some restaurants or bars may add an additional amount (usually 20%) to your bill as an anticipated service charge or tip. If the additional amount is not used for a service charge or tip, it will be temporarily held and then become available for you to use.  For example, if you spend $100 on a meal, you may be charged $120 ($100 plus an anticipated service charge or tip of $20, as 20% of the total amount). If you leave a $10 tip on your meal, bringing the total charge to $110, the remaining $10 portion of the anticipated charge may be temporarily unavailable until the transaction settles.

Taxis may also add an additional amount (usually 15%) on top of your anticipated fare to cover possible service charges, road tolls or tips (when a pre-authorisation is obtained against your card). Likewise, some petrol stations may apply a pre-authorisation (usually AUD75) against your available balance when using an automatic ‘pay at pump’ service. Once the transaction is settled, the temporary hold on the anticipated charge will be lifted and any remaining funds will be available for you to use.

If you don’t have sufficient funds in local currency to complete a transaction, the balance of the transaction will be automatically processed using available funds from other currencies in the following order of priority: 1. Australian Dollars (AUD) 2. United States Dollars (USD) 3. Euros (EUR) 4. Great British Pounds (GBP) 5. Thai Baht (THB) 6. New Zealand Dollars (NZD) 7. Singapore Dollars (SGD) 8. Hong Kong Dollars (HKD) 9. Canadian Dollars (CAD) 10. Japanese Yen (JPY) 11. Dhiram (AED)

If you don’t have enough funds available across all of your currencies to complete a transaction, the transaction will be declined.

Cash Passport Travel Money Card Security and Privacy

You can spend with confidence knowing your card is chip, PIN and signature secured; giving you added security against fraud. Cash Passport is not linked to a bank account, so it’s a great option for making purchases overseas or online.

You’ll have the additional security and convenience of not having to carry cash, as Mastercard is accepted at millions of Mastercard locations worldwide.

You’re covered by our 24/7 Global Emergency Assistance service if your card is lost or stolen. You can log online at www.cashpassport.com.au where you can access PIN reveal.

Heritage Bank Limited is the Issuer of Cash Passport and Cash Passport cardholders’ contractual relationship is with Heritage Bank Limited rather than Mastercard Prepaid Management Services Australia Pty Ltd.  Under the Mastercard rules Heritage Bank Limited is liable at all times to settle all legitimate cardholder transactions. Further information can be found in our Product Disclosure Statement.

You’ll be protected by the Mastercard Zero Liability~ policy for unauthorised transactions made using your card in-store, online or over the phone. You’ll need to take reasonable measures to protect your Cash Passport and PIN from unauthorised use for the policy to apply.  

Refer to the Cash Passport Product Disclosure Statement for further information.

Please contact Card Services by visiting the contact us section of this website.

Transfer between Cards

Domestic and International Card to Card Transfer

‘Card to card’ gives Cash Passport cardholders the ability to instantly transfer money from one Cash Passport to another, in both Australia and New Zealand, across currencies of your choosing.

As long as your friends and family have a Cash Passport purchased in Australia or New Zealand, they will be able to send money:

Domestically – From one Australian Cash Passport cardholder to another

Internationally – From an Australian Cash Passport cardholder to a New Zealand Cash Passport cardholder (and vice versa)

Simply login to ‘M y Account ’ and select ‘Transfer Money’.

You will then need to enter the details of the card you wish to send to. Remember, you must enter your friend or families details exactly as per their account details.

Wish to send money to them again in the future? Too easy. Simply ‘Save payee’ when completing your transfer.

Card to card transfers are instant. The recipient (your friends and family) will immediately see the money in their ‘My Account’ upon transfer.

A confirmation screen will appear upon successful transfer. You will also receive an email receipt confirming your card to card transfer was successful.

You cannot send money to Cash Passport cardholders who purchased their card at Travelex.

Sending from one Australian Cash Passport to another Australian Cash Passport is FREE . Sending money between Australia and New Zealand Cash Passport cardholders (and vice versa) may have fees apply. Please see ‘ Fees & Limits ’ for more information.

Yes, limits do apply. Please see ‘ Fees & Limits ’ for more information.

Recipients need to be validated before you can successfully process your transfer. You will need to provide their full first name, last name and card number to find them. Remember, you must enter their first and last name as it appears on their account at signup.

For example, if you signed up with the name “Alexander Williams” – a transfer to “Alex Williams” will not work, as the first name has been abbreviated.

Please check the spelling of the first and last name, and check with your friend / family that the card number is correct.

If the details do not match, you will not be able to validate them.

Please also ensure that the card you are trying to send to, was not purchased at Australia Post or Travelex. These partners do not currently have card to card enabled.

Global Wi-Fi

Free global Wi-Fi at millions of hotspots around the world.

Cash Passport Platinum card holders are eligible for Boingo Wi-Fi, which allows one individual a three month membership in their plan, as well as additional three month memberships each time you top up your prepaid card. The Boingo Wifi for Cash Passport Platinum cardholders benefit offers you unlimited international access to premium Wifi at:

Over 1 million global hotspots Thousands of premium hotels (including Marriott, Hilton and Accor), retail locations, cafes and restaurants Hundreds of airports (including ORD, LGA, JFK, LAX) You can now enjoy simultaneous worldwide access for up to four devices without worrying about data usage limits or roaming fees.

The device limit for Boingo Wi-Fi for Cash Passport Platinum holders is 4 devices, and can include any combination of smartphones, tablets and laptops.

Each eligible top up to your prepaid card will activate Boingo Wi-Fi for Cash Passport Platinum holders benefit for three months. This is subject to activation within 12 months of the day you initially load your prepaid card.

Each time you top up you will have another 3 months free Wifi access only.

An eligible top-up requires your prepaid card to be topped up with $100 or more.

Check if your card is eligible for the Boingo Wi-Fi for Cash Passport Platinum holders benefit by entering your card number in to the eligibility checker.

Create your Boingo account. Your use of Boingo’s Wifi services is subject to Boingo's customer agreement, end user license agreement and other applicable legal terms and conditions, including Boingo's terms of use, privacy and security policies as stated at http://www.boingo.com. Receive email confirmation of your newly created Boingo account. Have access to all Boingo hotspots, Wifinder application, and Boingo Passpoint.

When your 3 month Boingo Membership has ended, simply return to the registration site used when first creating your Boingo account.

Enter your card number in to the eligibility checker.

If you’ve made an eligible top-up, you’ll receive a confirmation that your Boingo Membership has been activated for a further 3 months.

You can locate accessible hotspots by visiting http://wifi.boingo.com or downloading the Boingo Wi-Finder app. There is a map of hotspots on the website as well as on the mobile app, accessible via the Wi-Finder hotspot locator.

Please note that Boingo Wi-Fi for Cash Passport Platinum holders only provides international internet access and does not include access to hotspots in your home market.

You can find articles that address common questions and technical issues by visiting http://support.boingo.com/Consumerwifi or call/email the Boingo Customer Support Center.

To find out more about the Cash Passport Platinum Cardholders Program Details, visit: https://redeem.boingo.com/mcsi/program-details/

If you have any other Boingo FAQs, visit: http://www.boingo.com/FAQs/

The Boingo Customer Support Center can be reached at [email protected] or the international toll-free phone numbers found at https://Mastercard.boingo.com/contact-us.

Flight Delay Pass

Enjoy complimentary access to airport lounges worldwide, upon a flight delay.

2 registrations per year, whether or not your flight is delayed.

2 travellers per registration (cardholder plus 1 additional passenger per registration)

Min 6 hours before flight departure, max 364 days before flight departure.

Flights to be registered from 16 November 2017 – 15 November 2018

Flight must be tracked by FlightStats. There is a LoungeKey lounge at the departure airport.

Min 2 hours flight delay (discrete or cumulative within 24 hour period)

The number of lounge passes are limited and will be available on a first come first serve basis. Passes are allocated only upon flight delays, and not at point of registration; ie confirmation of registration does not guarantee availability of lounge passes should a flight delay occur.

24 hours from receipt. Unused vouchers are forfeited.

You can cancel or re-register up to 6 hours before scheduled departure time. You can do this via the link on your email confirmation. If you cancel a registration it will be credited to be used again.

Mastercard Prepaid Management Services Australia Pty Ltd (ABN 47 145 452 044, AFSL 386837) arranges for the issue of the Australia Post Travel Platinum Mastercard® (“Travel Mastercard") in conjunction with the issuer, EML Payment Solutions Limited ('EML') ABN 30 131 436 532 , AFSL 404131 . Australian Postal Corporation (ABN 28 864 970 579, AR No. 338646), the card distributor, acts as an Authorised Representative of Australia Post Services Pty Ltd (ABN 67 002 599 340, AFSL 457551). You should consider the Travel Mastercard Product Disclosure Statement and Financial Services Guide before deciding to acquire the product. The Target Market Determination for this product can be found here auspost.com.au/travelcard . Any advice does not take into account your personal needs, financial circumstances or objectives and you should consider if it is appropriate for you. Mastercard and the circles design are registered trademarks of Mastercard International Incorporated.

^Pay no foreign transaction fees on purchases when travelling, when you load your Australia Post Travel Platinum Mastercard with USD or EUR currencies supported by the product, and transact in that same currency. 

Before you make a decision to acquire the card, please check auspost.com.au for the latest currencies supported. Lock in your rates means the exchange rate is locked in for the initial load only. The exchange rates for subsequent reloads will be set at the prevailing exchange rate at the time of the transaction. Mastercard Prepaid Management Services Australia Pty Ltd (ABN 47 145 452 044, AFSL 386837) arranges for the issue of the Australia Post Travel Platinum Mastercard in conjunction with the issuer, EML Payment Solutions Limited ('EML') ABN 30 131 436 532 , AFSL 404131. Australian Postal Corporation (ABN 28 864 970 579, AR No. 338646), the card distributor, acts as an Authorised Representative of Australia Post Services Pty Ltd (ABN 67 002 599 340, AFSL 457551). You should consider the Australia Post Travel Platinum Mastercard Product Disclosure Statement and Financial Services Guide before deciding to acquire the product. These can be found together with the Target Market Determination for this product at auspost.com.au . Any advice does not take into account your personal needs, financial circumstances or objectives and you should consider if it is appropriate for you. Terms, conditions and fees apply. Mastercard and the circles design are registered trademarks of Mastercard International Incorporated.

Mastercard Prepaid Management Services Australia Pty Ltd (ABN 47 145 452 044, AFSL 386837) arranges for the issue of the   Australia Post Travel Platinum Mastercard   in conjunction with the issuer, EML Payment Solutions Limited ('EML') ABN 30 131 436 532 , AFSL 404131. Australian Postal Corporation (ABN 28 864 970 579, AR No. 338646), the card distributor, acts as an Authorised Representative of Australia Post Services Pty Ltd (ABN 67 002 599 340, AFSL 457551). You should consider the   Australia Post Travel Platinum Mastercard   Product Disclosure Statement   and   Financial Services Guide   before deciding to acquire the product. The Target Market Determination for this product can be found   here.  

Any advice does not take into account your personal needs, financial circumstances or objectives and you should consider if it is appropriate for you. Terms, conditions and fees apply. Mastercard and the circles design are registered trademarks of Mastercard International Incorporated.

Australia Post Travel Platinum Mastercard®

A prepaid travel card with 11 currencies to load from, giving you confidence when spending overseas.

• About Australia Post Travel Platinum Mastercard
• Fees & limits
• Get started
• Support & FAQs

The ideal prepaid card for overseas travel

Travel smarter with our Australia Post Travel Platinum Mastercard, a reloadable, multi-currency prepaid card that’s accepted wherever Mastercard is, worldwide 1 . Easily swipe or tap in-store, use online and withdraw money from ATMs 2 .

Load up to 11 currencies. Easily switch between USD, EUR, GBP, NZD, THB, CAD, HKD, JPY, SGD, AED and AUD on your travels.

Lock in your exchange rates. Know exactly how much you have to spend online or in-store with locked-in exchange rates 3 .

Travel safely. With no link to your bank account and Mastercard’s Zero Liability 4  protection against fraud and other unauthorised transactions. 

Total control.  Manage and load your prepaid travel money card on the go via    ‘ My Account ’ or the Australia Post Travel Platinum Mastercard app. 

24/7 global assistance. Card lost or stolen? Call for a replacement anytime. You may also be eligible for emergency funds assistance 5 .

Managing your travel money just got easier

Our Australia Post Travel Platinum Mastercard app makes managing your travel money faster and easier. Check your balance, reload in-app, track your spending and switch between currencies.

Mastercard Prepaid Management Services Australia Pty Ltd (ABN 47 145 452 044, AFSL 386837) arranges for the issue of the Australia Post Travel Platinum Mastercard in conjunction with the issuer, EML Payment Solutions Limited ('EML') ABN 30 131 436 532 , AFSL 404131. Australian Postal Corporation (ABN 28 864 970 579, AR No. 338646), the card distributor, acts as an Authorised Representative of Australia Post Services Pty Ltd (ABN 67 002 599 340, AFSL 457551). You should consider the Australia Post Travel Platinum Mastercard Product Disclosure Statement (PDF 254kB)  and Financial Services Guide (PDF 72kB)  before deciding to acquire the product. Any advice does not take into account your personal needs, financial circumstances or objectives and you should consider if it is appropriate for you. Mastercard® is a registered trademark, and the circles design is a trademark of Mastercard International Incorporated.

View the Target Market Determination (PDF 88kB)  for this product.

If you click on links to Australia Post Travel Platinum Mastercard you will be leaving the Australia Post site and be directed to a third-party site to place your order and complete your purchase. Please see the terms and conditions of the third-party site for further details.

1 The ATMs and POS terminals are not owned or operated by Australia Post, the Issuer or Mastercard Prepaid Management Services and Australia Post, the Issuer and Mastercard Prepaid Management Services are not responsible for ensuring that they will accept the Card

2 Some ATM operators may charge their own fees and set their own limits.

3 Lock in your exchange rates means the exchange rate is locked in for the initial load only. The exchange rates for subsequent reloads will be set at the prevailing exchange rate at the time of the transaction.

4 Further information relating to Zero Liability card protection can be found at the Mastercard website .

5 T&Cs apply. Customers must contact Customer Service to report lost or stolen cards. Emergency cash can be arranged up to the balance of your Australia Post Everyday Mastercard, subject to availability of funds at the approved agent location.

Australia Post Travel Chance To Win 2024 competition winners

Congratulations to our winners of the Australia Post Travel ‘Chance To Win’ competition:

• KATHERINE JANE SHARLEY
• ADRIAN BROCKLEHURST
• GRANT FEREY

For a full list of Fees & Limits, refer to the Product Disclosure Statement (PDF 258kB) .

Mastercard Prepaid Management Services Australia Pty Ltd (ABN 47 145 452 044, AFSL 386837) arranges for the issue of the Australia Post Travel Platinum Mastercard in conjunction with the issuer, EML Payment Solutions Limited ('EML') ABN 30 131 436 532 , AFSL 404131. Australian Postal Corporation (ABN 28 864 970 579, AR No. 338646), the card distributor, acts as an Authorised Representative of Australia Post Services Pty Ltd (ABN 67 002 599 340, AFSL 457551). You should consider the Australia Post Travel Platinum Mastercard Product Disclosure Statement (PDF 254kB)  and Financial Services Guide (PDF 72kB)  before deciding to acquire the product. Any advice does not take into account your personal needs, financial circumstances or objectives and you should consider if it is appropriate for you. Mastercard® is a registered trademark, and the circles design is a trademark of Mastercard International Incorporated.

Travel smarter with our prepaid travel money card

Buy your Australia Post Travel Platinum Mastercard® at a participating  Post Office  or online .

Register / Activate

Register  your prepaid travel money card online.

If you purchased your card online, you’ll need to activate it.

Load your card anytime online through ' My Account ', the Australia Post Travel Platinum Mastercard® app or at any participating Post Office .

Use your card wherever Mastercard is accepted 1 .

1 The ATMs and POS terminals are not owned or operated by Australia Post, the Issuer or Mastercard Prepaid Management Services and Australia Post, the Issuer and Mastercard Prepaid Management Services are not responsible for ensuring that they will accept the Card.

More information

• Product Disclosure Statement (PDF 254kB)
• Financial Services Guide (PDF 72kB)
• Target Market Determination (PDF 88kB)

Can't find an answer below? Call Card Services on 1800 549 718  within Australia or +44 207 649 9404  internationally for help 24/7.

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Traditional bank wire transfers

Money-transfer services, factors to consider, avoiding scams and fraud, sending money abroad: methods, tips, and best practices.

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• You can send money to another country through a wire-transfer service or bank.
• Pay attention to currency exchange rates and fees.
• Wire-transfer services tend to be more cost-effective than traditional banks.

The best banks offer an easy way to send money abroad to family members or friends via a wire transfer.

An international wire transfer is done electronically and usually gets processed in a few days. They require certain bank information about the recipient to be completed.

Most banks or credit unions let you make international wire transfers, or remittances, for a fee. You decide how the recipient will receive the money and then pay a wire transfer fee — usually around $45 to $50 — to initiate the transfer.

There are a few financial institutions that have free international wire transfers. For example, Bank of America won't charge you any fees if you send money to a bank account in foreign currency , though you'll have to pay the exchange rate first. Chase also won't charge a fee for international wire transfers of $5,000 or more that are sent in foreign currency.

International wire transfers can take two to five business days, depending on the amount being transferred and where it's going.

Sending or receiving money internationally requires specific banking information, including:

• Money (in US dollars or foreign currency) that will be transferred
• The full name and address of the person receiving the money
• The name of the recipient's bank and International Bank Account Number (IBAN)
• A SWIFT code or Bank Identification Code (these codes verify the transaction, so this information is important)

Certain countries will require additional documentation. Australia, Canada, Great Britain, India, Mexico, and New Zealand are a few countries that will ask for supplementary codes. If you're sending money to someone who lives in one of these countries, you may want to reach out to the recipient or recipient's bank to get the information.

Money-transfer services such as MoneyGram or Western Union can be a simple and more affordable way to send money internationally with or to someone without a bank account . You can create an online account or visit a storefront and pay cash to set up a transfer. 

Alternatives include digital platforms, such as Xoom (a PayPal service) and Wise (formerly TransferWise), which use different payment processing methods that can result in lower fees than traditional banks.

Transfer fees

The World Bank reports that the global average cost to send money internationally is just over 6% of the transfer amount. Check out a few different services in addition to your bank to see which charges the lowest fees.

Exchange rates 

Verify a service's exchange rate before setting up an international transfer. The "mid-market exchange rate" is the rate big banks use to transfer money between currencies. Many money transfer services will charge this rate, plus a markup, which eats into the amount your recipient will get.

Transfer time

Some money-transfer services will let you expedite your transfer for an additional fee. However, time zones and the method of payment can affect how quickly your recipient gets the money. For example, if you send money from the U.S. to Europe on a Friday afternoon, it may be a few days until the transfer is complete.

The Federal Trade Commission says you should never wire money to someone you haven't met in person. A request to do so is usually a scam. Additionally, never wire money to a person who claims to work for a government agency or a salesperson who insists that wiring money is the only way to pay.

Sending money internationally FAQs

You may find lower fees with money-transfer services than traditional banks, but cost ultimately depends on the destination, transfer speed, and amount.

It depends on the service provider you use, the method of payment, and the amount. Money-transfer services are typically quicker than traditional banks.

Banks, credit unions , and money-transfer services set their own daily, monthly or per-transaction limits. Some have separate limits for different countries.

Use reputable services or your own bank, and always confirm your recipient's information before sending money internationally. The FTC also says you shouldn't wire money to someone you haven't met in person.

Money-transfer services like MoneyGram and Western Union have physical locations where you can pay for a transfer in cash.

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The Post Office Travel Money Card Review: Key Features, Rates and Fees

If you’re heading overseas, a travel card could be a handy solution for covering your spending. They tend to be cheaper to use than your ordinary bank debit card, and can even offer better exchange rates compared to buying currency.

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There are lots of travel cards out there, but here we’re going to focus on the Post Office Travel card. We’ll run through what it is and how it works, along with fees, exchange rates, supported currencies and how to apply for one.

You are watching: The Post Office Travel Money Card Review: Key Features, Rates and Fees

And while you’re comparing spending options ahead of your trip, make sure to check out the Wise card. This international card can be used in 175 countries worldwide, automatically converting your pounds to the local currency at the mid-market rate. There’s only a small fee to pay for the conversion¹, or it’s free if you already have the currency in your Wise account.

But for now, let’s focus on the Post Office travel card.

¹ Please see Terms of Use for your region or visit Wise Fees & Pricing: Only Pay for What You Use for the most up-to-date pricing and fee information.

What is the Post Office travel card?

The Post Office Travel card is a prepaid Mastercard that you can load up with up to 23 currencies. You can use it for spending and ATM withdrawals in over 200 countries, in 36 million locations².

Simply top up with your chosen currency before you travel, then spend overseas without needing to convert currency.

The card is contactless and can be managed using the Post Office Travel app.

Key features and benefits

Here’s your quick at-a-glance guide to the main features and benefits of the Post Office Travel card ²:

• Contactless for making fast and convenient low-value transactions
• Available with Google Pay and Apple Pay
• Manage, top up, transfer between currencies and freeze your card using the Travel app
• Reload whenever you need to, with up to 23 currencies available
• Can be used wherever Mastercard is accepted
• 24/7 call centre help is available if you need it
• Wallet-to-wallet feature – where you can transfer any leftover currency to a new currency of your choice
• No charges when you spend abroad using an available balance of a local currency supported by the card (although there are some fees to know about – we’ll look at those next).

Post Office travel card fees and charges

Post Office travel cards are free to order and there are no charges for paying retailers in the currencies held on your travel money card. So, you can spend in shops, bars and restaurants without any charge – as long as you’re paying with an available balance of a currency supported by the card².

If you do use your card in a country with a local currency that isn’t supported by the card, you’ll be charged a cross-border fee of 3%². For example, if you go to Brazil and use your card at a local restaurant, you’ll be charged the cross-border fee of 3% as Brazilian real isn’t supported by the card.

You’ll also be charged for withdrawing cash from any ATM, even in currencies supported by the card. These ATM fees vary depending on the currency used. For example ²:

• Euro – 2 EUR
• US Dollar – 2.5 USD
• Australian Dollar – 3 AUD
• Pound Sterling – 1.5 GBP + commission of 1.5%
• Swiss Franc – 2.5 CHF
• Canadian Dollar – 3 CAD.

One last thing to note on the subject of fees. All Post Office Travel cards are valid for up to 3 years. Exactly 12 months after your card expires, you’ll start to be charged a monthly maintenance fee of £2².

Here is also a list of the European countries that charge the highest ATM fees.

Exchange rates

The Post Office offers exchange rates that move up and down according to the demand for currencies. So, the exact amount of travel money you’ll receive on your travel card will depend on the rate at the time of your purchase.

You can check the Post Office exchange rates on its website, travel money card app and branches. Keep in mind though that rates may vary whether you’re buying online, via phone or in-store.

The Post Office exchange rate is also likely to include a margin or mark-up on the mid-market rate. This is the rate you’ll find on Google or currency sites like XE.com, and is generally considered to be a fair rate. A margin added on top of this makes the rate worse for you, so you’ll get less EUR, USD or whatever other currency you’re exchanging.

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Wise only ever uses the mid-market exchange rate, with no mark-ups or margins. This means that your pounds go further, wherever you’re travelling to.

Currencies supported

You can load your Post Office prepaid travel card with funds in any of these 23 currencies²:

• EUR – Euro
• USD – US dollar
• AUD – Australian dollar
• AED – UAE dirham
• CAD – Canadian dollar
• CHF – Swiss franc
• CNY – Chinese yuan
• CZK – Czech koruna
• DKK – Danish kroner
• GBP – Pound sterling
• HKD – Hong Kong dollar
• HRK – Croatian kuna
• HUF – Hungarian forint
• JPY – Japanese yen
• NOK – Norwegian krone
• NZD – New Zealand dollar
• PLN – Polish zloty
• SAR – Saudi riyal
• SEK – Swedish kronor
• SGD – Singapore dollar
• THB – Thai baht
• TRY – Turkish lira
• ZAR – South African rand

You can top up your card with between £50 and £5,000 in any of the currencies listed above. The maximum you can hold is £10,000, plus you can load and spend up to £30,000 on your card each year².

Cash withdrawal limits vary from currency to currency. For example, you can withdraw a maximum of €450 euros or $500 US dollars² in a single transaction.

App overview

The Post Office Travel app is free to download from the Google Play and Apple App stores. You can use it to order and activate your card, monitor your balance and top up with currencies. Using the new wallet-to-wallet feature, you can also transfer leftover currency to other currencies of your choice in just a few taps.

You can also buy Post Office travel insurance, book airport parking and access other features through the app.

How good is the Post Office prepaid travel card?

The Post Office travel card is handy to have if you’re travelling and want to keep your money safe. You won’t need to carry cash around with you, or have to take time out of your trip to change currency.

Paying in local currencies is quick and easy, especially as it’s a contactless card. Plus, you can only spend what’s on it, so this can help you to budget.

As you can store 23 currencies on it, the card is convenient if you travel regularly or are taking multi-destination holidays. If you love visiting far-flung places, however, you might need a card that supports more currencies.

One drawback to consider is the exchange rate. While rates may be competitive (compared to changing money at the airport, for example), the Post Office is likely to include a margin or mark-up on the mid-market rate. There are also charges for using your card at an ATM.

So, it’s important to shop around and compare other travel money cards, as some could offer you a better deal.

Take the Wise card, for example. With this contactless international card, you can spend in 175 countries and manage over 50 currencies in your Wise account. There are no ATM fees¹ for withdrawing up to £200 a month (2 or less withdrawals) and you’ll get the mid-market exchange rate on every transaction. Note, that Wise will not charge you for these withdrawals, but some additional charges may occur from independent ATM networks.

The Wise card will automatically convert your money to the local currency at the mid-market rate when you spend, for just a small conversion fee¹.

How to get and use a Post Office travel card

You can only get a travel card from the Post Office if you’re aged over 18 and a resident of the UK.

Ordering your card

There are three ways to order a Post Office Travel card:

• Download the Post Office Travel app and place an order there.
• Apply online at the Post Office website.
• Pop into a local Post Office branch to apply for a card. You’ll need to take a form of photo ID with you, such as a passport or UK driving licence.

If you’re applying in a branch, you should be able to pick up your card there and then. For applications made online or in the app, you’ll need to wait 2-3 days for your card to be delivered.

Card activation

You’ll need to activate your travel card before you can use it.

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You’ll be given instructions on how to do this in the welcome letter delivered along with your new card.

Using your card

You can use your Post Office travel card anywhere that accepts MasterCard, online and at ATMs³.

If you’re buying something in person, you’ll need to enter your PIN. If you’re in a country where Chip & PIN isn’t as widely available (such as the USA), you may be asked to sign to verify your purchase instead.

You can also make contactless payments for small amounts, although different countries have different rules and limits for this.

The Post Office’s terms and conditions list a handful of situations in which you shouldn’t use your card. These include the following³:

• Self-service petrol pumps
• Car hire or hotel check-in deposits
• Transactions on planes or cruise ships.

How to top up your card

The easiest way to top up your Post Office Travel card is using the app. If you prefer, you can also top up at the Post Office website or in a local branch³.

Buying back currencies

If you have unused currency on your card, there are a couple of options available. You may be able to withdraw it at a local Post Office branch or ATM, although fees may apply³.

Alternatively, you can use the new wallet-to-wallet feature in the app³. This lets you transfer unused balance in one currency over to another. For example, you can transfer unused USD to EUR, ready for your next trip to Europe.

How to contact the Post Office about your card

You can call the contact centre on 0344 335 0109 when you’re in the UK or +44 (0) 20 7937 0280 when you’re overseas³. Lines are open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

You can also contact the Post Office Travel Card Customer Services department via the following methods³:

• By post at Post Office Travel card, PO Box 3232, Cumbernauld, G67 1YU
• By email at [email protected].

Post Office Travel Card: troubleshooting tips

Here’s how to deal with some common problems you might have with your travel card.

How do I report a lost or damaged card?

If you lose your Post Office currency card or discover that it’s damaged, just phone the contact centre. They’ll block it and send you another. You can also freeze your card using the app.

What should I do if my card is declined or blocked?

Firstly, check your account via the app to make sure you have enough money in it. If you have enough to pay for your item or have less than you should have in your account, call the contact centre.

What if I’ve forgotten my PIN?

If you can’t remember your travel money card PIN, phone the contact centre. They can issue you with a new one.

What happens when my card expires?

You should receive a new card automatically³. If it hasn’t arrived after the expiry date, call the contact centre and they’ll issue you with one.

And that’s pretty much it – everything you need to know about the Post Office Travel card. It’s handy if you don’t want to carry cash around or exchange currency while on holiday. And you can use it in multiple countries, as it supports 23 currencies. The app is another great feature, letting you top up and manage your money on the move.

But just remember to compare exchange rates and fees (especially for those all-important ATM withdrawals) before choosing a travel card for your trip – as you could be getting a better deal elsewhere.

Sources used:

• Wise – terms and conditions & pricing
• Post Office – Travel Money Card
• Post Office Travel card – Terms and Conditions

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• Travel Money
• Avoid dynamic currency conversion

To avoid currency conversion fees abroad, always choose ‘local currency’ whether you’re withdrawing cash from an international ATM or spending on a prepaid travel money card.

If asked, go local

When using your card abroad, whether at an ATM or directly with a retailer, your withdrawal or spend amount may be presented in sterling, as well as the local currency (e.g. euros or dollars). If this happens, always opt to withdraw or spend in the local currency. So for example, if you are in Spain, choose euros, in the United States select dollars or in Thailand work in baht.

What is dynamic currency conversion?

When an ATM or retailer offers you the option to pay in sterling, they are using something known as dynamic currency conversion or DCC. By using DCC, the provider is able to use its own exchange rate to convert the amount of local currency you wish to withdraw into sterling. The screen you see will vary from one ATM or retailer to another, but typically you will be shown a sterling amount for your withdrawal or payment and be asked if you would like to “continue with conversion”, “accept conversion”, “charge my account in GBP”, “withdraw in GBP” or “ withdraw in sterling”.

In almost all cases, choosing any of these options will be unfavourable and will cost you money, especially if you have already loaded the local currency onto a prepaid currency card such as the Post Office Travel Money Card.

Where does dynamic currency conversion happen?

You may come across DCC in many countries around the world, but be particularly careful if you are using ATMs in either Spain, Greece, Portugal, Croatia or Thailand. So remember, if you’re using an ATM or spending on your card abroad, always choose to withdraw or spend in the local currency.

Check latest currency exchange rates

Choose from over 60 currencies at competitive rates, other travel products.

Wherever you're going, pick up your holiday money from Post Office with 0% commission and competitive exchange rates.

One prepaid Mastercard® that stores up to 22 currencies and can be managed on the go with our travel app.

Protect your trip with cover for cancellation, curtialment, emergency medical costs and more.

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Friday 9 August 2024 20:08, UK

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ScotRail and Caledonian Sleeper staff have voted in favour of a walk-out in an ongoing dispute over pay, the RMT union has said.

Union members at the two publicly owned rail operators were separately balloted for strike action following a pay offer that was described by the union as "derisory".

Bexley has topped the list as London's cheapest area to rent .

The average rent in the southeast London region is £1,297 per month, a study by  BLG Development Finance and Online Marketing Surgery  found.

In second place is east London's Havering, with an average rent of £1,350 a month.

The most expensive average rent is in Kensington and Chelsea, with renters paying around £3,322 a month.

A secret advertising deal was struck between Google and Meta to boost Instagram's users, according to a Financial Times report . 

Google had worked on a marketing project for Meta aimed at targeting 13 to 17-year-old YouTube users with adverts promoting Instagram. 

That's despite Google's rules prohibiting personalising and targeting adverts to under-18s. 

Google has since cancelled the project after being contacted by the FT and investigating its claims.

The chocolate maker is giving customers the chance to star in one of its classic ads from the last 200 years with the use of AI.

As part of the AI-powered tool, users will be able to upload a selfie and select their era from one of seven Cadbury ads. 

Users can also select how they would like to be represented and the AI technology will then recreate their image.

Those who do give it a try will automatically be entered into a prize draw to win £200.

The My Cadbury Era campaign is being launched by the chocolate company's agency VCCP London to mark Cadbury's 200th anniversary this year. 

You can find out more here ...

Free Jude's ice cream is being offered for John Lewis reward members this summer.

Shoppers looking to indulge will be able to get one for free at The Place to Eat if they join the retailer's loyalty scheme .

The offer comes as a short-lived but intense spell of hot weather prepares to hit the UK this weekend, with temperatures expected to reach 33C in parts of the country.

The offer is valid until 27 September.

Eagle-eyed shoppers have noticed Heinz Ploughman's Pickle appears to have disappeared from supermarket shelves. 

The popular condiment might have been a favourite for your cheese sandwich, but there's bad news - Heinz has confirmed the product has, in fact, been discontinued. 

Concerned customer Sarah-Ann asked this on Twitter...

To Sarah-Ann's disappointment, Heinz replied: "Thanks for your message. Sorry to say but this product has now been discontinued."

So, is this one that should be brought back? 

We've been running a weekly series called Bring It Back where we look at the discontinued food items that you want back on our shelves. 

Here are the ones you've been calling for so far... 

Teachers and school support staff can now apply for a Blue Light discount card - but the sudden surge in demand has caused the official website to temporarily crash. 

The Blue Light card is a discount provided to emergency services, NHS workers, social care staff and members of the armed forces, and provides thousands of offers and discounts online and on the high street. It costs £4.99 to register for two-year access to more than 15,000 offers from large national retailers and local businesses. 

But it seems demand was so high, with teachers rushing to grab the card, that it promptly crashed the website.

"Due to the high demand we've seen over the last 24 hours we experienced some issues with our website and app," the organisation wrote on X. 

"Please accept our apologies for this error. We are in the process of refunding any duplicate payments and you should receive an email in the next 24 hours with more information." 

However, the move to accept teachers into the scheme has been met with some criticism. 

One A-level maths teacher wrote: "I'm not sure how I feel about this. Teaching can be hard, but we're not an emergency service, and our work isn't really in the same category as "blue light" jobs. If they're going to widen the eligibility criteria, it needs a name change, at the very least."

Another X user wrote: "This is precisely why fewer and fewer businesses accept the BLC. You really ought to rebrand to something like 'Key Worker Card'. The majority of jobs which meet your eligibility criteria are not 'blue light' roles -- the name 'BLC' is misleading now." 

But Blue Light Card hit back, saying: "Teachers are not just educators; they are mentors, guides and inspirations that are helping shape the future for our children. They are fully deserving members of our blue light community." 

What kind of offers can a Blue Light card get you? 

Among the offers is 12% off at Fenty Beauty and 15% off at Bose. 

Users can also get a £30 gift card if they spend more than £1,000 at British Airways or a £110 voucher if they sell their car via Carwow. 

Or if getting fit is more your thing, you can get 50% off an annual subscription to the Body Coach.  

The summer holidays are in full swing, with children facing an exciting six weeks off school in the sunshine (or the rain, it is the UK after all).

Many supermarkets and restaurants have deals available during the holidays to take some of the pressure off parents needing to feed their hungry youngsters.

Here are some of the supermarket offers out there:

Children can eat for £1 at Asda cafes all day, every day - not just during the summer holidays.

There's no minimum adult spend or purchase required with this one.

Options include penne pasta, fish fingers and chicken nuggets.

Children and adults can grab a free bowl of cereal every day at Morrisons cafes.

No minimum spend is required but the offer is limited to one bowl of cereal per customer, per day. The offer is only on until 4 August, so you'll need to get in there quick!

As well as this, Morrisons is also offering children a free kids meal when they're with an adult spending at least £4.50 on a meal.

Kids can eat for free at a Tesco cafe when an adult makes a purchase and scans their Clubcard.

The offer is available on weekdays until 30 August in England and Wales and until 16 August in Scotland.

There is no fixed minimum spend required.

Sainsbury's 

Children can grab a hot main meal or lunch bag for free when accompanied by an adult buying a hot meal from £5.50 in its cafes during the summer holidays.

The offer is valid until 3 September.

According to the supermarket, its kids meals are suitable for youngsters aged five to 10.

At Ikea, children can get a meal of pasta with tomato sauce, or mac and cheese, with a soft drink for 95p.

Other kids meals are priced at a reasonable £1.50.

This one's available every day from 11am, except for Fridays.

As well as supermarkets and stores, some restaurants are offering cheaper meals for children during the summer break.

Here are a few of the best offers we've found...

Bella Italia

Kids eat for free all day on Thursdays and for £1 between 4pm-6pm Sunday to Wednesday at Bella Italia restaurants.

The offer is available with the purchase of any adult main.

Beefeater and Brewers Fayre

Two children can get a free breakfast every day with one paying adult.

The Real Greek

Children can get a free meal on Sundays with an adult spending more than £10.

The offer is available to all children under 12, and is only valid for dine-in.

Kids can help themselves to a free kids buffet every day until 3pm when quoting the code SUMMERKEF.

They have to be with an adult spending at least £10 on other food to get the unlimited pizza, pasta and salad offer.

The buffet can be upgraded to include a bottomless soft drink and unlimited ice cream for an extra £2.

Children are offered a free kids' bento box all day at Yo! Sushi restaurants when dining with a full-paying adult spending at least £10.

The offer is available until 30 August. A maximum of three children per booking can eat for free.

Las Iguanas

Children can get a free meal from the kids' menu with an adult ordering a main course.

The offer, for children up to 12 years old, excludes the lunch menu and is only available for customers with the My Iguanas app.

TGI Fridays

Children eat free with every adult main meal purchased.

The offer is available all day every day for members of its Stripes Rewards scheme.

The coffee shop chain has revealed it is giving bodyworn cameras to staff following a spike in shoplifting and attacks on retail workers. 

It told The Telegraph it had launched a trial across six shops in London and had put up signs to let customers know. 

The cameras are only being worn be team leaders and managers and will only be turned on in specific circumstances, a Pret spokesperson said. 

The footage will only be accessible to Pret's security team. 

Companies have reported increasing cases of shoplifting and aggressive behaviour towards staff in the years following the pandemic. 

Record levels of shoplifting were reported in England and Wales last year, according to government figures.

Lidl recently spent £2m on body cameras for staff in all of its UK stores, while English Heritage - which manages historic sites across the country - has also deployed a similar tactic. 

Vinted has made a U-turn on its delivery changes after it was met with a backlash from sellers.

The mobile app, where users can buy or sell new or secondhand items, had this month trialled removing sellers' ability to pick and choose the couriers they could send parcels through. 

But the move caused confusion and anger among sellers, who argued that not being able to pick and choose shipping options would mean some people would have to cancel orders. 

Some shipping options require sellers to be able to print shipping labels, while others may have drop-off points far away from the seller's location. 

On X, one seller wrote: "This will ruin your platform if it doesn't get fixed quickly."

While another asked: "On what planet was that a good idea?" 

In response, Vinted has now reverted back to its previous setting. 

The company told the BBC that the change was made on Monday.

"We heard the feedback and can confirm the shipping options have returned to their previous settings. There are no further actions needed from the members," the company said.

The stock market slump at the start of this week, and fears of a US recession (as of yesterday, JP Morgan was putting the chances at 35%), prompted questions from readers on the important issue of what it all means for their holiday money ahead of US trips.

I am going to the USA in September for a holiday. Will the fear of a US recession mean that I will get more or less dollars for my British pound? James

If the USA enters recession does that mean you will get a better exchange rate from GBP? Sharon392

We asked business reporter Daniel Binns to take a look...

First, the current situation, and if you're heading to the US, unfortunately the pound has recently weakened against the dollar, so you will get less bucks for your bang, Binns writes .

The stock market turmoil has affected markets around the world, but it was the Bank of England's decision to cut interest rates last week that has had a big impact on the value of the pound.

Higher interest rates tend to attract foreign investors looking for a higher return on their money - and so lower rates are unappealing and can therefore decrease a currency's value.

At the start of the week, £1 could buy you $1.2811, but that slumped to as low as $1.2675 by Tuesday.

In the past few days the pound has recovered a little, and is back up to $1.2764 - but still down overall.

What will happen to the value of the pound if the US enters recession?

A recession in the world's largest economy will have a global impact – even fears about the possibility sent global markets from Tokyo to London into a mini-meltdown on Monday.

However, currency markets are influenced by a range of factors, including important domestic aspects such as interest rates.

It also depends on how a US recession affects the UK economy – it may not cause much damage here.

If America does experience a downturn, investors could flee the US dollar towards "safe" currencies such as the Swiss Franc or Euro. Whether they turn to the pound will depend on the amount of confidence they have in the UK economy.

The strength of the pound against the dollar is more likely to be affected by which out of the US Federal Reserve and the Bank of England makes quicker and deeper interest rate cuts.

There's a lot of unknown factors at play, so it's hard to make any firm predictions – a US recession, which is by no means a given, may not happen until much later next year, when the economic climate may have changed a lot.

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