Caxton

[Hawcara]

I notice that Caxton is now on a visa card and not mastercard as previously.

This should not make any difference, but can anyone advise if they have had any problems in Europe for fuel/food when using the new card.

I wondered why they changed from Mastercard, when it worked well before?

I ask before I top up or opt to change to another pre load card.

Thank you :-D

[Mike88]

Caxton in Visa format works in exactly the same way and in exactly the same places as the Mastercard version. Why wouldn't it?

[Mike B.]

Only place we had a problem was auto fuel pumps at L'eclerc supermarkets-for some reason they would not accept the Caxton card even though the cash kiosks did.

Everywhere else worked perfectly

Mike

[Hawcara]

Mike88 - 2013-04-07 5:01 PM

 

Caxton in Visa format works in exactly the same way and in exactly the same places as the Mastercard version. Why wouldn't it?

 

I agree why wouldn't it, which is why I wondered, why they had changed, but has been stated on here, there were problems at L'eclerc.

I just wanted to be sure there weren't any problems before loaded it.

:-D

[Mike88]

Hawcara - 2013-04-07 5:50 PM

 

Mike88 - 2013-04-07 5:01 PM

 

Caxton in Visa format works in exactly the same way and in exactly the same places as the Mastercard version. Why wouldn't it?

 

I agree why wouldn't it, which is why I wondered, why they had changed, but has been stated on here, there were problems at L'eclerc.

I just wanted to be sure there weren't any problems before loaded it.

:-D

 

Just a reminder for those who haven't heard Caxton no longer receive payment by Debit Card for telephone orders. Ordering online can be paid for by Debit Card.

[Cliffy]

We have not yet used the caxton Visa card but with the mastercard some auto pumps would not dispence any fuel unless there was a fair chunk of credit on the card. One services station took 200euros off the cad for 40 euros of fuel, the excess was credited back the next day. We only found out this happens at fuel stations when the card was refused at a food market because we did not have enough credit left at a time when we had just filled up with fuel.

 

It is also not recommended that you use a pre-paid card when you book in at a hotel as they will fake a lump off the card until you check out. Use another credit card when booking in ut pay with the Caxton card when leaving.

 

Apparently all pre-paid cards work the same way in both situations no mater if they are visa or mastercard.

 

[Mel B]

Perhaps I'm being 'thick' but why would you want to use a cash card to pay for fuel, shopping etc if a credit card is accepted? Surely it is better to use a credit card and save the cash card for when you DO need cash or when a credit card is NOT accepted???? :-S

[Dave225]

Mel B - 2013-04-08 5:37 PM

 

Perhaps I'm being 'thick' but why would you want to use a cash card to pay for fuel, shopping etc if a credit card is accepted? Surely it is better to use a credit card and save the cash card for when you DO need cash or when a credit card is NOT accepted???? :-S

 

The cash card pays for the items as is, in euros, dollars or whatever currency you have chosen. There are no other charges such as exchange rates, fees etc.that you may have with a credit card. Restaurants have the bad habit of charging you in Pounds although the actual bill is in euros. Their exchange rate is of course generous to them. A euo cash card means you pay in euros. It also means that if some naughty person has knicked your card details all they get is what you have as credit. Most people have credit limits of several thousand pounds on a credit card, which if available, can very quickly be siphoned off. Yes, you can get it back but sometimes it is a fight to prove innocence. It may not be the cheapest way to do your business but is relatively secure and you do know upfront what you are paying. You can load the card as you go along using internet transfer.

[Mel B]

Dave225 - 2013-04-08 5:49 PM

 

Mel B - 2013-04-08 5:37 PM

 

Perhaps I'm being 'thick' but why would you want to use a cash card to pay for fuel, shopping etc if a credit card is accepted? Surely it is better to use a credit card and save the cash card for when you DO need cash or when a credit card is NOT accepted???? :-S

 

The cash card pays for the items as is, in euros, dollars or whatever currency you have chosen. There are no other charges such as exchange rates, fees etc.that you may have with a credit card. Restaurants have the bad habit of charging you in Pounds although the actual bill is in euros. Their exchange rate is of course generous to them. A euo cash card means you pay in euros. It also means that if some naughty person has knicked your card details all they get is what you have as credit. Most people have credit limits of several thousand pounds on a credit card, which if available, can very quickly be siphoned off. Yes, you can get it back but sometimes it is a fight to prove innocence. It may not be the cheapest way to do your business but is relatively secure and you do know upfront what you are paying. You can load the card as you go along using internet transfer.

 

But a credit card exchange rate is usually good if you have the right one, and again, not all of them make charges/fees etc for doing so (Nationwide for example). As for a restaurant, it should be up to YOU what currency you are charged in, if a restaurant tried to do that with me I'd soon tell them where to go! At least with a credit card you do have some protection, with a Caxton card you don't as far as I'm aware and some people load them with a LOT of money, rather than doing it as and when necessary/in chunks.

 

I'm not saying using a cash card is wrong, just that I don't 'get it' when some use it for loads of stuff especially when doing so can cause problems, eg the fuel station temporary 'deduction' which can take a long time to then be put back on your card, thus you would have to load it up with quite a bit to allow for this deduction in case it took a couple of weeks to be refunded. A mix of credit card and cash card, as we use, IMV is best.

 

One thing I HAVE been thinking about though is getting an alternative cash card with another provider, hubby could then have one, and I could, then at least if anything happened, or the original card went 'faulty' (it has certainly happened with credit cards before now!) we should still have the means to access cash without difficulty. What d'ya think? :-S

[johnnerontheroad]

We have a FairFX card that we load and it has a better exchange rate than Caxton but you pay at the ATM 1.5euro. ( do the maths) We have been in Portugal since mid Jan and have found that it is becoming a cash country, only the large supermarkets and garages take cards even Lidl and Aldi don't take cards. We have not found any restaurant, bar or campsite that will take a card."cash only and no receipt" and I'am told Spain is heading that way so your credit cards may be of little use cash is king.

 

Dave

[Cliffy]

 

We spread the risk, my wife carries the credit card I carry the Caxton Card and we split a small amount of cash spread between us and the van. We never put more than 500 Euros on the Caxton card at any one time and if it gets refused at a fuel station because of the "up front payment " they require we use the credit card.

No problems, it is not an issue what we use as long as we get value for money, we don't expect to be ripped off but we take care not to put ourselves in a position where we may be.

 

 

 

 

[Mike88]

I use mine during the course of the year to buy euros when the exchange rate is favourable. I then use the card to access cash from an ATM machine with no charges. I use the credit card (Post Office free of charges) for fuel, restaurants and groceries etc but pay for bar costs and incidentals with cash.