Exchange rate of 1.86 if buy over £500!

[jtlover]

I went into Thomson today and they said you only get $50 free and there is no charge for the card - usually £20. I am checking out First Choice tomorrow as discussed yesterday, this offer would be better even with charging for the card.

I will keep you informed tomorrow for anyone who is interested.

 

[Julia Ann]

Quick update - I have phoned both thompson and First Choice today. thompson offer finishes tomorrow (31st no mention of extending it) and the offer was $50 free with $750 worth on a card or $75 free for $1000. First Choice offer was better with $100 free with $1000 dollars and if you want you and DH or DW can have a card too with $1000 and $100 free also. so the exchange rate works out about 1.82!! So we are going in to get some in the next couple of days - (you do have to phone before just to reserve the card, because they only get a small supply in) If you pay by cash you don't require ID but if you pay by credit card or debit card you need your passport or driving licence. There is no charge for the card and you can take the cash out of the machine for a charge of £1.50 but can take out £250.00 per day. The offer finishes at the end of Feb and also you can go in and just put some money on it and the rest by September (i said we were travelling october) and still get the 100 dollars free but obviously you would get what ever the exchange rate is at the day you put the money onto the card. once on the card the dollars on the card stay the same rate so no changing in exchange rate....phew I think that was all...

 

[jtlover]

You also need to take ID of your bank account or credit card to identify you whether you pay by cash or card - so they can do a check on you as well. You cant get the card if you dont have a bank account.

 

[coastergirls]

After reading this post I phoned my local Thomson shop today who confirmed deal was to expire tomorrow and that $50 would be credited if $700 was loaded. rate they were giving was about $1.69.
However I phoned First Choice who said I could put $200 on the card just now and that as long as I loaded it to $1000 by end of September I would get $100 extra added to the card.
So I headed to my nearest First Choice shop 20 miles away who said no the minimum is $500. So I pointed out the huge poster behind him stating $200 so he checked with American Express and they had to order it. Not happy as I had to stand in the shop give my D.O.B mothers maiden name, tel no etc in a shop where every one could hear. Not best pleased as I like to keep thinks like mothers maiden name secret. Anyway after 30 mins I was told it would be delivered in 3/5 working days.
Only when I got home discovered I had been given the rate of 1.636211. Not happy as when I phoned the rate for today was nearer 1.95 and on the website 1.69.
I phoned and queried this and was told that was the rate determined by American express and the rate was lower for the cards than cash or cheques. Why then did American express site have reload on the card at $1.69 and other shops say the rate was slightly better than cash.
He couldn't explain the difference and again blamed American express.
Thank goodness I didn't put $1000 on the card or I would have been well dipleased .
Going to phone another First Choice shop tomorrow to clarify the position .
Serves me right for not asking when i phoned. Will definately load it from American express site.

 

[Miffy2003]

Hi coastergirls and welcome to the Dis

That's not very good, is it? Thank you for sharing your experience though.