I took the FairFX Card with me to Thailand recently

I took the FairFX Card with me to Thailand recently. I chose it because I was fed up with having to cart travellers cheques about, plus I found myself constantly feeling about to make sure that I hadn't lost them. (Travellers cheques around your waist in a money belt on an 11 hour flight is pretty uncomfortable.)

FairFX is a great way to budget because you can put the cash you've set aside for your holiday on the card, and just take cash against it as you go. You can keep check as you go via the website as regards balance left.

I have to admit I wasn't sure that I could use the card in Thailand but I needn't have worried. It works in all cashpoints with the mastercard sign.

My advice is to take the maximum cash out that you feel comfortable carrying because the commission seems to be the same regardless of the amount withdrawn. (Put the excess in the hotel safe.) 10,000 bht withdrawal for example (approx £200) charge is 150bht (£3) which competes well with most money changers out there. Plus you can of course do this 24 hrs of the day, so not reliant on moneychangers hours of business.

The one thing I don't like about the service is that the website isn't user friendly. When I first read about the FairFX card I wasn't clear if it could be used to get currency other that $ or €. I think the site could make this clearer, and it should get more customers!

The website design is my only real moan about FairFX, and I must admit the e-mail support is top notch!

K McCabe

TILBURY

Monday 29 June 2009, 10:09am

Tags: testimonials