Paying for fuel France

dougbobbill

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The last time I went to France my prepaid currency card was wiped out on the first day when I filled up with fuel. We're going again next week so I wonder what is the way to pay?
 
We use a prepaid €uro card and transfer money to it just before we use it.
 
Halifax Clarity card...and then feel the pain when the bill lands a month later.
 
Starling debit card with euro sub-account.
Almost no costs.
Just have in hand ready to move to euros so minor fx fees but nothing else
so3 accounts needed.
1 normal uk account to move money to
2 Starling £ account.
3 Stirling euro account for free use abroad..

Yes in some ways similar to the pre-pay cards.
I use starling as my Motorhome account.
Easy to use and instant info on all transactions.
Fx rates as good or bad as any
 
There was talk of diesel dropping by 0.35€ from Monday in France...
 
Nationwide Credit Card, converts at Commercial rates, so just make sure your credit limit is adequate. Leclerc permits €130 fuel, BUT reserves that sum, even if you buy less fuel, until the transaction clears (up to 7 days I believe). 4 or 5 refills in quick succession can damage the available credit limit! We spent £360 on diesel in the first week, albeit some of that bought in UK, at *only* £1.60pl ...

Steve
 
The problem is the prepaid cards can take a huge security deposit (which emptied my account) and refund it 3 weeks later. I'm wondering if the same applies to a credit card and also the Starling card mentioned
 
marchie said:
Nationwide Credit Card, converts at Commercial rates, so just make sure your credit limit is adequate. Leclerc permits €130 fuel, BUT reserves that sum, even if you buy less fuel, until the transaction clears (up to 7 days I believe). 4 or 5 refills in quick succession can damage the available credit limit! We spent £360 on diesel in the first week, albeit some of that bought in UK, at *only* £1.60pl ...

Steve
Click to expand...
Does that mean they won't take more than 130 even if you've bought that much?
 
dougbobbill said:
Does that mean they won't take more than 130 even if you've bought that much?
Click to expand...
If you buy €75 diesel, there is a 'hold' of €130 placed on your credit card until the transaction is processed by the Credit card company. These soon mount up and can easily reduce your available credit by, say, £500 over the course of a week if you are refilling almost daily. And Sod's Law dictates that that will coincide with an expensive item falling off the Van etc!

Elaine nearly had kittens yesterday when she thought 24.79 litres of diesel had been processed at €130!

Steve
 
dougbobbill said:
The problem is the prepaid cards can take a huge security deposit (which emptied my account) and refund it 3 weeks later. I'm wondering if the same applies to a credit card and also the Starling card mentioned
Click to expand...

They still take the large security deposit and return it, I haven't used a prepaid this year but I'm using Starling and although they still take it, when the proper amount is taken the deposit is removed immediately and we haven't had any problems.
I can only assume the problem would still exist on prepaid cards.
 
TJBi said:
Cheque drawn on a French bank account (and avoid pay at pump).
Click to expand...
We went a la carte eith our first refill; N/wide Cr Card to €100 max at Super U (50.03ltrs), did a wee bit of food shopping and returned to the pump 40 mins later with our newly reissued French debit card for the balance of €24.37 ...

Steve
 
Lee said:
They still take the large security deposit and return it,
Click to expand...
Does that still happen if you pay at the kiosk after filling ? As we tend to avoid pay at the pump and only transfer enough so as to have €100 on the card when requiring fuel
 
witzend said:
Does that still happen if you pay at the kiosk after filling ? As we tend to avoid pay at the pump and only transfer enough so as to have €100 on the card when requiring fuel
Click to expand...
Certainly shouldn't; indeed, don't see how it would be possible, given that your card is not presented until you go to the kiosk, at which stage actual price is known.
 
Forget prepaid cards and simply get a Starling account. Voted the best bank for about the fifth year running!
 
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Any credit card that offers wholesale exchange rates (we use Halifax Clarity). The reason for using a credit (as opposed to a debit or prepaid) card is (as others have mentioned) that many 'pay at pump' filling stations ringfence the maximum transaction amount (€130 has been mentioned, it's usually £99 in UK). They've never actually taken the money IME, but I know from when I used a prepaid FairFX card that some vendors (e.g. filling stations, hotels, etc.) 'attach' a security deposit that often isn't released for weeks and that can leave you with no available funds even though your card has a substantial credit balance.
Another thing to keep in mind is that many of those pumps won't take UK cards. We found that most supermarket filling stations have one pump that will -- but it can be difficult to identify which. I found this out when Jan went shopping in a branch of Carrefour while I went to refuel. While all the pumps were 'pay at pump' there was a little kiosk with an attendant keeping an eye on things and she pointed out the pump that would accept my card.
 
Today, Mayenne NW France, diesel is on or around €2 per litre, that's for the supermarket outlets although strangely enough our local Total garage has their premium at 1.99 per litre cheaper than the standard gasoil.
 
dougbobbill said:
The problem is the prepaid cards can take a huge security deposit (which emptied my account) and refund it 3 weeks later. I'm wondering if the same applies to a credit card and also the Starling card mentioned
Click to expand...
With Starling you have to have funds in your £ account to transfer(buy euros) for your euro account.
But all can be done instantly.
Before I use PO creditcard and all was good.
As mentioned a larger sum is debited on the day but this is duly refunded.
I have not used my starling card in say France for fuel so do not know if the same happens.

The po credit card is good but if you want to avoid using credit card starling would be good.

You can use starling as a 2nd bank account and keep a stash in it.
Then transfer back to main account in due course.
Last summer I made a monthly transfer to Starling and used it exclusively whilst travelling.
Regarding it as my holiday account.
Just be aware when yo draw euros abroad you have to choose euros and not £ as this would incur fx charges.
So make sure starling is suitably funded.
I like it as you get immediate confirmation of all transactions (provided you use their app)
 
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