The Nationwide Building Society Credit Card with Free Foreign Transaction Programme

The Nationwide Building Society Select credit card is suited to card holders who want to take advantage of commission free transactions overseas. Frequent travelers and cardholders who use their plastic abroad can take advantage of unlimited commission free purchases overseas. There is also a rewards program which offers 0.5 percent unlimited cash back on all purchases made in sterling on the Nationwide Building Society Select credit card.

Balance transfers are available for 0 percent APR for seventeen months, a generous introductory period. The balance transfer fee is 2.95 percent. To qualify for the Select card applicants must hold a Nationwide FlexAccount with a Visa debit card.

Those who elect to open the card without utilizing the balance transfer service are entitled to eighteen months 0 percent APR on purchases, before reverting to the standard APR. This varies between 9.9 percent to 19.9 percent depending on individual credit, with 12.9% advertised as standard. Card holders who don’t carry a balance are given a 56 day grace period. It is worth noting that all balances of £25 or less must be paid in full each month.

Standard charges applied to the card are £12 for late payments, credit breaches and returned checks. Cash advances are charged at 2.5 percent and copies of paper statements at £5. Overseas commission fees are 2 percent which are lower than the average charge of 2.99 percent. Commission fees can be offset by spending on the card within the UK. Every £5 spent on the card earns £1 in commission free spending abroad.

Card holders over 50 years of age can get commission free transactions overseas with the Saga Platinum card, but the balance transfer period offered is shorter at 9 months. The Sainsbury’s Gold card is also worth considering for overseas travel but it does levy a £5 monthly fee. Neither of these cards have a requirement to earn the free foreign commission through spending on the card. The Santander Zero and the Post Office credit card are also worth considering if foreign travel is on the agenda.

The Nationwide Building Society credit card represents a good deal for those who carry a balance but have very good credit. In addition to the excellent 18 months 0 percent APR on balance transfers the standard APR of 12.9 percent, for those who qualify, is one of the best available interest rates around.