Pre Paid Credit Cards

Gudday Nick,
I'm a big fan of the travelex cash passport card (http://www.cashpassportcard.com), mainly because you get two of them (one as a backup), you can put a pin on both, and you can use them anywhere. I used mine in West Africa.

The best way for a traveller from the UK to access money is using a Nationwide Building Society Flexaccount Debit Card. It is the ONLY totally fee free card. If you can open a Flex account, do so.

Prepaid cards are for people who cannot get a Debit card. You not only lose interest earned on your money because it is no longer in your bank account, you usually get a pretty poor rate of exchange.

Some UK banks charge as much as 4.75% blipblaume. On a 1000 pounds of travel funds that means you lose 47.50! If you can get a Nationwide account and debit card, that number will be ZERO. Which would you prefer?

Both times ive gone abroad to USA and China I've taken my Royal mail travel card, which although isn't strictly credit, still means I don't have to worry TOO much if I lose it as it wont wipe out my balance back home. http://www.postoffice.co.uk/portal/po/jump1?catId=19300207&mediaId=26800661

I agree with Waywoml above.
I have been travelling for a few years now and always used the Nationwide Flex Charge. It seems to be accepted virtually everywhere, and all transactions are free.
The exchange rate offered on the transactions is very good with only small margins on the buy / sell prices.

If you're away for a long time, you can monitor your funds online and set up a high interest web account to ensure you get good interest on the funds you are not using.Simply go to an internet cafe and transfer the money you'll need a few days in advance.

There is NO margin on the exchange rate when you use a Nationwide card dampfleece. You get the full Interbank exchange rate and Nationwide even eat the 1% that VISA charge all banks who use their system.