and debit cards. Same thing happens with all other banks, we just don’t get exposed to it.
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Sorry mate, didn’t want to upset people. It’s just that I’m on holiday and it’s a tad annoying having to factor in topping up money because of the second transaction thing. I understand it’s the US system but there is a flaw here.
unfounded accusations of theft tend to do that 
I appreciate you are on holiday , and apart from the first response everybody on the community has tried to help you out with explaining how the US system of charging works , all of the information is also available under previous posts that you could have read before your holiday
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Totally uncalled for response
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My girlfriend says I shouldn’t respond to this now because I’m getting worked up and ruining the holiday! Lol.
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What’s MSE brigade??
enjoy your holiday and I hope Monzo can deal with your problem as soon as possible to rectify the double charge
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those that use their Monzo card predominately outside UK as a travel card instead of mainly in the UK
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Mate, enjoy the rest of your holidays!
It’s those who somehow have the guts to take Monzo up on their offer of (at the moment) free foreign cash withdrawals. 
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Sorry monzo for saying you stole from me. I over reacted because I’m a panicky paranoid British traveller and now my girlfriend is in a right mood! I really like monzo really and I know the problem will be sorted.
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It’s okay, it can be scary if money randomly disappears when you’re not expecting it!
Advice for the future: contact in app chat and ask them nicely - they are awesome people and respond really quickly!
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These users who come on to the forum, accusing Monzo of stealing their money really do my tits in. Move to Revolut and they can dry your tears.
Thanks @aligriggs appreciate your apology to Monzo - take your girlfriend out for a nice meal
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Bloody hell, sorry mate!
Why do you love monzo so much? How can you so much affinity for a banking application?
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I think people really like the openness and transparency of the company - as well as the product 
For a lot of people (including me), Monzo is their primary bank and it is really exciting to watch it grow and change!
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hopefully you’ll stick with Monzo long enough to find out - stop answering these messages and enjoy your hols
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The thing is this would happen anyway, and you’d run out of money - or (possibly worse) end up in unauthorised overdraft. I’m sure this has happened to people using debit cards in the US.
Monzo is making things obvious that have been going on for years, but often handwaved away by the banks. If a pending charge is on the account you no longer have that money - even if only temporarily… it’s an implementation detail that no money has actually changed hands yet… you can’t spend it.
Alas I doubt there’s a way to change the US banking system from here, but we can put pressure on UK retailers who hold onto pending charges for ages to get their act together (In my pre-monzo days I had a real argument with a guy from just-eat for that. I paid for a meal, they phone up to say the restaurant was actually closed and my money would be refunded in 14 days… I said things I’m not proud of to him… they were simply being lazy and waiting for the pending charge to drop off rather than cancelling it)
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You used the Monzo card for the purpose advertised by currency websites for holidays while you bank elsewhere. That is fine. However, many on these forums don’t see Monzo solely as a currency card, but as a bank current account designed by people who want to stop big banks taking advantage of people. When people come on to complain about a standard feature or problem which can be easily solved via the app, they can get defensive.
Enjoy your holiday! I hope you come and join us after you return.
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@aligriggs
As mentioned previously, the system in the US needs to be understood, particularly using Monzo or other prepaid cards.Restaurants and petrol stations are a problem.
The problem at restaurants can be avoided. Pay only the bill with the card, then pay the tip using cash. You will only get one charge to the card.
If you pay the tip with the bill using the card you get firstly the bill only charged on the card and then the bill plus tip charged, hence the double charge, which I believe is what happened to you.
At petrol stations I can never get the cards to work in the pay at the pump.
Either prepay for an amount you know will fit in the tank. or pay cash.
I hope that helps and you enjoy the rest of your holiday,
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it is not just to do with prepaid cards, it is any app or online banking where the account transactions appear instantly and show initial presentments and final transactions rather than only showing the final amount a few days later. Plus the sloppy way some merchants do transactions.
For most Americans putting transactions on their credit cards and not seeing those transactions until a statement comes thru the mail it is not a problem.
By getting an instant feed we see all the stuff banks normally see behind the scenes and often they will change your available balance without displaying the initial charge in your transaction feed and then display the final charge adjusting your available balance when the initial charge drops off.
Ideally a merchant presents a demand for your food bill or an estimated fuel amount at a pump say of $50 and then using that same transaction data adjusts the amount to show bill including tip or actual fuel dispensed say $55.00
Unfortuately it is often the case they do the one provisional charge but put thru the final amount under a totally unconnected code. Then instead of cancelling or finalizing the provisional charge they leave it to be automatically cancelled by the bank when they fail to claim the money.
It may look a real mess to us but spare a thought for those visiting Japan as there they often put the initial charge as USD but the final charge as Yen!
By not finalising the initial provisional charge but creating a new one we face another problem the locals won’t as each charge may get a different exchange rate.
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