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[MSE Jenny]

This is the discussion to link on the back of Martin's 'Cheapest Travel Money: I got so fed up of explaining it, I built a tool.' blog. Please read the blog first, as the discussion follows it.

Read Martin's "Cheapest Travel Money: I got so fed up of explaining it, I built a tool." Blog

[ahmahmahm]

Tool looks good, but I'm sure the plural of Euro is Euro, not Euros -- http://ec.europa.eu/economy_finance/...pelling_en.pdf

Yes, sorry that's a bit sad for me to know that...!

[Mercenary]

I could have done with this a couple of months ago before visiting family in America!

Oh well, when we've saved up enough for another holiday (in a couple of year's time, maybe ... ) , I will know where to come for easier comparisons. I got quite worn out last time.

Thanks, Martin

[ribenagirl]

Great stuff, this is the ONE thing I hate most about going on holiday! (apart from attempting to get a 7 month old baby to sit up straight for a passport photo )

It may well get us the most bucks for our bang, but more importantly, can it get us the most bangs for our buck? now THAT would be a Moneysaving tool worth having!

[visaria]

I don't know about the online sites, but if you're buying currency from a shop, always, always haggle and try for a better rate. Admittedly it may not make much difference if you're taking a few hundred quids worth, but if you're buying fair amounts, there's definitely money to be saved.

I went on holiday to the US a few years ago and was assigned the task of buying dollars for our party of friends. I was buying $10,000 so I haggled with the vendor (an independent shop in the West End) from 3 cents away from the wholesale sell rate to the point of being 0.5 cents away.

Also try independent type shops over the chains. There are plenty in London (no idea about anywhere else) especially around the Edgware Road area. Always insist on a receipt wherever you purchase from and double check your cash (both the pounds and the foreign currency).

One further tip: if you need currency other than US dollars or Euros, then exchange a small amount here and then buy whatever you need in the country you're travelling to. US dollars can be sold for local currency pretty much everywhere, euros and pounds less so. I've travelled quite extensively around the world and I have always, always found better rates in the country (non US) I'm travelling to than rates offered in the UK.