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  • I got married this year in Lithuania and we received a lot of money as wedding gifts. The value of the pound would mean we would lose money paying into our Lloyds Bank account what is the best way to to put this money into our savings
  • eDicky
    eDicky Posts: 6,547
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    Pallison84 wrote: »
    I got married this year in Lithuania and we received a lot of money as wedding gifts. The value of the pound would mean we would lose money paying into our Lloyds Bank account what is the best way to to put this money into our savings
    It's the opposite, the weak pound is in your favour, it's cheap to buy with foreign currency. Use a service such as TransferWise to convert and send it - is it in a bank account in LTL or EUR?
    Evolution, not revolution
  • Emi18
    Emi18 Posts: 1 Newbie
    I am going on holiday to Croatia and not sure what to do about travel money. In Croatia they use the Croatian Kuna, some places accept Euros but not all so I am going to use the Croatian currency. Does anyone know whether it is best to exchange the currency in the UK or to just take a bank card and use an ATM and does anyone know what the charge would be to withdraw from an ATM in Croatia?
    Also can anyone give me an idea of how much things cost in Croatia?
  • zagfles
    zagfles Posts: 20,279
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    edited 13 July 2017 at 9:42PM
    Emi18 wrote: »
    I am going on holiday to Croatia and not sure what to do about travel money. In Croatia they use the Croatian Kuna, some places accept Euros but not all so I am going to use the Croatian currency. Does anyone know whether it is best to exchange the currency in the UK or to just take a bank card and use an ATM and does anyone know what the charge would be to withdraw from an ATM in Croatia?
    Also can anyone give me an idea of how much things cost in Croatia?
    IME very few places accept Euros, even places that advertised prices in Euros didn't accept them! A lot of places quote prices in Euros for infomation only but want paying in Kunas. I found this a complete PITA as you have to think in 3 currencies.

    ATMs don't charge, at least none of those I used did and I used quite a lot. Your bank might charge so get a fee free card if you haven't already got one. Don't but Kunas here, the rate will be rubbish. The major airports have ATMs so just withdraw on arrival. If the ATM offers currency conversion, decline it.

    Croatia is fairly cheap compared to the UK, not dirt cheap but significantly cheaper than here for most stuff, even in the touristy areas. It's probably a lot cheaper off the beaten track.
  • erb
    erb Posts: 547
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    Can I exchange icelandic kronas for euros? Got some icelandic kronas left and next holiday will be needing euros so wondering if I will be abel to exchange directly or have to exchange the icelandic kronas to £s and then buy euros with the £s.
    Regards
    erb :)
  • cnoc
    cnoc Posts: 2 Newbie
    Hi,

    First post - apologies for any newby errors!

    We went to Egypt (Hurghada) last year and got a far better rate out there than we could get here for Egyptian pounds (we got about 10 to 1 in Scotland and 14 to 1 in Egypt). A couple of weeks after we returned the Egyptian government announced it was no longer "pegging the Egyptian pound to the US $". This hugely devalued the Egyptian currency. I was just wondering of this means I'd be better to change my money here before we go back in October, or if I should take Sterling and change it out there for a better rate again?

    Thanks in advance for any help!
  • eDicky
    eDicky Posts: 6,547
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    cnoc wrote: »
    We went to Egypt (Hurghada) last year and got a far better rate out there than we could get here for Egyptian pounds (we got about 10 to 1 in Scotland and 14 to 1 in Egypt). A couple of weeks after we returned the Egyptian government announced it was no longer "pegging the Egyptian pound to the US $". This hugely devalued the Egyptian currency. I was just wondering of this means I'd be better to change my money here before we go back in October, or if I should take Sterling and change it out there for a better rate again?
    A change in value of the Egyptian (or any) currency applies wherever it is being traded, so it will still be better to exchange cash in Egypt. But it's not the best way - that would be to use a fee free card such as Monzo or Starling Bank for purchases or ATM withdrawals, the rates will always be better than exchanging cash anywhere (on same-day comparison).
    Evolution, not revolution
  • cnoc
    cnoc Posts: 2 Newbie
    eDicky wrote: »
    A change in value of the Egyptian (or any) currency applies wherever it is being traded, so it will still be better to exchange cash in Egypt. But it's not the best way - that would be to use a fee free card such as Monzo or Starling Bank for purchases or ATM withdrawals, the rates will always be better than exchanging cash anywhere (on same-day comparison).

    Aye, that's not really what I was meaning. The last time we were there we were getting bettter rates out there as people out there valued pounds more than the actual exchange rate, so when you used them in shops they were giving you up to 40% over the official rate. I think this was due to the government pegging the Egyptian pound to the US$ which gave it an artificially high value. Even the best credit cards could't give a rate close to the one we were getting out there. My question was whether that'll still be the case now that the E£ is no longer pegged tot the US$? I guess you'd have to have been in the last wee while to know.
  • eDicky
    eDicky Posts: 6,547
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    edited 15 July 2017 at 9:25AM
    cnoc wrote: »
    Aye, that's not really what I was meaning. The last time we were there we were getting bettter rates out there as people out there valued pounds more than the actual exchange rate, so when you used them in shops they were giving you up to 40% over the official rate. I think this was due to the government pegging the Egyptian pound to the US$ which gave it an artificially high value. Even the best credit cards could't give a rate close to the one we were getting out there. My question was whether that'll still be the case now that the E£ is no longer pegged tot the US$? I guess you'd have to have been in the last wee while to know.
    Now I understand, thanks for clarifying. I can only guess that the extra high rates you were getting for cash pounds are unlikely now that the Egyptian currency is unpegged, but it's still probably better to exchange cash over there than in Scotland. Others may know more.
    Evolution, not revolution
  • LelBop
    LelBop Posts: 2 Newbie
    Hi there,


    I too have just ordered Bulgarian Lev from Travel FX. However, my TSB bank didn't recognise the sort code etc under company payment. Travel FX state you can't cancel once you have submitted your order but they don't have any of my banking details. Can you tell me how you got on in May please?
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