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Best Place to Buy Euros

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  • tobys_mummy_2
    tobys_mummy_2 Posts: 252 Forumite
    on the high street M&S, but i would advise getting a nationwide debit card and using it to withdraw from ATMs when you are abroad. you get a much better deal. if for some reason you cannot get one of these i would buy online from thomson exchange global. they offer the best rate.
  • ynot2005
    ynot2005 Posts: 546 Forumite
    yes use M&S... a good rate, only 1 rate

    dont go to a travel agent, thomas cook etc, even if they match the rate...they are robbing the naive and should be boycotted

    it leaves a sour taste in the mouth watching travel agent cashiers knowingly robbing the public and offering them a bad deal
  • u2o
    u2o Posts: 349 Forumite
    on the high street M&S, but i would advise getting a nationwide debit card and using it to withdraw from ATMs when you are abroad. you get a much better deal. if for some reason you cannot get one of these i would buy online from thomson exchange global. they offer the best rate.

    so if I just take my Nationwide Debit Card (FlexAccount, No Visa just Cirrus) and use it in ATM abroad i'll get better exchange rate or something and makes it better than converting to Euros at M&S over here?

    sorry just confused and am off to Ireland in couple of weeks time.
  • Lady_K
    Lady_K Posts: 4,429 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture Combo Breaker
    No one seems to be mentioning much about the post office is this not a good place to get euros from? and can you walk into a Marks and Spencers and just change it there or does it have to be online? Need to change thm today so can't use any online sites which is best today?
    Thanx

    Lady_K
  • pin
    pin Posts: 4,265 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture Combo Breaker
    Lady_K wrote:
    No one seems to be mentioning much about the post office is this not a good place to get euros from? and can you walk into a Marks and Spencers and just change it there or does it have to be online? Need to change thm today so can't use any online sites which is best today?

    PO is OK for currency purchase, but not the best, even for walk in rate. Yes you can walk into a Marks and Sparks that offers currency exchange and get your money there and then.
    "An eye for an eye leaves the whole world blind" - Mahatma Gandhi
  • emweaver
    emweaver Posts: 8,419 Forumite
    does anyone know where the best place to buy euros is today?
    Wins so far this year: Mum to be bath set, follow me Domino Dog, Vital baby feeding set, Spiderman goody bag, free pack of Kiplings cakes, £15 love to shop voucher, HTC Desire, Olive oil cooking spray, Original Source Strawberry Shower Gel, Garnier skin care hamper, Marc Jacobs fragrance.
  • Hi
    I use several methods
    in advance, I open a Euro account with HSBC and buy them with money from my current account when I think the rate is good. You get close to the interbank rate (as quoted on the bbc website) and then pay 1% when you want the Euro currency delivered to you. You dont get interest on the Euros so I dont leave them in there for long!
    Alternatively you get a better than high st rate if you pre-order from Travelex (can then pick up from the Airport)
    Another option is to have a Nationwide account and use the debit card in cash point abroad - there is no fee and you get close to the interbank rate. Also using their credit card to pay for purchases again gets close to the interbank rate (but dont use it in the cashpoint machines)
    In Benalmdena in Spain, the money change places also give a better rate than the UK high St. Recently 1.20 in the high st in the uk compared with 1.24 in Benalmadena best money Changer (Rubens)
    Hope this helps
  • ive just been on travelex site-i can buy euro online and pick them up at the airport-can i pay with a barclays or lloyds debit card without a cash advance fee? and can i get my mother to pick the euro up for me?
  • chuckley
    chuckley Posts: 4,405 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture
    briona wrote: »
    I always get mine from the Post Office, where they don't charge commission but you will find that the exchange rate is slighly less than at banks [to claw back the 'no commission' I'd imagine!].

    I changed £151 [approx.] a week ago and got EURO 210... not sure how that compares with current rates/exchanging them elsewhere...
    shop around in future as PO's are notoriously poor for xchange rate.
  • chuckley wrote: »
    shop around in future as PO's are notoriously poor for xchange rate.

    PO online currently beat m&s on euro exchange rates don't forget.
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