Best place to buy Euros

hammy_the_hammer

Pin, why do you bother ? Tell me why do you bother ? aaaarggghhhh

pin

Its been asked soo, soo many times, where is the best place to get holiday money?

I know there are articles about holiday money, etc, however I thought I would write a little list of my top choices:

1. Nationwide Debit Card for ATM withdrawals from destination country / Nationwide Credit Card or the Audi credit card for purchases in destination country (but watch out for Dynamic Currency Conversion).

2. Any other debit card for ATM withdrawals from destination country / any other credit card for purchases in destination country (but for both CHECK T&C's to see exact charges).

3. Thomas Exchange Global in central London.

4. Travelex online (remember Travelex will price match any other exchange service, i.e. the one above)

5. Marks and Spencer

6. Online FX (using this link ensures free deliver).

7. Thomson Travel (they seem to use Amex as their travel money provider).

8. Co-op Travel (they use Curreny Express / Exchange and offer free delivery for orders over £300).

9. Post Office (while probably not the best rate, there are many of them around, so may be convinient).

10. Haggle with High Street travel agent (which may ensure better rates than 5 to 9 above).

With 3 - 9, if you are paying with debit / credit card check your T&C's as many providers charge for the priviledge of using money exchange services.

isayoldchap

flip01 wrote:

Hi

Ive never been abroad before, and I'm off to Spain in 3 weeks, and im not keen in using my cashcard to access money as it will cost me for currency transfers. I'm thinking about just taking some Euros in cash, but where do I buy? The banks and P.O. rates are horrible!

Any suggestions? Im not keen on travellers cheques.

I recently found that Travelex were giving a good rate and the collection at the airport was simple.Make sure you take the debit/credit card you have used to show them if you opt for this service.
I also found that when we went to Spain (Dec.2004 & 5)there were exchanges on the high street that were offering a slightly better rate without a commission.That was in Malaga area opposite Mcdonalds at Benalmedena.
Of course market fluctuations could have occurred.

loobs40

Just seen my online bank statements from the Nationwide Flex account. We have just come back from France and the exchange rate was around 1.47 on purchases and cash withdrawals from cashpoint machines.

Definitely pays to get a Nationwide Flexaccount

pin

hammy_the_hammer wrote:

Pin, why do you bother ? Tell me why do you bother ? aaaarggghhhh

HTH, I know you get frustrated with people asking the same question again and again. Trust me, so do I!!

However I think there are many newbies coming on, who have not been able to search the forums (and in all fairness the search function does suck).

That's why I have decided just to cut and paste my list whenever anyone asks the usual "where is the best place to get X currency from".

squishy_2

LOL! Am a newbie and got referred to this thread! My problem (it may not even be a problem, I suppose), is that I have Euros I'd like to change to GBP at a good rate without losing too much on commission. I've found travelex and onlinefx, but can't find a way of using my Euros to pay and get GBP back - am I being thick and missing something?!

pin

squishy wrote:

LOL! Am a newbie and got referred to this thread! My problem (it may not even be a problem, I suppose), is that I have Euros I'd like to change to GBP at a good rate without losing too much on commission. I've found travelex and onlinefx, but can't find a way of using my Euros to pay and get GBP back - am I being thick and missing something?!

You can convert back, you will just get hit for a high rate. Basically the sell and buy rates offered by exchange places are different (the spread is where they make a lot of their money).

Best bet, unless you really need to the extra pounds, is hold onto the Euros for when you go away again.

hammy_the_hammer

or come to an amicable arrangement with relative/friend/workmate who are visiting a 'euro' country and exchange it with them.

trisontana

On the subject of the Euro, Slovenia is changing over to it on January 1 1997 . So that's another country where you won't have to worry about changing back a "minority" currency when you return home. Instead, just keep any surplus for your next trip to the Euro Zone.

pin

trisontana wrote:

On the subject of the Euro, Slovenia is changing over to it on January 1 1997 . So that's another country where you won't have to worry about changing back a "minority" currency when you return home. Instead, just keep any surplus for your next trip to the Euro Zone.

I presume you mean 2007 rather than 1997?