Travel Money Maximiser Discussion Area

SilverFox

I usually use Travelex on line and then pick up at the airport. They offer the best [guaranteed] rate and the system has worked well for me.
We are flying out of Manchester on Friday, so went to the T'ex site to find that they do not have a presence there!! It seems Thomas Cook do but -- they were 8 cents LESS [on US$]!
Thanks, but no thanks.
Next stop the Post Office; there is a branch close by but their rate was 6 cents LESS.
Rang Amex branch in town [Cardiff] to fined that they were same as T'ex!
Success -- my wife was going into town to shop, job done and $400 in my travel wallet (I have a Nationwide debit card for more cash if needed in DomRep, and N'wide credit card for all purchases, etc.

rodcam

I bought Canadian dollars from Coop Travelcare in Kelso. I actually came back from holiday with 200 dollars! When I went in to Travelcare to change it back they said they only changed euros and American dollars. I told them they should inform people about that and got a snippy response. Guess which travel agent I won't be using again?

BTW I tried to get a hotel room in London before going on holiday. All "TravelCARE!" could offer me was £90 for a place in Croydon. When I got home I went to laterooms.com and got a night in a hotel next to Gatwick, where I was flying from, for £53.

Guess which travel agent I won't be using again?

I changed my money at the Royal Bank of Scotland across the road, no hassle and a good rate. Shame they won't accept coins -- I had £3 worth!

sigma_2

Be warned. First Choice Travel agents advertising exchange rate for Euros at 1.22 with a notice stating that they were recommended by Which magazine as the best rate subject to minimum purchase of £500. This seemed reasonable but when I got home, I found that they had automatically charged me £3.50 'buy back guarantee'. When I phoned to complain, they told me that there was a notice displaying this and that they had very few complaints about this implying that I was wrong to complain! Unfortunately no time to go back and reclaim my £3.50.
Surely this is illegal! I thought that you had to opt in for these services not opt out. Sooooooooooooo annoying that yet again, these large companies are employing underhand tactics to get money out of you.

Anna1701

Hiya,

Im off to New York in December and thought it would be best to get some currency now as the rate is still good.

Im looking at getting it through Travel Money Services, but am sceptical as I have never got currency this way before and paying them the sterling by bank transfer 6 months before I receive the currency automatically rings alarm bells.

Can anyone tell me of any positive or negative dealings.

Thanks

Anna

marmitepotato

The Money Maximiser is a good tool but I found a better rate at Asda for South African Rands.

Asda gives me R15250 for £1082

The Maximiser gives FX as the best rate at
R15050 for £1080

and second best the Post Office
R15000 for £1083

Asda doesnt even make the maximiser and gives a far better rate.

kayleigh_notts

I go to Fuerteventura on the 10th of september for 1 week and me and my partner plan on having £1,000 for spending money....

I have always banked with Nationwide building society(flex account) and i have read over these forums that Nationwide do not charge any fee's for withdrawals from atm's abroad....

So can someone please advise me wether i will get more euro's for my £'s in Fuerteventura by withdrawing from atm's (sorry if that sounds stupid but im confused) or should i follow the travel money maximiser tool and the best rate on there at the moment is 1.25 euro's to the £????

all help and advice is greatly appreciated

dzug1

kayleigh_notts wrote: »

I go to Fuerteventura on the 10th of september for 1 week and me and my partner plan on having £1,000 for spending money....

I have always banked with Nationwide building society(flex account) and i have read over these forums that Nationwide do not charge any fee's for withdrawals from atm's abroad....

So can someone please advise me wether i will get more euro's for my £'s in Fuerteventura by withdrawing from atm's (sorry if that sounds stupid but im confused) or should i follow the travel money maximiser tool and the best rate on there at the moment is 1.25 euro's to the £????

all help and advice is greatly appreciated

You will get more euros at the ATM - make sure you ask to be charged in euros and not ££ though. You should get something like 1.28.

kayleigh_notts

Ok thanks for the advice its much appreciated.

Is there anyway i can find out exactly what rate of euro to my pund in fuerteventura??

Will i need to go inside the bank to withdraw the money??

If i withdraw from the hole in the wall will it all be in spanish??

Also will i have the same withdrawal limit over there as i do in the uk (£350 a day) ??

dzug1

kayleigh_notts wrote: »

Ok thanks for the advice its much appreciated.

Is there anyway i can find out exactly what rate of euro to my pund in fuerteventura??

Will i need to go inside the bank to withdraw the money??

If i withdraw from the hole in the wall will it all be in spanish??

Also will i have the same withdrawal limit over there as i do in the uk (£350 a day) ??

Not before the event - the exact rate isn't set until after the transaction
No
You will be able to choose English
Probably - not certain on this. You may have to split it over 2 or more transactions if the ATM itself has a limit.

kayleigh_notts

Thanks again for your quick reply :T

I might start a forum usuing my first comment here to get the views of some other people aswel im unsure wether to take the cash or wether to just take my card and withdraw over there