Taking English notes abroad?

zagfles

Doshwaster wrote: »

Same here. For years I used to carry around an emergency US$50 bill hidden away for emergencies but I never needed to use it - until I found myself thirsty in an airport bar during a flight delay.

Now I just take sufficient cards to cover all eventualities. Main travel card is Halifax Clarity, backup to that is a Caxton FX with about £50 on it and backup to that are regular HSBC debit and credit card - but I haven't used them abroad in years.

Yup, I've got the Clarity plus Nationwide Flex Plus (fee free cash), Nationwide Select (fee free purchases), and Barclaycard Amex & VISA as backup (these are not too bad as backup - 2.99% markup on cash and purchases but no interest even on cash withdrawals). And if I'm really desperate, First Direct debit but it'll never come to that!

And my wife is a joint cardholder on all of them, so I think we're well covered for the "what if the machine swallows your card" scenario which people seem to panic about but which hardly ever happens in reality.

I can't remember that last time I changed money before leaving the country. Like you I've never found myself in an airport that didn't have a cash machine and I usually have a float of Euro, Dollars and Thai Baht from previous trips.

By pure co-incidence I just changed some today, here in the UK, against all the advice I posted over the years! Son on a school trip at Easter - my EUR float unusually low, needed an extra EUR140, not worth getting a pre-paid just for a week's trip and in a group so he might not get the chance to use a cashpoint in time anyway...

Realised it's a bigger rip-off than I thought, but you need to look in unexpected places!

Interbank about 1.38, so 140EUR worth about £101, expected about 5%/£5 commission so took out £110, allowing for over 8% commission. Nowhere is that much of a rip-off, not for a popular currency like EUR. Or so I thought...

Went to the PO, rate outside was 1.32, not too bad I thought, went in, but they wanted £111! Turns out the 1.32 rate was only for over £500!! The rate for smaller amounts was 1.26! What a complete rip-off, about 9% "commission" :eek:

Walked out in disgust and tried the Halifax, they said it had to be ordered, but the helpful cashier suggested a pawnbrokers across the road. They had a sign outside offering EUR for 1.338. So got a bit over £5 change from my £110, enough for a beer and sandwich in the pub on the way back

Doshwaster

agrinnall wrote: »

You need to get a bit more remote, for instance, I'm pretty sure that Kirkwall Airport doesn't have an ATM, and as far as I can see there isn't one at Inverness Airport either.

I wouldn't call Inverness that "remote". I've been to some quite out of the way places in India and Asia and the airports have always had an ATM - and often the only one for many miles around.

zagfles

Doshwaster wrote: »

I wouldn't call Inverness that "remote". I've been to some quite out of the way places in India and Asia and the airports have always had an ATM - and often the only one for many miles around.

The irony is I bet most people who insist on getting foreign cash in advance when flying to a major international destination wouldn't even think about getting cash out in advance when flying to a minor UK destination which is far less likely to have cashpoints.

maman

Am I the only one that thought you were a student asking if it's OK to do revision abroad on your Easter holidays??:rotfl:


Like others I don't bother in the Eurozone. I always have a bit of sterling on me as I would at home but then I take Euros and use them for small purchases as I would cash at home. Restaurants, fuel and any big shopping I use my (commission free) Post Office credit card. Only difference there is I keep this card especially for travelling. I never cash in leftover euros so always have some for next trip. Same with loose change that I keep for motorway tolls in France.


I do take sterling to Turkey. This is a hangover from when inflation was so rampant that exchange rate changed (in our favour) daily. Also business people liked being paid in sterling as it gave them a hedge against inflation too. They have banks and ATMs but I'm in the habit of changing money in shops as they give just as good a rate and are 'open all hours'. Fortunately, I stay with friends so cash is safe at our accommodation. I do take my credit card but rarely use it as in a country that loves bargaining I can often get a better deal on shopping with cash (sterling or lira). I always keep a few lira at home for tipping taxi from the airport and buying a drink at comfort stop.

littlereddevil

I always take English notes with me. If I don't use them I take them home and keep them for the next trip

agrinnall

Doshwaster wrote: »

I wouldn't call Inverness that "remote". I've been to some quite out of the way places in India and Asia and the airports have always had an ATM - and often the only one for many miles around.

Agreed that it's not that remote, but it doesn't have an ATM nonetheless.

If you really want remote, I could suggest Phongsali in Laos, but as my flight from Vientiane was cancelled after my luggage was loaded but before I could board I never went there so I don't know to this day whether it has an ATM or not :A.

peachyprice

zagfles wrote: »

Went to the PO, rate outside was 1.32, not too bad I thought, went in, but they wanted £111! Turns out the 1.32 rate was only for over £500!! The rate for smaller amounts was 1.26! What a complete rip-off, about 9% "commission" :eek:

Walked out in disgust and tried the Halifax, they said it had to be ordered, but the helpful cashier suggested a pawnbrokers across the road. They had a sign outside offering EUR for 1.338. So got a bit over £5 change from my £110, enough for a beer and sandwich in the pub on the way back

One of the benefits of living in London, I always use Best Foreign Exchange/Thomas UK. Consistently give the highest rates available, with 0% commission. They're adverting €1.36 today, and that's what you'll get, no matter how much or little you want to change.

zagfles

peachyprice wrote: »

One of the benefits of living in London, I always use Best Foreign Exchange/Thomas UK. Consistently give the highest rates available, with 0% commission. They're adverting €1.36 today, and that's what you'll get, no matter how much or little you want to change.

There have to be some I guess Think someone else mentioned there are EUR cashpoints in London where they charge the card in EUR and so you get the Mastercard/VISA rate if using a fee free card.

I'll plan better next time and make sure I take more EUR home...although with the exchange rate movement I might actually have been better off this time!

bylromarha

Never take English notes with me.

benjus

zagfles wrote: »

Think someone else mentioned there are EUR cashpoints in London where they charge the card in EUR and so you get the Mastercard/VISA rate if using a fee free card.

There used to be one in the City, but it's gone now. I don't know of any others.