Budapest money

greenface

NiftyDigits wrote: »

You clearly don't realise the irony of your post....as you are exactly the type that we describe.
"Thomas Cook money card", Santander debit....the worst options. You clearly haven't learnt a thing from the time that you have spent here.
You can't have been reading what has been written. Really? Are you teasing us?
How can we wake you from your slumber?
If you walked in to a Travel Money shop, there is no telling how poor a rate you would receive. If you reserved it online, you would get a crashingly poor rate of 401.65. This compared to a rate of 442 with the right plastic at an ATM. That is around a 10% difference. That is £20 on £200. Quite a few beers in Budapest, don't you agree?
Whilst perhaps you "can't be asked' to improve your lot, most would not be happy to throw away 10% of their money on the advice of someone who "can't be asked"..... Patently ridiculous.

No it was about a fiver give or take , but again you patronise away . back to my slumber . knob

NiftyDigits

greenface wrote: »

No it was about a fiver give or take , but again you patronise away . back to my slumber .

Maybe someone else will care enough about you to take you aside and explain how you are throwing your money away. When you finally get it, don't forget that I tried.

On seconf thoughts....even though you are really obnoxious.... the reason why there was only a fiver difference in your case was because of your awful card.

Santander Debit Card

Spending penalty: £1.25 | Load fee: 2.75% | Cash withdrawal: 1.5% min £1.99

if you couple that with accepting the conversion on an ATM, you would end up with a poor rate....not unlike the rate that you got from Travel Money.

That is why we have emphasised the right plastic. Then the difference will be more like £20, not the 'fiver' that you suggest.

You are not smarter than the people advising you here. So try to open up your mind to what we are telling you...instead of embarrassing yourself. Take a few minutes to peruse the thread in order to get the best value and to prevent the possibility of getting ripped off as you did on your previous visit.

zagfles

billyolly wrote: »

I have a Nationwide flex plus account will this give me a good rate at ATM s?

Yes, just make sure you take the "without conversion" option as above.

zagfles

Turgonuk wrote: »

I suggested avoiding Euronet ATMs because they charge a transaction fee (about €5)' whereas the banks do not charge anything. Also I think the banks don't offer the currency options, just HUF which is less confusing.

I used Euronet ATM in the arrival baggage collection hall at Budapest airport recently and got charged nothing. Are you sure it wasn't your bank charging you?

You need to say no to DCC twice, but other than that it was just like a normal ATM. And there were a few of them at the airport - there is no need buy any in advance. If you want any emergency cash, take GBP and change it if necessary. Much better rate there, but use ATMs as first choice, with a decent card eg the Clarity.

zagfles

greenface wrote: »

Please do not call people idiots. Everyone is trying to help and give good advice here. Thanks for the imput . can you tell me the difference in buying say £200 worth of forints in this country and in Hungary at the standard rates . Always seems a little hit and miss finding the best rates abroard against a safer and easier way here.

At the airport I saw a rate of 360!! I got mine at a rate of 441 on arrival. That's about £35 difference. Which is easily enough for a day's spending in Budapest!

billyolly

I have a Nationwide Select credit card

zagfles

billyolly wrote: »

I have a Nationwide Select credit card

Use the FlexPlus debit for ATMs the Select for spending. Like with ATMs, make sure you tell them you want to pay in Forints when you hand your card over so you don't get stung by DCC.

It's probably easier to spend cash for most stuff and use the credit card just for the hotel or any other big spend.

NiftyDigits

billyolly wrote: »

I have a Nationwide Select credit card

Good. Use the debit card at the ATM for cash withdrawals and the Select card for purchases.
There are at least four ATMs at the airport on arrival. Just make sure that you choose the Forints option and you'll get cash at the full Visa rate indicated here

Turgonuk

zagfles wrote: »

I used Euronet ATM in the arrival baggage collection hall at Budapest airport recently and got charged nothing. Are you sure it wasn't your bank charging you?

You need to say no to DCC twice, but other than that it was just like a normal ATM. And there were a few of them at the airport - there is no need buy any in advance. If you want any emergency cash, take GBP and change it if necessary. Much better rate there, but use ATMs as first choice, with a decent card eg the Clarity.

Aye, I could have been getting confused with Poland, lol. The Euronet do seem to push the DCC thing as if you're doing it wrong don't they?

sgun

Its actually much better in Budapest to take sterling and exchange in a bureau of which there are many. Only if you don't mind carrying a wad of cash about though. You avoid all the ATM and conversion fees.


For the best rates go here:



http://www.valutacentrum.hu



You will find yourself staring at an unintelligible (because it is entirely in Hungarian) webpage.


Leave that '1' in the top box.


In the first dropdown menu pick your starting currency


in the next line, 'venni' means 'buy' and 'eladni' means sell ... Click on eladni because you are selling that starting currency and buying Forints


In the next dropdown menu pick 'Budapest'


In the one below that (the third one down), pick 'Budapest' again


In the one below that (the 4th), pick the district of interest; the Vth is the dead center of the city


Do nothing to the bottom-most dropdown menu and then click at the bottom left 'KERES' (search)


You will get a list of many exchange bureaus, with addresses and realtime current rates they offer


There will be a map below the list