How to 'spend' leftover US Dollars

cj2011

Hello

I have a smallish amount of US Dollars in cash (dollar bills, no coins) and I have been holding them for my next holiday to the US, but unfortunately it's looking very unlikely that I will be heading to the US in the next 5 years.

The obvious thing to do would be to exchange them back to GBP, but the banks and the Post Office have very poor buy-back rates (they obviously need to buy a currency off me for cheap so they can sell it at a good profit). I didn't have a 'buy-back guarantee'.

Is there a way to spend USD in the UK - are there any tourist attractions, American restaurants or other companies in the UK, that may accept cash payments in USD (think I've seen a few hostels around Europe that have put up bar prices, for example, in more than one currency)? I do realise that if said tourist attraction did offer payment in dual currencies, the conversion rates may also be poor, but perhaps they would be slightly better than the bank (first of all I'd like to establish if any companies that accept dual currencies even exist). It would be great if there was a way to use my USD bills to pay for a train/coach or ferry to Europe or an overnight stay.

It's not a huge amount but it's too much to donate to charity and I'd rather spend them on a short holiday in the UK or France.

Suggestions welcome, but please don't ask me to donate them to you

Doshwaster

Ask around at work to see if anyone is going to the US soon and arrange a sale at a mutually beneficial rate.

The only place I can think of where you can spend US dollar in the UK are in airport bars and restaurants as they usually accept anything but you will get a shocking exchange rate.

*~Zephyr~*

Unlike us, the US almost never change their banknotes and the ones you have will be perfectly acceptable for use in a decade's time.

I'd tuck it away somewhere safe and use it when I next went across the pond. I once won a few hundred in Vegas and kept one of the £100 bills in my jewellery box for several years until I went back again.

Large hotel chains in the UK and EU will happily let you pay part of your bill in dollars, but I doubt if the exchange rate will be favourable. Have you seen the current rate? 1.46 !! I'm hoping this improves considerably before I fly out in the autumn

benjus

Post Office has poor rates full stop. No idea why so many people use them to change money.

There are quite a few exchange houses in London that give good rates for USD->GBP. If you aren't planning to come to London you can post them the cash, but if it's only a small amount the cost of secure delivery will probably make it not worthwhile.

I think I've seen places around the West End in London that accept dollars directly, although I haven't paid much attention.

As Doshwaster says, your best bet is to find someone to sell them to directly.

steve1500

I've bought & sold left over dollars from people at work.


If only 5 or 10 dollars put them in the piggy bank for next time

eDicky

Doshwaster wrote: »

Ask around at work to see if anyone is going to the US soon and arrange a sale at a mutually beneficial rate.

Yes, it can't be hard to find someone who will be happy to buy a few cash dollars at the mid-market rate, just look up the cross rates on XE.com at the time and use that.

torbrex

if you were just round the corner, I would buy them but MSE frowns on the exchange of personal details on the forum

joerugby

If you are thinking of a cruise, they are Cunard's onboard currency

jackieblack

*~Zephyr~* wrote: »

Have you seen the current rate? 1.46 !!

Which favours anyone looking to change USD into GBP

pmramsay

or use them next time you go on holiday, for example i had left over danish currency which I took to greece and exchanged straight to Euro. Better than losing out on the UK exchange rate back to the £

pollypenny

If you're likely to visit Vietnam or China in the near future you could spend them there.

Dollars were sought after in both places.