US Dollars Question

valiant23

I've seen that Crown Currency Exchange offers potentially the best rates. I've also seen the pro's and cons of buying my currency this way.

I was wondering if anyone has bought the bulk of their holiday money through American financial institutions such as The Bank Of America, and whether it provides better value for money?

My Father In Law suggested we wait until we're in America before we buy our currency you see.

Thanks in advnavce.

dzug

America is one place where (outside a few tourist areas that a lot of Brits frequent) that you can have serious difficulty in changing sterling at all. I wouldn't wait until you get there.

KarenG

Totally agree with dzug you will struggle to exchange sterline in the US and you won't get better rates either!

AFAIK it's not better value to buy in the UK from a US bank either.

Hyps

Totally agree. Partner is American and the one time I did get currency changed there I gave him the money and he done it at his bank. Way too much hassle.


Usually I change money before I go (was there in Dec/Jan and used that place in Victoria - can't remember the name) if I don't then I find it just as easy to withdraw there.

HOWEVER, be aware that the ATM's will charge you a fee as well as your bank charging you a fee for withdrawing cash abroad. The best thing to do if you find yourself in that position is to withdraw money from somewhere like Publix (grocery store) ATM - they are free so you only pay the one charge from your bank

baileysbattlebus

Totally agree, get your money changed here, you can take a mixture of traveller cheques and dollars, you can use travellers cheques like cash. And you can always withdraw cash, we usually use Publix or Walmart. I usually don't take much cash, I just draw money when I'm there, I bank with Nationwide and generally get a much better exchange rate than I do when changing currency here. Last time I was there (Oct 07) there were no charges for withdrawing cash, I think I read somewhere they were going to introduce them.

skr80

i have used the travelex price promise against crown currency to get the same rate and the convenience of collecting @ airport...