Travel money (where best to get)

[Oily Telly Tyke]

Hi everyone! Any suggestions where the best place is to get some ?'s changed to Euros in ED please. 0% commission / exchange rate/ availability etc.

[blinder999]

according to www.moneysavingexpert.com, Thomas Exchange Global near Victoria Station is likely to be the cheapest - we used them a couple of weeks ago, was the best deal I could find.

[chichirara]

I always use the Post Office on LL no charge for Euros

[Ladygooner]

I always use M&S with no commission - think its only from stores in central london though

[kford]

M&S if in town; PO on LL otherwise. You might have to order exotic stuff like Egyption pounds though.

[spadetownboy]

m&s for me no commission and by far the best exchange rate i always come across. otherwise as mentioned by the others it the po less favourable rate though.

[Loz]

Probably not a useful answer for the OP, since I'm guessing you are travelling very soon, but Nationwide are very much your friend for international travel. We have an account with a Cirrus/Switch card, plus a credit card and it has saved me loads of money over the past few years. I woke up to this when I paid a 600 euro hotel bill on a different CC and paid nearly ?20 for the pleasure.

Before we travel we bung enough money in the account, then you can withdraw the local cash at ATMs anywhere. You get the Visa rate of exchange (i.e. very close to the 'proper' rate, rather than the rip off tourist rate - 1.47 euros to the pound at the beginning of the month) and no commission or charges. You save about ?50 for each ?1000 you spend.

The credit card is the same - no charges (unless you use it for cash withdrawals) and the same damn good exchange rate.

I can't recommend doing this highly enough.

[char1ie]

Can't you just take it out of the cash machines in Europe. Far cheaper and easier.

Charlie

[dita-on-tees]

I second Loz, Nationwide are great - you take your money out without charge anywhere in the world and I always get a better rate of exchange than my fellow travelers. Plus you get something like 4.5% interest on your account when in credit.

[Townleygreen]

M&S in Bromley, Croydon have bureau de change so you don't have to go up to town. Just a thought.

[SimonM]

For the last couple of years I have ordered ours online from our bank website (HSBC), and the cash arrives the next day. Not sure how good the rates are compared to, say, M & S, but the convenience is unbeatable.

[IbizaBG]

Mark & Spencers wins - hands down... every time !!!!

[blinder999]

IbizaBG Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Mark & Spencers wins - hands down... every time

> !!!!

check the rates:

Post Office ?1 = ?1.37,

M&S - ?1 = ?1.38

Thomas Exchange Global ?1 = ?1.40

not much in it today, but I've seen a bigger difference in the past. Obviously, if you don't go through Victoria Station regularly, M&S & the PO are more convenient.

[Oily Telly Tyke]

Thanks everyone. I got 1.39999999999 from the PO as it was bit last minute. Didn't want to use card abroad as i am charged ?1.50 for each blinking transaction! Could have got 1.42 while abroad, with no commission, but it was much of a muchness for the amount i was taking out really.

thanks all!

O

[Andyng]

Does anyone know whether HSBC or Nationwide charge you when you

use there atms when you go abroad???

[Loz]

Nationwide don't. HSBC do.

[JoeChuff]

Barclays don't, I always just take cash out when I get there. Also as a general rule, be wary of no commission places, the rates are usually shocking (not in M&S though).

The absolute best is www.xe.com, which gives you the mid-market rate, but you need to be transferring it to another bank account in the country you're going to. Useful if you're visiting relatives, maybe - zap it into their account and then collect it off them when you get there.

[Loz]

Barclay's do charge, though not on a 'per transaction' fee basis. The small print from their website:

A 2.75% charge for Barclays handling costs and any VISA processing fees is included in the sterling conversion shown on your statement and applies to all foreign transactions. There is an additional 2% transaction charge (min ?1.50 max ?4.50) if you withdraw cash overseas via a cash machine or in a bank, except Barclays cash machines or those within the Global Alliance as listed below. If you use a cash machine outside the Global Alliance, you may also incur an additional service charge on top. There is a 2% transaction charge (min ?1.50 max ?4.50) if you use your card in the UK to obtain sterling anywhere other than a cash machine or Barclays branch, and currency or travellers? cheques anywhere other than a Barclays branch or Barclays website or via Barclays Travel Line.

So, take out 1000 euros at a foreign ATM with your Barclays Switch/Cirrus card and it'll most likely cost you ?4.50 Foreign Cash Withdrawal Fee plus 27.50 euros 'Foreign Loading Charge for the pleasure, i.e. about 24 quid in total.

Nationwide is - I believe - the only one that does not charge like this for debit cards.

[sophiesofa]

No, never heard of it. Do you work for a prepaid cashcard, just seems an odd first post that's all?

[DonGee]

I'm travelling soon and will be trying the prepaid cashcard as it has been recommended to me by many people. They're normally obtained from a newsagents or online and can be topped up in many different locations.

[ianr]

> Nationwide are great - you take your money out without charge anywhere in the world

They've recently announced a change in policy wef 1 November: http://www.nationwide.co.uk/current_account/flexaccount-changes.htm

[Shaw74]

I normally check the Money Saving Expert webiste on the best deals for travel money. It's totally impatial and shows up how bad the banks really are and all the hidden charges on their cards. There's also a great application if you need to exchange cash that tells you where the best places to go are.

http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/travel/cheap-travel-money?dd

[mrure26]

I get Euros from the travel shop in the Sainsburys on Dog Kennel Hill (next to cigarette counter). Costs nothing and they have the prepaid cash cards as well(it's called Passport Card)

[DaveR]

I use a pre-paid euro card from Fairfx - v. convenient, decent exchange rate.

[Izodia]

A question on the pre-paid cards. I did use a travelex one at some point and I think I stopped because my bank (Lloyds) had a charge for when I got travel money from a bureau de change, another bank etc, etc. Does transferring money onto the Fairfx card incur any fee from your bank?