Yesterday I was getting 1.15 Euros to the pound in Fuengirola. One of our guests got 1.04 at Gatwick. Not sure what rate Post Office etc. is but I´m sure it can´t be that low.

I got 1.155 yesterday

Captive market in getting poor rates shocker…

Surely it’s not a suprise that exchanging currency last minute in the Airport gets you a poor rate?

Having said that, last time I looked (a couple of months back), you could get a very competitive rate if you ordered currency online for collection in the airport the next day.

if your stupid enough to leave buying currency to an hour before you get on the plane, then you deserve the crap rate you get!!!

If you buy online in advance for collection at the airport booths the rate’s not too bad at all IME. If you just turn up it’s execrable.

Most overseas cash machines take uk cards so it always baffles me when people get loads of currency and Travellers Cheques!WTF.

Nationwide free withdrawals and very good rates.

Totally agree – the cash machine gives you an ok rate, plus you don’t have to carry silly wads of cash about.

I usually get a load of cash from Travelex/Post Office before I go (Travelex do a nice pre-order and collect when you fly thing) and then draw any extra cash when I’m away. NEVER get it at the airport.

1.1268 at the post office today.

Think Mr Brown needs to sort out our finances, that rate sucks

I have a Dollar & a Euro Fairfx card & just load them when I need to

http://www.fairfx.com/

However, if you buy currency through Travelex (most airports) on the internet, and pick up on your way through the airport, it’s one of the better exchange rates available, usually…, maybe.

Another vote for preorder at Travelex/pickup at airport.

no charge on foreign withdrawals? Good rates? Don’t think so.

Had to withdraw cash in Morzine this weekend to pay hospital/pharmacy fees for Mr MC got rate of 1.14 however got stung £3.58 oer withdrawal! And bank would only allow me a daily withdrawal rate of £200!! HAd some issues with my bank … they will shortly be receiving an abusive sort it out letter from me!

1.04 does look very low. I got 1.0905 as a walk-up rate at Heathrow on Wednesday (at Travelex).

postierich – Member
Most overseas cash machines take uk cards so it always baffles me when people get loads of currency and Travellers Cheques!WTF.

I thought like this until I went to Canada last year, and my Visa debit and credit cards didn’t work, and to take money out involved a 45 minute phone call to the UK (mainly on hold) to get the bank to accept I was in the Canada, then a 45 minute wait in the Bank (for which I was charged around £10 a go) to take money out.

and this was everytime I wanted to take cash out, as if I just tried to do the bank thing without the phone call first it rejected my cards and I wasted 45 minutes while the bank had to call various call centers etc to get the withdraw authorized.

and I wasn’t the only one suffering like this as there were typically a few other Brits/Europeans in the bank having to do exactly the same thing due to Visa tightening up their controls.

That’s unlucky richc.

We’ve used our Nationwide Visa debit cards in USA, Canada, Spain, France, Italy, Germany, Poland (off the top of my head). Had the odd ATM not like the card occasionally (I remember one bank chain in Canada doing this) but otherwise it’s been no hassle.

Nationwide aren’t charge free outside Europe these days though.

Not sure if they have fixed it now, but in Calgary the queue of people all having the same problem was huge. Apparently according to the bank it was/is Visa being very very paranoid, and blocking everything by default.

Might be fixed now, but it was a total pain in the arse, so next time I go over there I am going to make sure I have a fair bit of cash in travelers cheques as you don’t want/need a 2 hour wait everytime you want to get cash out on holiday

It’s a good idea to tell your card issuer that you’ll be away & when

I went to France three weeks back, bought my Euros at 1.14 and sold them back at Thomas Cook at 1.21 so can’t complain. Most places are just taking the mick with the return rates etc.

Shame nationwide dropped the free overseas withdrawel service, its the only reason i had an account with them. I think there still fairly cheap though.

I used to use Travelex at Edinburgh airport and they had very competitive rates. Now they’ve been kicked out of the airport and Amex have the concession. They’re much less competitive 🙁 Which is presumably how they can afford to pay a bigger kick back to the airport.

Offroading – i’m not sure if i’ve got this right, but if your selling them back at a higher rate then you are losing money.

You needed the euro rate to worsen for you to make money when you converted them back, rather than increase.

ps i like the travellex pre order thing – it works quite well.

It’s a good idea to tell your card issuer that you’ll be away & when

I did, and everytime I spoke to them on the phone I re-iterated it (I was out there 3 1/2 weeks, so I had to call them a fair few times).