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Where do you get your travel money from?

Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
edited January 2023 in General Chat
Last time I travelled I got a pretty good rate from the travelex machine at the airport which offered either it's own rate or your bank's rate (although it wouldn't tell you what rate the bank would give) but the bank's rate was pretty good.

This time however the machine was supposedly out of order so the only choice was to get the rate by the human powered exchange facility - needless to say the rate for pounds to Euro's was appalling. About 1.30 euro's to the pound when the official rate was more like 1.44

So next time I travel I don't want to risk the automated machine being out of order .. so who gives the best rates for euro's?
Post edited by JustV on

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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    if im just going for a short trip or holiday somewhere im usually extremely lazy and dont take any currency, just take my bank card and use that, luckily i dont get charged that much with my bank.

    there's cash machines everywhere these days so usually just get some money out when i land at the airport of my destination.

    if im going for longer i usually take just a small bit to get me through a day or so. say £100, if im doing this i get it from the post office or a local travel agents.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I'm with Nationwide so don't get charged for transactions abroad.

    I get money out of the cash point when I get there, although with Euro countries I try and make sure I keep some from the last trip so I've got something before I go to the cash point.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    DG wrote: »
    So next time I travel I don't want to risk the automated machine being out of order .. so who gives the best rates for euro's?

    Marks and Spencers generally have very good rates for most currencies.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Last time I went abroad I use The Post Office for foreign currency as it's commision free.

    Or else I just use a cash point out there.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Marks and Spencers or the hole in the wall in the country I'm travelling to. I'm past the days of spending 3 hours traipsing 'round travel agencies hunting for the best exchange rate... can't be arsed, basically.

    M&S seem to have good rates, anyway.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Randomgirl wrote: »
    Last time I went abroad I use The Post Office for foreign currency as it's commision free.

    Or else I just use a cash point out there.


    The post offices are good. Last time I traveled I got just a bit of cash from some place in the airport and it was just a cruel joke the fees they wanted to take out.

    But in all cirmstances possible, use the credit card because its a fee free transaction and they take the best rate from that billing period.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    M&S or the post office depending how much I need.

    I never got cash out when I was travelling, I just took travellers cheques and used my credit card a couple of times when I got stuck. I go to Euro currency countries at least once a year so I normally have some spare lying around.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    rachie004 wrote: »
    I use the place at the airport that isn't travelex anymore but is called something else that I can't remember the name of - I get it commission free :D

    Commission free doesn't mean anything if the rate they give is bad.

    I saw another thing like Rafael's Bank at Luton and it won't even tell you the
    rate it's giving you in their machine .. looks well suspect
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Marks and Spencer usually give the best rates, "commission free" means nothing now as for major world currencies nowhere charges commission anymore.

    My bank are pretty good with the exchange rate so I often just use a hole in the wall over there.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I've just applied for a nationwide Current Account so I can get a debit card that will allow me to withdraw cash abroad without any charges.

    As far as I know they and the post office are the only two to offer a no charge credit card as well for using abroad?
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    M&S or the Post Office, whichever is closest!
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