John Boy Saint Posted 11 July, 2009 Posted 11 July, 2009 Just thought that I would pass this on: I had to buy my Euro's for my holiday and was shopping around for the best rate (I would normally get them from work but the owners have both buggered off at the same time leaving no option but to pay high street prices) as I save my holiday money in the building society purchasing at favourable online rates is not so easy. This morning I had a phone around v a 1.16 bank rate, M&S 1.07 ("no commission" yeah right) Post Office 1.11 Tesco 1.10. Then I looked a Thomas Cook online: I could book what I wanted for collection in store, print off my voucher to hand in and secure the online price which today was almost 1.13 as opposed to the 1.11 rate stated in the window. Just thought that I would share this with any of you heading to Europe for your holi's especially as this year will not be as cheap as previous years.
Michelle Posted 11 July, 2009 Posted 11 July, 2009 Depending on how much you want, the Post Office are currently offering a tiered rate system, so the more you spend the better the rate will be. Rates on Traveller's Cheques and Travel Money Cards are slightly higher again, so it may be worth spending a few extra quid to get the better deal in the long run. Anyone would think I run one...
John Boy Saint Posted 11 July, 2009 Author Posted 11 July, 2009 Depending on how much you want, the Post Office are currently offering a tiered rate system, so the more you spend the better the rate will be. Rates on Traveller's Cheques and Travel Money Cards are slightly higher again, so it may be worth spending a few extra quid to get the better deal in the long run. Anyone would think I run one... I bought in excess of £2.5k simply because we are on a DIY holiday Site fees, storage, fuel, tolls, etc to pay for only the tunnel and insurance is paid for so far, the Thomas Cook price was still the best. A European bank account would be a damn sight easier, and just get my company to pay a set amount a month into it: mission of the holiday this year methinks.
Weston Super Saint Posted 11 July, 2009 Posted 11 July, 2009 I bought in excess of £2.5k simply because we are on a DIY holiday Site fees, storage, fuel, tolls, etc to pay for only the tunnel and insurance is paid for so far, the Thomas Cook price was still the best. A European bank account would be a damn sight easier, and just get my company to pay a set amount a month into it: mission of the holiday this year methinks. Just phone your bank and tell them you're going - so they don't cancel your card - and withdraw money from an ATM when needed. Simples.
scott_saints Posted 12 July, 2009 Posted 12 July, 2009 Meh. I just go for any of the place that are known to be decent. Not too fussed about looking around for ages for the sake of a tenner.
bridge too far Posted 12 July, 2009 Posted 12 July, 2009 This might help. It was in yesterday's Guardian: http://www.guardian.co.uk/money/2009/jul/10/best-value-travel-money
Michelle Posted 12 July, 2009 Posted 12 July, 2009 Just phone your bank and tell them you're going - so they don't cancel your card - and withdraw money from an ATM when needed. Simples. Until you get completely stung for ATM and cross border fees. Not so simples.
Mole Posted 12 July, 2009 Posted 12 July, 2009 Travelex or Crown Currency Exchange also worth a look. But not at the airports....
sotonjoe Posted 12 July, 2009 Posted 12 July, 2009 Until you get completely stung for ATM and cross border fees. Not so simples. Worth looking into and doing a comparison on costs though.
Michelle Posted 12 July, 2009 Posted 12 July, 2009 Worth looking into and doing a comparison on costs though. I get the comparisons through all the time at work. Unless you're an old Nationwide customer you'll get hit, as they're the only ones that don't charge on debit cards - they have stopped offering this to new customers though. The banks will even charge you for purchases you make in shops. The best credit cards to have are either old Nationwide, or Post Office, as the only fees charged are for ATM withdrawals, none for purchases and no cross border/ commission charges. Same goes for the pre-paid Travel Money Card that the Post Office offer.
Colinjb Posted 12 July, 2009 Posted 12 July, 2009 I've just taken a load of Sterling to Malta where I can exchange it in one of the local shops at a rate of 1.14. Greatings from Qawra guys.
Michelle Posted 12 July, 2009 Posted 12 July, 2009 I've just taken a load of Sterling to Malta where I can exchange it in one of the local shops at a rate of 1.14. Greatings from Qawra guys. If you're not being charged commission on that, very well done.
Colinjb Posted 12 July, 2009 Posted 12 July, 2009 If you're not being charged commission on that, very well done. Nope, none at all, they just do the sum and hand over the money. :cool:
sotonjoe Posted 12 July, 2009 Posted 12 July, 2009 Same goes for the pre-paid Travel Money Card that the Post Office offer. more info on that please! Doing a cruise in august around europe and don't really want to bother carrying loads of euros round unless i have to
Mole Posted 12 July, 2009 Posted 12 July, 2009 I've just taken a load of Sterling to Malta where I can exchange it in one of the local shops at a rate of 1.14. Greatings from Qawra guys. I have found you always get better prices in the resort if you shop around, i.e keep you eyes peeled as you walk about for a few days.
saintwarwick Posted 12 July, 2009 Posted 12 July, 2009 I've just taken a load of Sterling to Malta where I can exchange it in one of the local shops at a rate of 1.14. Greatings from Qawra guys. Greece also offers a better rate than you can get in the UK, I recently went to Corfu (May)and the best UK rate I could get was 1.09, in Corfu we got 1.14 in some places commission free. We have found this to be the case with better rates on previous visits to Greece.
saintwarwick Posted 12 July, 2009 Posted 12 July, 2009 Just get your money wherever if its less than 1k. You will only lose out on a tenner at end of day if go for a lower rate. Not end of the world. Better the tenner in my pocket than the greedy banks imo.
John Boy Saint Posted 12 July, 2009 Author Posted 12 July, 2009 I get the comparisons through all the time at work. Unless you're an old Nationwide customer you'll get hit, as they're the only ones that don't charge on debit cards - they have stopped offering this to new customers though. The banks will even charge you for purchases you make in shops. The best credit cards to have are either old Nationwide, or Post Office, as the only fees charged are for ATM withdrawals, none for purchases and no cross border/ commission charges. Same goes for the pre-paid Travel Money Card that the Post Office offer. I made a purchase in El Corte Ingles in Barcelona they said that if I would like they could charge me in GBP rather than Euros, when they made the conversion I was better off. When I got my bank statement bloomin RBS had charged me for a sterling transaction because it was abroad: about the only time I have had the major arse with them.
Weston Super Saint Posted 12 July, 2009 Posted 12 July, 2009 Until you get completely stung for ATM and cross border fees. Not so simples. Never been 'stung' by Barclays, and always use the ATM at a reputable bank abroad, so don't get hit with ATM charges. At the end of the day, is all this shopping around to save £10-£20 really worth it, especially if you take more money than you need for the holiday, and then spend it on useless crap, or have to change it back again in the UK and make a loss on it?
James_O_Mac Posted 13 July, 2009 Posted 13 July, 2009 Unless you're an old Nationwide customer you'll get hit, as they're the only ones that don't charge on debit cards - they have stopped offering this to new customers though. I am a fairly old Nationwide customer, I have had a current account with them since I was 16 and i'm now 22 - no charges for me yes?! Cheers
Michelle Posted 13 July, 2009 Posted 13 July, 2009 I am a fairly old Nationwide customer, I have had a current account with them since I was 16 and i'm now 22 - no charges for me yes?! Cheers As far as I'm lead to believe, yes. They changed their criteria several months ago (not sure exactly when the cut-off point was) that the commission free/charge free offer was for existing customers only - anyone opening a new account/credit card from that point would not benefit from it.
Scummer Posted 13 July, 2009 Posted 13 July, 2009 I am a fairly old Nationwide customer, I have had a current account with them since I was 16 and i'm now 22 - no charges for me yes?! Cheers Yeah, if you've got a Flex Account.
John Boy Saint Posted 13 July, 2009 Author Posted 13 July, 2009 Never been 'stung' by Barclays, and always use the ATM at a reputable bank abroad, so don't get hit with ATM charges. At the end of the day, is all this shopping around to save £10-£20 really worth it, especially if you take more money than you need for the holiday, and then spend it on useless crap, or have to change it back again in the UK and make a loss on it? Anyone who changes it back needs to have their heads seeing to, unless you are that hard up, we either keep it for other trips or sell it on to friends at the rate we payed for it.
bridge too far Posted 13 July, 2009 Posted 13 July, 2009 - life would be so much easier if we adopted the euro
Weston Super Saint Posted 13 July, 2009 Posted 13 July, 2009 - life would be so much easier if we adopted the euro I doubt it. Then we'd have hundreds of clowns fcking up our finances, rather than the few we have now!
bridge too far Posted 13 July, 2009 Posted 13 July, 2009 I doubt it. Then we'd have hundreds of clowns fcking up our finances, rather than the few we have now! Yeah but we'd collectively save a fortune on currency exchange. Unfortunately a fair few exchange dealers would be out of work, though.
bolo Posted 14 July, 2009 Posted 14 July, 2009 I am a fairly old Nationwide customer, I have had a current account with them since I was 16 and i'm now 22 - no charges for me yes?! Cheers The no charges thing only counts for europe. I think they are charging for rest of the world now....
chuz Posted 14 July, 2009 Posted 14 July, 2009 Comparison site for best deals on money exchange http://travelmoney.moneysavingexpert.com/
dubai_phil Posted 14 July, 2009 Posted 14 July, 2009 FWIW when I used to travel a great deal I always changed currency when I got abroad, never in UK and rarely in Dubai. As an example back in Feb, a visitor changed pounds to local in UK, got 5.0 at the airport and 5.1 in Thomas Cook. Over here she got 5.7. It seems only you Brits who have this whole "commission" on top of a bad rate thing (Of course we NEVER try and change our money in UK - they charge about 18% for "weird money") The golden rule is to NEVER change money in a hotel lobby or on a campsite! And only use credit card IF you pay it off when the statement is due One other trick if going somewhere cheap (ie not Euroland at mo) then take virtually nothing with you and buy stuff locally on credit card. That way you can save on travel insurance and just get medical cover - is close on whether the cc costs meet the insurance cost but saved quite me a bit on one trip, what's more both the airline AND the credit card insurance paid up - woo hoo!
dubai_phil Posted 14 July, 2009 Posted 14 July, 2009 Holy Cr*p - was sitting quietly at home last night watching a DVD when BAM, my foot exploded in pain. Couldn't describe it - just it felt like it was flames licking across the foot without the blistering. Never felt anything like it, looked around saw a tiny dot on the floor. Tried sting cream, nothing, went on the web - Fire Ants... Truly the worst bite/sting I've ever had even today am limping. Sure beats Jellyfish. The only cure we had at home that worked according to the web was - believe it or not Worcestershire Sauce. Unfortunately I thought it was internal application (with a Bloody Mary) but apparently you're supposed to soak the bite in it! (and yes both applications did ease it considerably!) Anyone else had any weird bites or found any weird remedies?
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