Where Is The Best Place Tomorrow To Get Euros From?

[Henrietta]

Thank you

[dzug2]

Unanswerable question I'm afraid - it depends where you are located, where you could pick them up, and how you are paying for them.

[EcclesCake]

Unless you are buying a significant mount then you may as well go to M&S or the Post Office, whichever is closer/most convenient.

[Bazile]

Indeed - e.g. - the rate that you get at one post office in one location is usually different from another post ofice , in a different location , even nearby

[mikey4444]

Try the Post Office.

[Buenchico]

Asda are currently guaranteeing a better rate than the Post Office. Otherwise M&S usually have very competitive rates.

However it's safer (and often financially better as well) to get most of your Euros from cash machines at your holiday destination.

[Henrietta]

London. Really Buenchico? How much roughly is the saving for £500 euros?

I might just take £200 euros and draw the rest out at the mystery destination.

[Henrietta]

Do you know the rates of the P.O and M&S compared to drawing out abroad? I have a feeling it's somewhere spanish.

[Buenchico]

There was a poster outside Asda in Ipswich yesterday, Henrietta, which I only quickly scanned. But, as I read it, they were quoting a difference of £30 for €500 against the Post Office rate.

[Buenchico]

Different debit cards have different rates applied to them (and different card machines might make different charges).

As a rule of thumb, most foreign currency outlets (such as the Post Office, M&S, Asda, etc) look at the international exchange rate (that banks apply when converting currencies) and then charge you very roughly 5% more to get Euros and give you about 5% less for changing them back to Sterling.

Using overseas cash machines often gets you the international exchange rate (which initially makes you better off) but then you pay a fee to your card issuer and/or the bank owning the cash machine. Sometimes that's a percentage but it might be a flat fee (or a percentage with a minimum and/or maximum applied to it), so making direct comparisons is extremely difficult.

I've found taking out cash abroad (using my Barclays debit card) seems to be best for me but to get the best deals it's always wisest to see if your bank has branches (or 'partner' banks) in the country which you're visiting. If you use those banks you'll either avoid any fees or pay lower fees.

However, to get enough Euros to 'get me started' abroad, I use either Asda or the Post Office.

[Hopkirk]

Hang on, using ATMs abroad usually attracts an extra charge so I wouldn't do that if I could avoid it.

[Buenchico]

>>>Hang on, using ATMs abroad usually attracts an extra charge so I wouldn't do that if I could avoid it.

Yes, Hopkirk, but the actual exchange rate is often around 5% better. If you get charged a fee of, say, 3% for the transaction, you're still 2% up on the deal.

[marje]

I usually take a small amount of Euros, sometimes left over from previous holiday, and then change sterling at my destination when I need it. The exchange rate is better I've found.

[Maydup]

Check your bank charges for using ATMs here

http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/travel/overseas-card-charges

[New Judge]

www.iceplc.com

If you can get to their office in Waterloo use "click & collect" and you get a slightly better rate.