Best place to get Euros

[adwebb16]

Heading away for a week with the missus and need to sort currency out.

I know the Euro is in a shocking state at the moment to say the least, but where would be the best place for me to aquire some of this fine European monopoly money? Or is it so dire that it really doesn't matter?

 

[Hotman]

Go to wherever is nearest and doesn't charge for parking... Unless you are taking enough to get questioned about money laundering, a £0.01 difference in rate really won't cover your time trawling up and down the high street...!

 

[Tangled up in Blue]

I think you'll find that the Euro has been doing quite well against the pound of late.I make it a 20/25 per cent effective devaluation of the Pound in favour of the Euro since the turn of the year.All these hung Parliament nerves in the city don't you know.
That'll come in quite handy when I come over for a weekend at the end of April.:)

 

[Hotman]

I think you'll find that the Euro has been doing quite well against the pound of late.I make it a 20/25 per cent effective devaluation of the Pound in favour of the Euro since the turn of the year.All these hung Parliament nerves in the city don't you know.
That'll come in quite handy when I come over for a weekend at the end of April.:)

Correct, genuinly unsure how the announced unified bail-out of Greece will affect things now though.

 

[Hotman]

Heading away for a week with the missus and need to sort currency out.

I know the Euro is in a shocking state at the moment to say the least, but where would be the best place for me to aquire some of this fine European monopoly money? Or is it so dire that it really doesn't matter?

PS it's the pound that's in a shocking state... ****ing labour striking union ******* *****

 

[Napster]

best bet is always without doubt to withdraw using debit card from cash machine abroad.

 

[DTS]

As Napster says get it abroad mate.

The Mrs and I went to Budapest for the weekend. we took £300 and got £20 more than we would have got here. Also dont bring it back change it at an exchange just before you leave.

My one tip is save enough for a drink as the airport on the way back. I didnt and I had the Mrs moaning all the way home she was thirsty....

 

[DTS]

Of there is a money exchange buerau under London Bridge Road right by London Bridge station (funny enough) and he always seems to pay more than the going rate. That said if you not changng a lot as MC says wont make a lot of difference really.

 

[adwebb16]

So take a few wads of £££ and change it over there? Maybe on arrival at the train station? (Goin paris btw)

 

[DTS]

So take a few wads of £££ and change it over there? Maybe on arrival at the train station? (Goin paris btw)

That would be my tip. Sure if you ask about you will find people with a few euros to spare just to get you some refreshments or a wee when you get there.

Once you get there get the Euros out of any cashpoint. Might be worth checking with your bank what they charge. I am with LTSB and they are £1 per withdrawl which is OK.

Get plenty out. Sure you have been but its not cheap there.

Enjoy matey. -

PS Did you know you were on TV last week - That late night football show thing plus I seen you on Sky too...

 

[South Bank Hank]

That would be my tip. Sure if you ask about you will find people with a few euros to spare just to get you some refreshments or a wee when you get there.

Once you get there get the Euros out of any cashpoint. Might be worth checking with your bank what they charge. I am with LTSB and they are £1 per withdrawl which is OK.

Get plenty out. Sure you have been but its not cheap there.

Enjoy matey. -

PS Did you know you were on TV last week - That late night football show thing plus I seen you on Sky too...

The only problem with drawing it out from a cashpoint while you're there is that you likely won't know the rates offered on the currency and the margin levied on the transaction by the bank until you get back home and work it out. £1 might be the charge (which is nothing of course) but the devil's in the rest of the detail. What's £1 if you only got 300 Euros when you could have got 320 Euros elsewhere?

If you're going to buy it over here, just think about the competitive aspects of where you're buying it from. If you get it at the airport, you're going to pay an absolute fortune for your currency as there's very few vendors, it's a captive market, there's a high convenience factor, and the vendors are locked into high rates by the airport owners. High streets (and places like the Post Office) will likely be far better than the transport hubs like train stations or anywhere else where you'll be paying a premium for 'convenience' like in a hotel.

Best bet would be to get it online where the rates are cheapest. Companies like Travelex, while they'll hit you with higher prices at the airport, will give you some pretty good rates online and, depending on where you are and when you need it, deliver it to your home or let you pick it up from the airport without paying the airport rates.

(BTW, to put this in context, I work for the Global Business Payments division of Travelex so might easily have been brainwashed by our Retail division's propaganda department, but I say the above with the best intentions.)

 

[adwebb16]

Lovely! Cheers lads!

 

[Bob Cratchitt]

I always found the Post Office a good bet, also i have started to use one of these travel cards.

Although when i went to NYC, my mate suggested buying from Travelex Website in advance and pick up from the Airport, the rate was much better than either Marks&Spencers or the Post Office were offering and pi$$ed on the Travelex Airport rate from the place I picked my dosh up from.