Best place to buy Euros?

Uther · 6 Jun 2016 at 15:09

Online I assume for the best rates. Anyone recommend a particular company?

topgun06 · 6 Jun 2016 at 15:29

Whack your details in here: http://travelmoney.moneysavingexpert.com/. Then go with cheapest and most convenient.

MichaelAwkward · 6 Jun 2016 at 15:51

Depending on where you're going (how widely cards are used and accepted), and when (it takes some time to get the card), I had no problems with Revolut. Used it in Germany just fine. It works like any other top up travel card, except it's all controlled through an app and exchanges can be done in relative real time.

RomanNose · 6 Jun 2016 at 15:59

You can do cash withdrawals with revolut for no cost as long as it's less than £500. It has interbank exchange rates.

Adam · 6 Jun 2016 at 16:07

Thomas Exchange Global.

Rotty · 6 Jun 2016 at 16:35

Adam said:
Thomas Exchange Global.

I use these a lot but they have a sister site called best foreign exchange which usually has slightly better rates, just used them 10 mins ago

yer_averagejoe · 6 Jun 2016 at 17:10

For cash and convenience I often find Ramsdens is pretty good.

wez130 · 6 Jun 2016 at 17:13

I get mates rates of a friend, but that's useless to you

Adam · 6 Jun 2016 at 19:23

wez130 said:
I get mates rates of a friend, but that's useless to you

How does that work? Your friend is unlikely to have the buying power to compete with these specialist firms. The margin on the spread is very small.

[TW]Fox · 6 Jun 2016 at 19:24

MichaelAwkward said:
Depending on where you're going (how widely cards are used and accepted), and when (it takes some time to get the card), I had no problems with Revolut. Used it in Germany just fine. It works like any other top up travel card, except it's all controlled through an app and exchanges can be done in relative real time.

What is the fraud protection like on the Revolut card....?

wez130 · 6 Jun 2016 at 19:34

Adam said:
How does that work? Your friend is unlikely to have the buying power to compete with these specialist firms. The margin on the spread is very small.

She manages a currency exchange. I usually get between 1c or 2c under bank rate. I got my euros last week for 1.29 when the bank rate was 1.30.

mattyfez · 6 Jun 2016 at 21:11

wez130 said:
She manages a currency exchange. I usually get between 1c or 2c under bank rate. I got my euros last week for 1.29 when the bank rate was 1.30.

I guess that's like a staff discount rate, not worth anything really unless you're exchanging a lot more than the average holiday fund.

Rotty · 6 Jun 2016 at 22:39

those sorts of rates are easy, the one I used today is 1.4c below interbank

tom_nieto · 6 Jun 2016 at 22:42

It's Europe, they have cash machines and credit card readers. In my experience the exchange rates are almost identical to exchanging at home and you avoid carrying your whole holidays cash.

tom_nieto · 6 Jun 2016 at 22:43

Unless you're buying a yacht, house or car of course!

Rotty · 6 Jun 2016 at 22:45

tom_nieto said:
It's Europe, they have cash machines and credit card readers. In my experience the exchange rates are almost identical to exchanging at home and you avoid carrying your whole holidays cash.

if you are using the better cards

covenantuk · 7 Jun 2016 at 08:20

You have to be careful using ATMs abroad - many UK banks charge a transaction fee, especially for debit cards, which would wipe out any good rate you get from them.

Best solution for holiday cash is to use a VISA credit card that's fee-free abroad and even then the local bank might charge a withdrawal fee.

We just take credit cards, withdraw any cash needed once a week and pay for meals etc on the card as there's no fee for those transactions.

MichaelAwkward · 7 Jun 2016 at 09:11

[TW]Fox;29590053 said:
What is the fraud protection like on the Revolut card....?

Same as any other MasterCard I would've thought? My card was accidentally charged by a DB ticket machine whilst I was in Germany, but I just filled in a form, sent it through the app to them, and got my money back.

You can also block cards, change pins, etc. through the app.

Buffman · 7 Jun 2016 at 10:05

Yes, as with all travel threads take a Halifax clarity card.

suenstar · 7 Jun 2016 at 10:17

I normally find the Money Corp counters in airports to be fairly competitively priced if you pre-order your money for collection.

Alternatively, changing money at your destination airport can sometimes work out well, some countries value currencies other than their own higher to save them having to stock up from other sources that'd charge them more.