Getting Euros

B

Budgie

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This year we have worked our way gently down from Scotland to Brittany, where the boat is now tucked up for the winter. Next summer will be spent in France.

What is the the cheapest practical way to get Euros? Present bank charges 2.65% for euro cashlines.

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Vote Liberal at the next election??

I've found that cash machines are the most convenient way to get Euros, and whether by cashpoint card on your own bank or by credit card, tend to be cheaper than currency exchangers.

Unfortunately each card company and bank will charge differently. Their terms and conditions should state how they will convert foreign currency transactions, and then for cards, they will also charge for a cash advance transaction.

<hr width=100% size=1>Nickel

Being paranoid simply means - having all the facts.
 
Perhaps it is possible to open up a seperate Euro account with your own bank?

<hr width=100% size=1>Never attempt to teach a pig to sing.
It is a waste of time and it annoys the pig.
 
wander around the pontoons at Cherbourg collecting supermarket trolleys and reclaim the deposits.

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I have an account with nationwide and belive this is the only bank that does not charge for using cashmachines. worth having a chat with them. I've used cash machines in cherb and brittany and not been charged and got a good exchange rate too.

hope this helps

<hr width=100% size=1>/forums/images/icons/wink.gif <font color=blue> Regards Andy </font color=blue>
 
Believe it or not, the good ol' Post Office is good and doesn't charge a commission, plus they'll buy back what you don't need.

Personally, I take a few euros for immediate needs and then draw from ATPs.

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According to Which? there is not a lot of difference between getting Euros out as FX in UK and from Cash Machines on the continent (provided of course that you have get reasonable rates in both cases).

For convenience sake I tend to use ATMs - or pay for things directly with plastic.

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agreed. i set up a nationwide flexaccount with a debit card. as delf says there is no commission, also they have a fairly good exchange rate. i have used this system around the caribbean, australia and europe. the most problematical was french territories where about half the banks wouldn't take the card.

to get the best from this system you need to set up a high-interest internet account and move cash across to the flexaccount as required.

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Use a Nationwide cash card they charge zero for any cash machine transactions abroard. Once account open you can click over your money online to their esaver account and earn 5% interest .

Regards

Paul.

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Re: Q 4 currency experts

todays rate of exchange was 1.38€ = £1.00 Barclays

<hr width=100% size=1>If work was so good, the rich would have kept more of it for themselves.
 
Re: Q 4 currency experts

Thanks to all for the advice. I think I will pop round to the nationwide tomorrow and investigate further.

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Re: Q 4 currency experts

You can set up a Nationwide Flexaccount on line at nationwide.co.uk. It takes about five minutes and then I seem to remember you have to post them a gas bill or something as proof of identity. I opened one a couple of years ago just to use cash machines abroad. A couple of weeks ago I was getting 1.485 to the pound in Spain. Don't use Barclays! Last time I did they hid their charges on my statement by quoting some ridiculous exchange rate (like in the post above). This is actually illegal!


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Re: Q 4 currency experts

The Nationwide credit card is even better, they don't charge commission and use the normal bank rate for euro exchange. If you get the gold card you even get 0.5% cash back...
With the credit card you don't have to open an account if you don't want to.

<hr width=100% size=1><A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.troppo.co.uk> Follow the Tightwad Sailor</A>
 
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