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I'm going to Europe soon (the place, not to see the band :() and need to take a few hundred squid, possibly towards a grand.
Where is a good place to convert money before i go over (ie not on the ferry)? It can be either over a counter or somewhere online, but i'd need to get it within a couple of weeks.
Thanks in advance!
It changes quite rapidly, but places I check include The Post Office, Marks & Spencers, and various banks like HSBC. Some of the Santander owned banks might be a good bet these days too.
I've found it much easier and not really any more expensive to just use cash machines when I'm away. You usually get closer to the real exchange rate on the day rather than the shops buy/sell rates. This is also true of my Mastercard, which I tend to use more than cash wherever I am.
As an example, when in the US in summer of '97 I could get cash for $1.94/pound just before I left, my MasterCard was giving me $1.98/pound even though the exchange rate hadn't really shiften any in that 3 weeks (I was checking it when I could just out of interest).
This may not be the case with ever bank or a particular MasterCard, but it is with RBS and JohnLewis Partnership cards.
I would do it on a CC or when you get there - I would not do it on a Ferry - You can do it at an airport since they often have multiple outlets thus they don't have one person taking the 'mick'
I believe Nationwide will let you withdraw cash on your CC while abroad without incuring awithdrawl fee. My CC does charge you for cash, but my debit card from RBS doesn't.