Slightly OT. Euros for holiday

Usually, the Post Office. Or just stick your card in the hole in the wall when you get to where you're going.

I have found the PO offers the best rates, but I usually just use ATM's.

As others have said, use your cash card in ATMs after arrival. But if you want to lay hands on some cash euro before arrival, I've found larger branches of M&S have exchange offices with competitive rates and no commission. For small amounts like 30-50, rates don't matter as much as fixed commission (like 3). Take credit cards as well. When accepted they give you the best value (but only for purchase, not cash advance - except Nationwide).

Alec

When I looked around a few weeks ago, Marks and Spencers had the best rate bya cent or so, plus no commission, so I bought mine there. Whilst I was in Spain, I used my debit card to get more cash from ATMs, and the rate on that was better than the M&S rate by a cent or two including any comission charges (though the Euro could have moved in that week of course).

Next time I'll just take a few with me and get my cash from the ATM whilst I'm there, no need to carry so many.

I use Credit Cards for purchases in France, but noticed this year that some of the supermarkets required to see identity (eg Passport).

Peter.

Beware of the hidden foreign exchange loading on purchases made abroad with credit cards. Most cards now add 2.75% for this. Nationwide is the only one I know of that doesn't.

Its quite possible that was included in my card (RBOS) charges, but even taking that into account it would appear I got a better rate than by changing cash.

Err... Nationwide have always charged for credit card ATM withdrawals. It used to be 0.5% with no interest (if you paid in full), it's now 1% plus interest.

Nationwide have a payment allocation that, unlike most cards, works to the customer's benefit. Payments go towards cash advances before purchases, so to avoid too much interest you can pay off the amount of any cash advances you made as soon as you get back off holiday (even if it's before your statement date) and the interest charging should stop there and then - and you still get the interest free period on all your purchases. At least that's the theory, I have to wait till my next month's statement to see if it works.

You usually do. The 2.75% exchange rate loading is on the interbank rate. Bureaux de changes usually have a 3-4% exchange rate loading hidden in their rate, plus often "commission" on top.

"Andy Pandy" wrote in message news:bkdfij$u9a$ snipped-for-privacy@newsg2.svr.pol.co.uk...

Are you sure? I knew about 1% cash handling fee from 1 June this year, but I don't think they charge daily interest, unlike other cards. I've just scrutinised their website, and there's no mention of daily interest on cash advance. Can you quote the chapter and verse?

Alec

Nationwide now charge 1% for cash withdrawals on their credit card plus interest from the day you take the money. Withdrawals using their ATM card are still free overseas.

As far as exchange rates are concerned, Nationwide's credit card is by far the best around. I once did a test in which I used three different credit cards to spend a small amount of money on each card while I was travelling in Thailand. The transaction were all for 200 Thai Baht, all took place on the same day, and the amounts applied to my accounts were:

Barclaycard: £3.31 HSBC: £3.29 Nationwide: £3.22

Chris

There are only two I know of - Nationwide has no loading globally and Liverpool & Victoria has no loading in the Eurozone.

Hope this helps.

Regards, Zen