Financial advice required

[Scary]

We would all end up in Swindon though

Take an excursion to Avebury to look at the rocks.

http://www.visitwiltshire.co.uk/

[scooterscot]

Alternatively just use your bank card and draw Euros from any bank cash machine when you need them on holiday,

WHS

It's been some years now since I've taken a large lump of cash with me when travelling abroad. Instead I use my nationwide card to withdraw cash and the rate of exchange is usually very decent even then there's no extra charges.

On the plus side you might find you do not need to spend all that money and you're not stuck with extra euros on the mantlepiece when you get home...

[sweetandsour]

I usually take a normal wallet load in the local currency to cover taxis and such things and then everything else goes on Amex or Visa.

I have found some retailers and even ATMs abroad have offered to do the currency conversion for me so that they charge my card in sterling and there is no conversion charges to pay the provider.

Does anybody know if it is better to take them up on that offer or stick to the credit card providers' rates? I have always declined because I have felt that at that moment in time I am in no position to decide whether I am being offered a good deal or not and it is an ideal opportunity for the locals to rip me off. Do they?

[norrahe]

Look into credit cards that don't charge interest on non UK transactions.

Pay everything via said card and then pay it off when you get back.

Get some cash emergencies.

[EternalOptimist]

Thanks guys

it looks like there is no 'killer analysis' then like
wait untill after the election
or
buy now while Greece in the poo


looks like I'll just take it easy then

[Menelaus]

I usually take a normal wallet load in the local currency to cover taxis and such things and then everything else goes on Amex or Visa.

I have found some retailers and even ATMs abroad have offered to do the currency conversion for me so that they charge my card in sterling and there is no conversion charges to pay the provider.

Does anybody know if it is better to take them up on that offer or stick to the credit card providers' rates? I have always declined because I have felt that at that moment in time I am in no position to decide whether I am being offered a good deal or not and it is an ideal opportunity for the locals to rip me off. Do they?

There's a DCC facility in card schemes which is managed by the acquiring businesses and the card schemes which relies on the willingness of the cardholder to accept this - it is, however, used sometimes by the acquiring companies to take up the slack in arbitrage and thus give you a wholly rubbishy rate in return.

EO: http://corporate.visa.com/pd/consume...r_ex_rates.jsp this might help? It's the VISA card scheme conversion tables updated daily (I think).

[Olly]

PS. Nationwide Flex account is best for currency abroad from ATM

If you're going somewhere obscure then the Post Office credit card is "free" to use anywhere.

[HairyArsedBloke]

Thanks guys

it looks like there is no 'killer analysis' then like
wait untill after the election
or
buy now while Greece in the poo

looks like I'll just take it easy then

That is 'goods for sale' matey!

This week, against the US Dollar, both the pound and euro are weakening, but the pound more so. Hence the pound is also weakening against the euro. The pounds weakness is due to concerns about the approaches to resolving the UK fiscal debt, or rather the lack of them. The euro still has Greece around it's chops and there is renewed fear of contagion. So that may mean it will weaken faster against the US dollar than the pound making the latter stronger.

What is going to bother people next week? Frack knows.

[sweetandsour]

There's a DCC facility in card schemes which is managed by the acquiring businesses and the card schemes which relies on the willingness of the cardholder to accept this - it is, however, used sometimes by the acquiring companies to take up the slack in arbitrage and thus give you a wholly rubbishy rate in return.

Sorry. You'll have to use simpler words because I don't know what any of that means.

Whats a DCC scheme?

[Menelaus]

Sorry. You'll have to use simpler words because I don't know what any of that means.

Whats a DCC scheme?

Sorry.

Dynamic Currency Conversion.

http://www.barclaycard.co.uk/busines...cy-conversion/