Money while in Europe

Hi All.

Will be traveling to Ireland, Italy and the Netherlands this summer, all for
the first time since the Euro switch.

I am completely at a loss as to how to handle the money situation. Do I get
travelers checks? Exchange a bunch of US currency now before I leave and
bring it along? Use bank machines as needed in Europe?

Any suggestions welcome to a newbie traveler in Europe.

Thank!

use ATM machines anc credit cards
"GS" ha scritto nel messaggio
. com...
Hi All.

Will be traveling to Ireland, Italy and the Netherlands this summer, all
for
the first time since the Euro switch.

I am completely at a loss as to how to handle the money situation. Do I
get
travelers checks? Exchange a bunch of US currency now before I leave and
bring it along? Use bank machines as needed in Europe?

Any suggestions welcome to a newbie traveler in Europe.

Thank!

"I am completely at a loss as to how to handle the money situation. Do
I get travelers checks? Exchange a bunch of US currency now before I
leave and bring it along? Use bank machines as needed in Europe?"

The best option is to use ATMs, since they have the best exchange
rates, and zero or very little commission. They're all over the place,
and unless you're really going into untouristed rural areas you
shouldn't have any problem finding one.

It's good to have some travellers checks in reserve. The nice thing
about travellers checks is that they are easily replaced if they are
stolen. (That's not likely at all in Europe, but just in case.)

Getting euros from banks in the US or from currency exchanges in Europe
will give you the worst rates and highest commissions and should be
avoided when possible.

wrote in news:1119021787.281106.171910
@o13g2000cwo.googlegroups.com:




The best option is to use ATMs, since they have the best exchange
rates, and zero or very little commission. They're all over the
place,
and unless you're really going into untouristed rural areas you
shouldn't have any problem finding one.

Actually even in off the tourist track spots one can find ATMs acause
the locals need cash as well.
--
Joseph Coulter
Cruises and Vacations
http://www.josephcoulter.com/

GS wrote:
Hi All.

Will be traveling to Ireland, Italy and the Netherlands this summer, all for
the first time since the Euro switch.

I am completely at a loss as to how to handle the money situation. Do I get
travelers checks? Exchange a bunch of US currency now before I leave and
bring it along? Use bank machines as needed in Europe?

There are ATMs all over Europe- if you've the right kind of card (Visa,
Mastercard, Cirrus, Switch, American Express- there are loads they
accept) just use them. Some might charge a euro or two (don't use the
white, free-standing machines you see in pubs and shops in Britain,
they charge extortionate amounts if they accept your card at all. Not
sure if they're found in Ireland) but it'll mostly be less than the
commission for changing traveller's cheques. Before you go, buy a
couple of hundred euros at home to keep you tied over till you find a
machine.

Edmund

Only exchange a few hundred dollars worth of foreign currencies in the
states so you will have some currency for the
airport,taxis,snacks,etc.The best exchange rate would be at your bank
but it is worse than the exchange rate you would get withdrawing the
local currency using your debit card at ATMs in the foreign countries.I
have an Everbank debit card and they don't charge any exchange rate
fees.I would only get Amex travellers checks if the trip was several
months away and I thought the currency was going to appreciate by the
time I went.I trade forex and follow the currencies daily,and the euro
is going back up after hitting bottom at below 1.21.I bought $1000
worth of physical euros when it was last at 1.19 and in a few months it
had gone up to almost 1.35.

"tile" wrote in message
...
use ATM machines anc credit cards
"GS" ha scritto nel messaggio
. com...
Hi All.

Will be traveling to Ireland, Italy and the Netherlands this summer, all
for
the first time since the Euro switch.

I am completely at a loss as to how to handle the money situation. Do I
get
travelers checks? Exchange a bunch of US currency now before I leave
and
bring it along? Use bank machines as needed in Europe?

Any suggestions welcome to a newbie traveler in Europe.

Thank!


Can we assume that our bank cards here will work? Are they on a compatible
ATM network in general?

Thanks

"GS" wrote in message
. com...
Hi All.

Will be traveling to Ireland, Italy and the Netherlands this summer, all
for
the first time since the Euro switch.

I am completely at a loss as to how to handle the money situation. Do I
get
travelers checks? Exchange a bunch of US currency now before I leave and
bring it along? Use bank machines as needed in Europe?

Any suggestions welcome to a newbie traveler in Europe.

I'm just back from France and Italy. We had no problem using our credit,
debit, and ATM cards in general. Two exceptions: our cards did not work for
buying stamps from a machine in the post office in Paris and for making a
phone call in Nice. I suspect these machines wanted smart cards.

We also had no problem in England last year. In fact, the last three times
I've gone to Europe, I've gone cold turkey. No travelers' checks, no foreign
money. Just hit the ATM in the airport upon arrival.

A friend had a travelers' check left from a previous trip. He had a very
difficult time cashing this. Don't know what the exchange rate was.

Marianned

The airports usually have ATM machines, so you don't need to bother
exchanging money at home. There will also be money change offices in
the airports in case you do decide to change money.

(Mimi) wrote in
:

A friend had a travelers' check left from a previous trip. He had a
very difficult time cashing this. Don't know what the exchange rate
was.

American Express is trying to market a bizarre hybrid "Travelers
Check Card", which acts like an Amex credit card and also works as a
cash card in ATMs.

However, it's loaded with service charges up front and if you want to
"recharge" it, and you can only put about $2500 into it in the first
place.

If you're really paranoid about using credit cards overseas or about
using a cash card that's tied to your bank accounts, I guess it might
be useful.

--
Bert Hyman | St. Paul, MN |