Credit Card Billing/Exchange Rate Warning

I have just returned from Ireland and UK and noted that when a credit
card is used in a hotel
or restaurant many organizations will attempt to bill the card in US
Dollars using their own inflated
exchange rate. It is important to specifically request that the card
be billed in the countries currency to ensure that you will get the
best rate for that day directly from the card issuer. Additionally, in
Ireland, on one attempt to charge me in Dollars was a note that stated
I accepted an additional 3.5% fee for accepting the bill in dollars. I
ripped it up and requested to be billed in Euros. Also, if you accept
fast check out at hotels you will more than likely be billed in
Dollars and incur the bad exchange rate and extra fee. Always request
to be billed in the home currency
when using credit cards in Europe to avoid the problem.

jim wrote in news:1184420787.249284.289050
@g12g2000prg.googlegroups.com:

I have just returned from Ireland and UK and noted that when a credit
card is used in a hotel
or restaurant many organizations will attempt to bill the card in US
Dollars using their own inflated
exchange rate. It is important to specifically request that the card
be billed in the countries currency to ensure that you will get the
best rate for that day directly from the card issuer. Additionally, in
Ireland, on one attempt to charge me in Dollars was a note that stated
I accepted an additional 3.5% fee for accepting the bill in dollars. I
ripped it up and requested to be billed in Euros. Also, if you accept
fast check out at hotels you will more than likely be billed in
Dollars and incur the bad exchange rate and extra fee. Always request
to be billed in the home currency
when using credit cards in Europe to avoid the problem.



Actaully on many credit cards you will be charged about the smae forthe
scurrency tranfer from Euro to dollars so you will not gain a thing.

--
Joseph Coulter
cruises and vacations
www.josephcoulter.com
877 832 2021
904 631 8863 cell

Thus spake Joseph Coulter yourDROPTHIS2comcast.net :

jim wrote in news:1184420787.249284.289050
:

I have just returned from Ireland and UK and noted that when a credit
card is used in a hotel
or restaurant many organizations will attempt to bill the card in US
Dollars using their own inflated
exchange rate. It is important to specifically request that the card
be billed in the countries currency to ensure that you will get the
best rate for that day directly from the card issuer. Additionally, in
Ireland, on one attempt to charge me in Dollars was a note that stated
I accepted an additional 3.5% fee for accepting the bill in dollars. I
ripped it up and requested to be billed in Euros. Also, if you accept
fast check out at hotels you will more than likely be billed in
Dollars and incur the bad exchange rate and extra fee. Always request
to be billed in the home currency
when using credit cards in Europe to avoid the problem.



Actaully on many credit cards you will be charged about the smae forthe
scurrency tranfer from Euro to dollars so you will not gain a thing.

I've never been charged anything but local currency. At least my card
only charges a small percentage for the exchange. The exchange rate
was realistic (not some inflated profit inducing rate). OTOH, I am a
"prefered customer" (WTF that means). I'm also what's known as a
deadbeat in the CC industry. We pay our bills every month.
--
dillon

Broadway Photo sucks. Ask me why.

Dillon Pyron wrote in
:

Thus spake Joseph Coulter yourDROPTHIS2comcast.net :




Actaully on many credit cards you will be charged about the same for the
currency tranfer from Euro to dollars so you will not gain a thing.
(edited to make my typing look better)

I've never been charged anything but local currency. At least my card
only charges a small percentage for the exchange. The exchange rate
was realistic (not some inflated profit inducing rate). OTOH, I am a
"prefered customer" (WTF that means). I'm also what's known as a
deadbeat in the CC industry. We pay our bills every month.

I have the same experience although I have seen such offers in Mexico.
Nevertheless, the overall price after any and all fees is what a consumer
must look at.)

--
Joseph Coulter
cruises and vacations
www.josephcoulter.com
877 832 2021
904 631 8863 cell

Joseph Coulter yourDROPTHIS2comcast.net wrote:

Dillon Pyron wrote in
:

Thus spake Joseph Coulter yourDROPTHIS2comcast.net :

Actaully on many credit cards you will be charged about the same for the
currency tranfer from Euro to dollars so you will not gain a thing.
(edited to make my typing look better)

I've never been charged anything but local currency. At least my card
only charges a small percentage for the exchange. The exchange rate
was realistic (not some inflated profit inducing rate). OTOH, I am a
"prefered customer" (WTF that means). I'm also what's known as a
deadbeat in the CC industry. We pay our bills every month.

I have the same experience although I have seen such offers in Mexico.
Nevertheless, the overall price after any and all fees is what a consumer
must look at.)

I was asked if I wanted the bills to show dollars or euros. Although
I said dollars, the exchange was still done from euros to dollars by
my credit card company. When I asked my credit card company about it
they said that it didn't matter how the bill was written up by the
seller. The credit card company processed it the same way. And that
has been my experience in the past also.

I would just make sure that the credit card you use charges only the
minimum conversion fee which is 1%. Some banks add on another 2%
extra for themselves. Also, when you get cash at the bank or airport
or exchange kiosk, if you give them a debit card, there won't be an
interest charge on it like there would be if you use a credit card.

Thus spake Rosalie B. :

Joseph Coulter yourDROPTHIS2comcast.net wrote:

Dillon Pyron wrote in
m:

Thus spake Joseph Coulter yourDROPTHIS2comcast.net :

Actaully on many credit cards you will be charged about the same for the
currency tranfer from Euro to dollars so you will not gain a thing.
(edited to make my typing look better)

I've never been charged anything but local currency. At least my card
only charges a small percentage for the exchange. The exchange rate
was realistic (not some inflated profit inducing rate). OTOH, I am a
"prefered customer" (WTF that means). I'm also what's known as a
deadbeat in the CC industry. We pay our bills every month.

I have the same experience although I have seen such offers in Mexico.
Nevertheless, the overall price after any and all fees is what a consumer
must look at.)

I was asked if I wanted the bills to show dollars or euros. Although
I said dollars, the exchange was still done from euros to dollars by
my credit card company. When I asked my credit card company about it
they said that it didn't matter how the bill was written up by the
seller. The credit card company processed it the same way. And that
has been my experience in the past also.

I would just make sure that the credit card you use charges only the
minimum conversion fee which is 1%. Some banks add on another 2%
extra for themselves. Also, when you get cash at the bank or airport
or exchange kiosk, if you give them a debit card, there won't be an
interest charge on it like there would be if you use a credit card.


Our credit union only charged us a quarter per cent when we drew money
out of our account in Australia. The ATMs down there charged 2 AUS
dollars.

When we were in Cozumel for a week long diving trip, we went into town
one evening and looked at some blouses. Carol found one she liked at
$20. I pulled out the credit card and she said it would be 220 pesos.
I pulled the credit card back. One of the women said, in Spanish, "we
only paid 1200 for it. Offer him 1900". I immediately said, in
Spanish, "1500". Which is what we paid for it.
--
dillon

Broadway Photo sucks. Ask me why.

Thus spake Dillon Pyron :

Thus spake Rosalie B. :

Joseph Coulter yourDROPTHIS2comcast.net wrote:

Dillon Pyron wrote in
:

Thus spake Joseph Coulter yourDROPTHIS2comcast.net :

Actaully on many credit cards you will be charged about the same for the
currency tranfer from Euro to dollars so you will not gain a thing.
(edited to make my typing look better)

I've never been charged anything but local currency. At least my card
only charges a small percentage for the exchange. The exchange rate
was realistic (not some inflated profit inducing rate). OTOH, I am a
"prefered customer" (WTF that means). I'm also what's known as a
deadbeat in the CC industry. We pay our bills every month.

I have the same experience although I have seen such offers in Mexico.
Nevertheless, the overall price after any and all fees is what a consumer
must look at.)

I was asked if I wanted the bills to show dollars or euros. Although
I said dollars, the exchange was still done from euros to dollars by
my credit card company. When I asked my credit card company about it
they said that it didn't matter how the bill was written up by the
seller. The credit card company processed it the same way. And that
has been my experience in the past also.

I would just make sure that the credit card you use charges only the
minimum conversion fee which is 1%. Some banks add on another 2%
extra for themselves. Also, when you get cash at the bank or airport
or exchange kiosk, if you give them a debit card, there won't be an
interest charge on it like there would be if you use a credit card.


Our credit union only charged us a quarter per cent when we drew money
out of our account in Australia. The ATMs down there charged 2 AUS
dollars.

When we were in Cozumel for a week long diving trip, we went into town
one evening and looked at some blouses. Carol found one she liked at
$20. I pulled out the credit card and she said it would be 220 pesos.
I pulled the credit card back. One of the women said, in Spanish, "we
only paid 1200 for it. Offer him 1900". I immediately said, in
Spanish, "1500". Which is what we paid for it.

Make that 120, 190 and 150. I was touch typing and talking on the
phone.
--
dillon

Broadway Photo sucks. Ask me why.