When is the best time to exchange currency?

tim.... wrote:

"David Horne" wrote in message
...
Dave Smith wrote:

On 29/12/2011 1:27 PM, David Horne, _the_ chancellor (*) wrote:
the airport.

There were ATMs at Cairo and Luxor airports when I was there over a
year
ago.

(By the way, I had to go through a body scanner at BOS the other day- I
think you're the poster who won't use such airports, so you can add
that
one to your list.)



I am leery of airport ATMs because, like ATMs in convenience stores and
malls, they tend to have outrageous fees.

This is not my experience. Nor at malls for that matter. Convenience
stores, certainly. In any case, fees are posted before you confirm the
transaction.

They certainly weren't on the one that I used in SA.

I would reckon that's rare. I've never encountered such a machine, but
haven't been to SA.

--
(*) of the royal duchy of city south and deansgate
www.davidhorne.net (email address on website)
"[Do you think the world learned anything from the first
world war?] No. They never learn." -Harry Patch (1898-2009)

On Dec 30, 10:54*am, "tim...." wrote:
"Surreyman" wrote in message

...
On Dec 30, 8:31 am, Martin wrote:









On Fri, 30 Dec 2011 08:24:48 +0000, Mike Lane

wrote:
David Horne wrote on Dec 29, 2011:

Dave Smith wrote:

On 29/12/2011 1:27 PM, David Horne, _the_ chancellor (*) wrote:
the airport.

There were ATMs at Cairo and Luxor airports when I was there over a
year
ago.

(By the way, I had to go through a body scanner at BOS the other day-
I
think you're the poster who won't use such airports, so you can add
that
one to your list.)

I am leery of airport ATMs because, like ATMs in convenience stores
and
malls, they tend to have outrageous fees.

This is not my experience.

...nor mine. I've found the main High Street banks of the country usually
have their own ATMs at airports.

Me too!
--

Martin

I don't understand some of these currency exchange answers.
I've ALWAYS found the best rates/charges combined to be via whichever
of the many internet companies comes up best at each time of search
before departure

--------------------------------------------------------------

How can you possibly substantiate that claim!

Having pre-bought your currency before your departure you aren't spending
your time looking to see if you can get a better deal locally, are you?

So how can you KNOW that it doesn't exist

tim

Because over numerous years I've checked that when wherever and, apart
from 'dubious' venues, they haven't yet scored.
And there's equally little point in arriving somewhere cashless to
find a not so favourable rate! :-))
And, yes, the Post Office via internet (not locally) does often show
up well.

Fascinating, horny.


"David Horne, _the_ chancellor (*)" a écrit dans le message de groupe de
discussion : ...

David Horne, _the_ chancellor (*) wrote:

tim.... wrote:
[]
Whilst I accept that the card may not give you the absolute best rate, I
will doubt very very much that it will be worse than a rip-off exchange
office, even one as "fair" as the post office

I mentioned the Post Office precisely because it's fairer. Fairfx is
another one.

Just to clarify, I'm talking about online purchases with the cash being
delivered to you.

--
(*) of the royal duchy of city south and deansgate
www.davidhorne.net (email address on website)
"[Do you think the world learned anything from the first
world war?] No. They never learn." -Harry Patch (1898-2009)

So why do you talk about it then


"David Horne, _the_ chancellor (*)" a écrit dans le message de groupe de
discussion : ...

tim.... wrote:

"David Horne" wrote in message
...
Dave Smith wrote:

On 29/12/2011 1:27 PM, David Horne, _the_ chancellor (*) wrote:
the airport.

There were ATMs at Cairo and Luxor airports when I was there over a
year
ago.

(By the way, I had to go through a body scanner at BOS the other day-
I
think you're the poster who won't use such airports, so you can add
that
one to your list.)



I am leery of airport ATMs because, like ATMs in convenience stores and
malls, they tend to have outrageous fees.

This is not my experience. Nor at malls for that matter. Convenience
stores, certainly. In any case, fees are posted before you confirm the
transaction.

They certainly weren't on the one that I used in SA.

I would reckon that's rare. I've never encountered such a machine, but
haven't been to SA.

--
(*) of the royal duchy of city south and deansgate
www.davidhorne.net (email address on website)
"[Do you think the world learned anything from the first
world war?] No. They never learn." -Harry Patch (1898-2009)

"paris2venice" wrote in message
...
Would the best time to exchange currency be when:

a) you arrive at the airport of your destination

b) at your local bank several days before your flight departure or

c) get it from an ATM or bank at your destination any time

Thanks. This applies to any travel in Europe but mostly, for me, to
my upcoming vacation to Egypt.

I tend to purchase some money from my bank before I leave the UK. It may
not be the best rate but it's convenient (which is what they rely on, of
course). It saves me from having to find an ATM (which may not be there or
working) at my destination; I can just carry on and worry about further
funds later. From then on I use ATMs. Here in the UK I take out quite
small amounts from ATMs. However, once outside the UK I tend to take out
enough for 3/4 days. Why? Well I've tried taking out small amounts and
then, when I've needed another small amount in less than 48 hours I've had a
problem. Not always by any means but enough times and in various different
places to be wary. I suspect the reason is that while authorisation calls
are made in real time some banks actually do the money transfer on a batch
basis and until one transaction has cleared the card is blocked (even with a
very healthy balance of several times the daily maximum withdrawal). For
me the whole process is a combination of convenience with only carrying the
cash I need and leaving my money where it can earn derisory (but that wasn't
always the case) interest.

"Graham Harrison" wrote:
"paris2venice" wrote in message
...
Would the best time to exchange currency be when:

a) you arrive at the airport of your destination

b) at your local bank several days before your flight departure or

c) get it from an ATM or bank at your destination any time

Thanks. This applies to any travel in Europe but mostly, for me, to
my upcoming vacation to Egypt.

I tend to purchase some money from my bank before I leave the UK. It
may not be the best rate but it's convenient (which is what they rely on,
of course). It saves me from having to find an ATM (which may not be
there or working) at my destination; I can just carry on and worry about
further funds later. From then on I use ATMs. Here in the UK I take
out quite small amounts from ATMs. However, once outside the UK I tend
to take out enough for 3/4 days. Why? Well I've tried taking out
small amounts and then, when I've needed another small amount in less
than 48 hours I've had a problem. Not always by any means but enough
times and in various different places to be wary. I suspect the reason
is that while authorisation calls are made in real time some banks
actually do the money transfer on a batch basis and until one transaction
has cleared the card is blocked (even with a very healthy balance of
several times the daily maximum withdrawal). For me the whole process
is a combination of convenience with only carrying the cash I need and
leaving my money where it can earn derisory (but that wasn't always the case) interest.

I have learned from unhappy experience that these airport ATMs everyone
seems to think are so useful can have major drawbacks such as rejecting a
perfectly proper card which another--much later--has no problem with, or
offering incomprehensible or no instructions for use. I encountered both
of these at the same airport and was unable to obtain any cash at all at
that airport. It was a Euro country and I had a few from a previous trip,
but this could have been a disaster. I have paid the premium to have my
bank get some money for me in advance when going to a non-euro country to
avoid this type of situation.
--
Erilar, biblioholic medievalist with iPad

On Thu, 29 Dec 2011 18:27:05 +0000, David Horne, _the_ chancellor (*)
wrote:


(By the way, I had to go through a body scanner at BOS the other day- I
think you're the poster who won't use such airports, so you can add that
one to your list.)

I went through one at Manchester a few weeks ago, so there's another...



--
William Black

Free men have open minds
If you want loyalty, buy a dog...

Erilar wrote on Dec 31, 2011:

I have learned from unhappy experience that these airport ATMs everyone
seems to think are so useful can have major drawbacks such as rejecting a
perfectly proper card which another--much later--has no problem with, or
offering incomprehensible or no instructions for use. I encountered both
of these at the same airport and was unable to obtain any cash at all at
that airport. It was a Euro country and I had a few from a previous trip,
but this could have been a disaster. I have paid the premium to have my
bank get some money for me in advance when going to a non-euro country to
avoid this type of situation.

I've never noticed that there's any difference between ATMs at an airport,
and those found anywhere else. I've had inexplicable failures to deliver cash
in all sorts of places - including ATMs outside large banks. It's always
sensible to carry a reserve of cash for these situations, wherever you are.

--
Mike Lane
UK North Yorkshire
mike_lane at mac dot com

"Graham Harrison" wrote in message
...

"paris2venice" wrote in message
...
Would the best time to exchange currency be when:

a) you arrive at the airport of your destination

b) at your local bank several days before your flight departure or

c) get it from an ATM or bank at your destination any time

Thanks. This applies to any travel in Europe but mostly, for me, to
my upcoming vacation to Egypt.

I tend to purchase some money from my bank before I leave the UK. It may
not be the best rate but it's convenient (which is what they rely on, of
course). It saves me from having to find an ATM (which may not be there
or working) at my destination; I

But if you can't you will almost certainly find an open bank counter.

In countries with less traded currencies you will almost always get a better
cash rate for your strong currency (assuming that you do actually come from
a xountry that has one) at the destination than at your home location.

tim

"tim...." wrote in message
...

"Graham Harrison" wrote in
message ...

"paris2venice" wrote in message
...
Would the best time to exchange currency be when:

a) you arrive at the airport of your destination

b) at your local bank several days before your flight departure or

c) get it from an ATM or bank at your destination any time

Thanks. This applies to any travel in Europe but mostly, for me, to
my upcoming vacation to Egypt.

I tend to purchase some money from my bank before I leave the UK. It
may not be the best rate but it's convenient (which is what they rely on,
of course). It saves me from having to find an ATM (which may not be
there or working) at my destination; I

But if you can't you will almost certainly find an open bank counter.

In countries with less traded currencies you will almost always get a
better cash rate for your strong currency (assuming that you do actually
come from a xountry that has one) at the destination than at your home
location.

tim



Almost certainly does not mean the same as you will. I've arrived at
enough places at odd hours of the day to know that banks in airports are not
always open when flights arrive (daft isn't it). It's probably fair to say
that if there is no bank there will probably be an ATM but that still isn't
a guarantee and I prefer not to have to (a) wait until I can exchange
currency or (b) pay in a convertible currency (usually dollars) at some
stupidly bad rate to get downtown.