 Poster: A snowHead
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Best place to buy Euros now? The old snowheads favourite to pre-order currency from Travelex is only £0.40 better than the post office.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Ive always found using my card for a couple of hundred at a time gives the best rate (note usually 2.5%)
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Louis, if you are in London I use http://www.thomasexchangeglobal.co.uk/exchange1.php
However, I must admit to being pretty lazy and usually withdrawing a few hundred Euros out of the resort ATM using a debit card. The rates are usually pretty good and even with the charges it reduces the effective rate (assuming you withdraw €300+ rather than a tenner at a time) by about 3% or £8 on €300. Compared to the price of beer it pales into insignificance!
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Used the ATM over New Year in Val d'Isere with a Nationwide debit card, exchange rate came in at 1.109. Paid for the lift passes with a Nationwide credit card and that came in at 1.1101.
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I got a fairfx pre paid mastercard card as recommended on moneysaving expert and used it over xmas. Relatively straightforward once its set up (allow 10 days) it was refused at one of the manned tolls in fance but worked at all the automated ones.
Cash withdrawal is a flat €1.5 and there exchaneg rate seems to be about 2-3% better than M&S and the postoffice.
they do a recommendation service which avoids the setup fee, and the card can be topped up online with a debit card.
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CaxtonFX seems to be the best prepaid card, no withdrawal fee (abroad) and very competitive rates
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Louis, Quote from moneysavingexpert site:
The only card of note is Nationwide's Flexaccount Visa Debit card. For European spending, this beats every card out there, even pipping the specialist credit cards.
Frankly,I can think of no sensible reason for purchasing euro's prior to a trip.You will always lose out on the exchange rate.If you don't already have a Flex Account(and banks are getting a bit coy about new accounts),have a look on the expert site..there is a little dodge on there to open an account via a savings account 
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One of the ropey little exchange offices opposite kings cross are usually v.good last time i looked it was about 1.12, all other places seemed to be 'bout 1.04ish. That was a couple of weeks ago mind.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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The ropey looking exchange office a the top of whitehall is usually in line with Thomas Global Exchange, no commission (for clarity, its not actually ropey just situated in the corner of a tourist tat shop)
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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Given the huge amount of competition in London at the various offices (and, presumably the need for them to get rid of all the Euros the tourists are changing into GBP) you do tend to get some good walk up rates with no commission as suggested. However, if you want a service like having the cash delivered to your house you will obviously pay a bit more (or get a bit less).
However, I stick to my original point that unless you are changing a huge amount of money the actual effect of chasing the last 0.01 of difference is pretty insignificant for the average holidaymaker and the ATM is a good solution. If you have a Nationwide account then so much the better.
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Nationwide Flex Account - easy, convienient and the good exchange rate. This gets me by in resort for the week(s).
Post Office - to change some euros so i don't arrive empty handed and for if I need a large amount of money the morning I arrive (i.e. more than the max i can withdraw from an ATM).
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You know it makes sense.
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The Post Office are usually reasonable, but I've found the way to beat them is to wander into the First Choice Travel agency with the PO rate on a bit of notepaper and ask them if they want my business and will they offer a better rate - this has led them to upping their rate to beat the PO on two occasions - it might be a good ploy to use in other situations.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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Just be careful of getting cash from Travelex. If you preorder, which is the best rate, they levy a cash charge on your debit card, so you are probably better off using a card in resort. For spends, I use PO credit card, which, like the Nationwide card, are comission free, so you get the rate on the day you spend.
Karen
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Poster: A snowHead
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I opened a Nationwide Flex account last spring for just this use and there were no difficulties.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| Butterfly wrote: |
| I opened a Nationwide Flex account last spring for just this use and there were no difficulties. |
Same here. Only use it for holidays but had no problems at all.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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I did a bit of a trawl round yesterday and suprisingly enough found that Holiday Hypermarket were offering the best deal. 1.082 for a pound with no prompting. I know it's all fractional. But I didn't buy however, decided to wait a day or two as we fly out on Saturday and if it rises any I before then I may stock up for the year rather than just for this trip.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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recnet trips abroad and used card on both , better than what i was getting quoted on the high street. thomas cook will change back £200 worth at the rate you got them at . that 7% better than post office or m&s.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Bit the bullet and spent a grand @ 1.08 to the stirling, 6% better than this time last year!
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FAQ
