How much cash...uh Euros...

Geographer · Member

How much cash...uh Euros...

Sidz · Guru

Just plan on using a credit card to get Euros in the ATMs. That is the way to go and gets the best exchange. As of this morning it is 1.54 to get one Euro, so it is not cheap. I wouldn't take much U.S. cash with me. Converting it in that manner is not the way to get the best return.

-- Edited by Sidz at 11:10, 2008-05-01

Michele Erdvig · Host

Geographer,

I keep euros from one trip to another and ususally have at least 80 to 100 euro with me when I arrive in Ireland. For those who don't have a euor to their name, stop at the ATM at the airport or a nearby bank on arrival and get cash there. It will assure your best rate. I try to use my credit card for everything possible. I keep cash for admissions and pubs or cafes that don't accept credit.

Never take US $100 bills.

Michele

xaimimgr · Veteran Member

I just got back Saturday. I used the ATM 3 times. Was able to draw out as much as 600 euros each time. I had upped my auth of USD to 1000 to cover it. The average of all three times I withdrew was 1.634 or close to that. I used ATM's at the bank and was never charged less that 1.61 for 1 euro. Why didn't I get the 1.50 or so. Anyway, it was a great trip and weather was great.

Michele Erdvig · Host

Judy,

Welcome back. Good idea to up your withdrawal amounts from your bank card for the trip.

Michele

wckc · Guru

We used our AerLingus MasterCard wherever possible. They use a very competitive conversion rate. They say that they have a 3% conversion fee, but of the 39 charges that we made in Euro and Sterling, we have only been charged the 3% fee 15 times!

I also ask that we be charged in Euro (or British Sterling in N Ireland) to get the best rate. My husband paid at the Hard Rock while I was in the ladies, and forgot to specify, so we were charged in US $. Their conversion rate was 6 cents higher than the AerLingus card (our souviner shop items were charged in Euro).

For cash, we always used our ATM card. Our bank (compassbank.com) doesn't charge a fee for using ATM's worldwide. Over the two weeks we used ATM's 10 times. Our conversion rates ran 1.56-1.60 for the Euro and 1.99-2.00 for Sterling.