Exchange rates for hols..

[telboy]

I expect that many hol. seeking folkes will stay in the UK this year but would like to put a question to those who WHON'T.
Where do you buy your euros?
Tesco offer, today, the best rate but when I offer my Lloyds bank card, I am advised the bank will charge me 2.7% for the priviledge?
As a major share holder of this bank (bale out tax payer) - they are still at it.
I will of course complain as everyone should, but when will the rip off stop???????

[telboy]

[rosebud]

We got an excellent rate from Thomson, mind you we did book with them so they give you a good rate.  Otherwise i would suggest the Post Office we always went there whenever we booked. good luck enjoy your hols whenever you go . ;D

[Paulines7]

We have a Nationwide Flex account.  We put money in before we go then draw it out in France.  There are NO charges and the exchange rate is the same as other banks and much better than the tourist rate.  We also have a Nationwide credit card and there are no charges for using it in the Euro zone.   Again the exchange rate is at bank rates. 

[Barnowl]

I use my normal cash card in cash machines with Cirrus/Maestro etc on them and the outcome is usually ok, but you might do better at the Post Office or Thomas Cook. (The real rate of the latter is slightly harder to work out because of offers like 1% cashback - why not just give a better rate?). Both offer pre-paid credit cards that Which? said were good value. 

Avoid Bureaux de Change like the plague and don't be mislead by 0% commission. This site is probably worth a look http://www.fairfx.com/

[honeybee]

We just got back from Kefalonia, Greece yesterday (fabulous  ;D )

We always use the post office and research before I bought the Euros showed it to be one of the better deals. We got 1.09 to the pound but I think the rate has slightly improved while we were away.

[tomatoada]

Glad you asked this.  A friend of mine is going to the Canary Isles next month.  Does anyone know how the buying power works out?   Food, ice creams etc..  Hope you don't mind me hoping onto your thread telboy.

[caroline7758]

M&S are usually competitive. Check on the moneysavingexpert site.

[cornykev]

As Honeybee says the PO are usually the best bet and better if you know someone who works there.  ;)  How was the holiday Honeybee, I miss going to the Greek Isles, loved all the islands and mainland I went to.   Ah  Kleftico, stiffado,         stop it Kev your just making yourself hungary.    ;D ;D ;D

[honeybee]

Not wanting to change the subject CK, but since you asked, the kelftiko was superb ( had it both first and last night  :P) and the stiffado absolutely amazing, we ate Greek every single night and one beat of Greek music and I am on the dance floor smashing plates  ;D

[Paulines7]

I adore Greece too Honeybee and love their food. 

Coming back to what I said about the Nationwide accounts, I would like to add that there is no need to change bank accounts, this one can be taken out in addition to a regular one.  It doesn't require regular payments into it either.  We keep about £2 in ours and then top it up before our trips. 

Another big advantage as well as no fees and a high rate of exchange is that there is no need for travellers cheques and no need to carry large sums of money.  Just get money out whenever needed.  I have never had difficulty finding a cashpoint machine in France or Greece.  I always make sure that just before we return to the UK we have enough Euros to cover any expenses we are likely to occur in the first couple of days of our next trip.

It is far more expensive getting money exchanged in the UK.  We were caught a few years back by a travel company on the high street advertising free commission but they still charged costs and the exchange rate was the tourist rate.