cash v. credit cards
 

I know I can get cash at ATMs in London but have found that I can order # from Amex and charge them to my credit card. I want to do it that way to get miles and have a little cash at home when I get back. So... what will I really need cash for in London? Hotel, breakfast, transportation to and from airport are all taken care of. So are the theatre tickets. What else will I need it for? What about the flea market at Portabello Rd. Should I have cash for that? Thanks to everyone for getting me psyched for this trip.

hi<BR><BR>you need small change for :<BR>beer, cabs, toilets, coffee, newspapers, entry fees, markets, etc<BR><BR>otherwise forget it<BR><BR>peter<BR>http://tlp.netfirms.com<BR><BR>

Hi<BR> I guess that you will be charging dinners and expensive souvenirs, so that your cash needs will be rather low.<BR> I think that except for getting about 100GBP at the airport before you leave, you wil be able to take care of your needs at the ATMs.

damama, do you realize that you are effectively getting a cash advance on your AMEX credit card in a foreign currency? Its like taking out a loan and you'll be paying a premium interest rate for doing so. The interest rate begins immediately upon withdrawal. Even though you think you are gaining by getting miles, its really not worth the interest that you are going to pay in the end. If I were you, I would reconsider and use your credit cards (AMEX is not widely accepted in London) and your debit card to get cash from the ATMs.

Thanks for the advice Leslie. I have to recheck with AmEx. Since I don't have cash advance privilages with mine, I assumed it was like charging a purchase. As a matter of fact, because of US banking laws, I can only do it on line. In person or by phone I have to pay cash. Glad to know in advance that AmEx is not as readily accepted.

Definitely cash at Portobello, if you want to bargain with the street dealers. with the inside dealers you can use credit cards but you won't get their best price

Sorry hit reply too soon...there are several ATMs in the area

Hi, <BR><BR>I'll take a stab. First, lunch. Figure 5GBP to 8-10GBP pp, per day, depending on where you eat. <BR><BR>If you like pubs, it's not like the US where you run a tab. You pay for each round as you go, so if it's just 2 of you, that would entail cash for beer. Pints run between 1.80GBP to about 3GBP. <BR><BR>Some tourist sites take credit cards (Tower of London does), but some don't, so depending on which sites you do, that will impact this cost. You can check websites for the major sites to see what their entry fees are.<BR><BR>Outdoor markets - yes, bring cash. Incidentals throughout the day - like water (drink plenty), all cost a little money. One small expense I had several times a day: many cathedrals/palaces etc don't allow inside pictures, so I bought postcards at each place of the inside (30p to 60p each). Internet cafes if you decide to check emails...<BR><BR>Just another thought - not all stores take Amex - another factor to consider if you don't have a Visa or MC also. <BR><BR>And always have some spare, just in case!<BR><BR>Have fun!

Agree with others that you definitely need GBP. I was there last wk and USD was quite weak ($100 = 59 GPB vs 64 GPB 4 months ago). Avoid changing $ at the airport, you'll get 0.54 GPB to $1 max. Find ATM to w/draw GPB from a bank debit card or use change bureau away from touristy areas-- definitely price compare a few places (they like cash instead of cheques and give better rates the more $ you exchange). There are good places outside Paddington and Holburn. If you need branch service, Citibank is the only US bank I found in most European cities. <BR><BR>It's happened where country ATMs don't accept my card, regardless of correct PINs, matching Cirrus/Star/etc symbols. In that case, you can get a cash by going to a bank teller and withdrawimg money from the money market (Schwab doesn't charge you to do this)/debit/credit card. You also need to show your passport.