Yes, ATMs are the best way to go. But I also carry USD in case of 'emergeny' and figure I could exchange it somehwere (although not at the best rate).

I'm also not against getting a small amount in advance from my home bank, just so I land on the ground, with say 100-worth of euro in hand. You pay a bit more for it. But if it makes your Mom feel more secure to have it in her wallet already, nothing wrong with the idea, just costs you a bit more.

My question was not posed in any way to be a smart alec...I just asked.....and I did say I may be missing something and if so I apologize. There was no intent on my part to be a wise xxx on it. You have a view point and I respect it but you don't have to put me down fort asking....

Mimar...I hear you but life is full of risks, some more shall we say dangerous than others. The convenience of being able to check my bank balances, pay my bills and keep track of what's going on through either an internet cafe and/or wifi to me, at least, outweighs the small chance of fraud. But then again these vermin can get into your own computer system at home so there is a risk there too of using 21st century technology. I'm not uncomfortable with it but I certainly respect your trepidation. In the same way, and this is not meant as being a smart alec, there are those who say you shouldn't use a credit card for small purchases on the grounds the more you use a credit card, the more chances it can be compromised. When I travel, I use my credit cards for every last purchase, big, small or in between. If it gets compromised (and yes it's happened to me twice, once in Europe and once in California) it gets compromised. I deal with it; as long as it's just a credit card number and not actual identify theft, two or three phone calls will straighten it out. The most inconvenient part is notifying all the various phone companies and utilities whose bills are automatically paid through the credit card of the new number. But then again is that really any worse than all the notificatons you have to do when the expiration date changes?

On my last trip to London, I spent a week and not once had to pay cash for anything except for a couple of pints in a couple of pubs. I might have gone through 10 to 15 quid in cash; every last thing was credit carded. Every morning, using my stick modem in my hotel, I did all my banking, bill paying, checking to see there were no problems and didn't lose one bit of sleep over it.

But then again, that's me and I certainly understand the way others feel.

I just got back this evening from Italy, and we used ATM's. We brought a couple of hundred Euro from home because I'm paranoid about not finding an ATM right away, but that's entirely my own issue!

However, we were mostly unable to withdraw more than 200E at a time. The Bank of Venice allowed us to take out 500, and one other bank it was 300. Every time we withdrew there was a charge of $5.00, so you can imagine how fast those fees added up on withdrawals of 200E. Our limits from our bank was $1200/day, so more than enough from our end. We were panicking the first day going from bank to bank, until a woman told us she couldn't take out more than 200E either. On my next trip I might do things a bit differently - I don't know how, but I sure hated seeing $5.00, $5.00, $5.00, $5.00, etc, etc, etc. when I checked my bank tonight!

"I don't know how, but I sure hated seeing $5.00, $5.00, $5.00, $5.00, etc, etc, etc. when I checked my bank tonight!"

Those $5.00 per transaction fees were charges from YOUR bank. The is exactly why people are suggesting that it is a good idea to shop around for banks/credit unions that do not charge per-transaction fees. The Italian bank did not charge you any fees.

markland....in all due respect to you, evidently you've been on this board before. Why would you use a bank that charges $5 to access YOUR money. The proper fee for this is, of course, $0. Now if banks charging $5 for an ATM withdrawal were the only game in town, I would understand it. I've made the suggestion to open up an account with a bank that does business over the internet (many many do today) that has no fees, keep a minimum amount in it, until it's time to travel when you can shift in enough cash to cover your expected expenditures. And as I indicated aboe, there are ways to replenish this account.

In addition, and again I am not trying to be critical but rather halpful, why would you be spending that much cash anyway? I understand credit card acceptance in Italy may not be the same as in the USA or the UK, but unless all your shopping and/or dining is at inexpensive places, I am quite sure you will be in many places that take cards. Cards are far safer than cash...you have some protections in case of rip offs or thing like that. It may not be great coverage but it is some. If you're a person who has no credit cards for whatever the reasn, you can just as easily use the debit card associated with the type of account I indicated above.

Or perhaps you're the type of person who can insist and get a discount for cash? Again do not take any of this as being critical. It just seems to me there are better ways than to be nicked for all these fees.

I realize they were from my bank, but my bank didn't put a 200E/day limit on withdrawals. That was the Italian banks.

If I had been able to take out my daily max of $1200 or roughly 850E (Canadian), there would have been many fewer $5.00 charges.

xyz - all the places we stayed at except one required payment in cash. And for my own reasons, we try to pay cash as we go - it's a personal preference.

I was expecting to pay charges for withdrawals, but was NOT aware we would be limited by the Italian banks beyond the limits of my own bank.

The point I'd like to make, obviously inelegantly, is that I wish I'd been aware that the withdrawal limits in Italy bear NO resemblance to the arrangements I have with my own bank.

I always bring at least 200 Euro with me.. just enough cash for small items that I may need the first day.

I like this way .. I am also an experienced traveler and Europe is my native Continent.

"I realize they were from my bank, but my bank didn't put a 200E/day limit on withdrawals."

Did you try to withdraw from the same ATM immediately after making the first withdrawal? My experience is that the Italian bank puts a limit on the amount that can be withdrawn per transaction--Take out no more than 200 euro at a time, but your can withdraw more than once.

Since my home bank does not charge per-transaction fees, making sequential withdrawals costs me nothing extra. However, my experience has also been that the ATMs I've used allowed 300 and 350 euro per transaction. This per-transaction limit set by the Italian banks is much discussed here, but until one experiences the situation it may not have much meaning.

I have just returned from Italy, I took 150 euros my ATM & Amex... When using the ATM's I suggest going to a bank we witnessed an ATM Machine at the airport eat a card the person was a guest at our Hotel..she spent 1/2 the day trying to get someone to help retrieve it..at a bank they can take care of the issue on site. The AAA offers Euro exchange they buy in large quantity at a good rate so if the exchange rate goes up you can still save that said different offices have different rates so call around for the best exchange rate..my exchange rate was higher than the rate offered in Italy...you need some cash for Taxis,coffee,Gelato,Pastry & bathrooms(1-2euros) yes the bathrooms in train stations,subway stations & airports throughout Italy charge for usage..I used my cards for everything else..(we traveled Pompeii,Capri,Naples,Amalfi Coast,Rome,Florence,Pisa then to France.. have fun!

An aside to cldh: I'm enjoying your contributions to the forum. But I struggle to read them. Maybe you're used to texting. But here punctuation (especially periods) and capital letters at the start of a new sentence make easier reading.

Don't use AAA, unless it is for landing 'pocket money'. For small amounts: bank,AAA, exchange bureau, airport,maybe even eBay, etc..

IMHO it will always be cheaper to get momey at its "home" versus "your" home

ditto Mimar:
<i>An aside to cldh: I'm enjoying your contributions to the forum. But I struggle to read them. Maybe you're used to texting. But here punctuation (especially periods) and capital letters at the start of a new sentence make easier reading.</i>
cldh comes across as illiterate. I can't read that jibberish.

<B>diann24</B>: Now that the damage is done, under no circumstances should you 'return' the € to the bank. Banks and exchange bureaus use different "buy" and "sell" rates when calculating currency exchanges. So you'd get back substantially fewer $ than was exchanged in the first place..

If I have left over euros I use them to pay down my hotel bill then pay off the balance with my credit card. I keep 50 or so euros on hand for my next trip.

You definitely do not want to sell euros back to your bank upon return to the US.

We must have hurt cldh98's feelings, as he has withdrawn from the Forum. I clicked on his name to see what other posts he/she had submitted, and he/she is gone.

To reply to some of these exactly my point and "paranoia" of making sure I have euros when I get there as to the machine that ate an ATM card, and the info about only taking our 200 Euros at a time. My tour is about 300 Euros due the first day. That is not taking into account to the coffee, lunch or extras I want to enjoy my first day not stress about an ATM machine how to get money etc.etc.etc. I of course did not need 761 Euros. Well it is over and done with and I will certainly not be taking them back I will be spending them.

There is no reason to be so rude to cldh98, although his/her comment may have been absent of perfect grammar and punctuation he/she was trying to help other users to understand aspects of traveling and that is the point of this forum. As for Mimar and spaarne maybe you two should spend more time helping others instead of cutting apart their use of improper english as some of the users on this site don't even have english as a first language. Not everyone has the time to sit around and spell check or punctuate their posts properly so since this is a forum to help each other we should all probably be a little more tolerant. I personally found cldh98's comments very helpful and although his/her style may not have been perfect at least he/she wrote with the best intent and that is what matters most.

Mimar and spaarne you both need to apologize to cldh98. Searching for their EMAIL is beyond words. This is a forum to provide information and knowledge to fellow travelers. I also found cldh98's comments very helpful I hope all the pretentiousness hasn't dissuaded cldh98 from future postings! Please read your comments before you press submit!