curious

For those of you who use a debit card: How do you "balance" your checking account after you return? Do the European ATMs tell you exactly how much was withdrawn in $US, plus fees? Thx.

Joyce1

It is worth paying a little extra to avoid having to stand on the airport's currency-exchange line. After a long overnight flight, I do not want to be bothered dealing with logistics that could have been easily handled before leaving the USA.

big

Bring about US$100-200 worth of foreign currency with you. It'll save you lots of aggravation at the airport. <BR><BR>And I cannot understand why some people who say they're too lazy or cheap (or whatever) to get foreign currency then recommend getting travelers checks. You have to pay for those, and getting foreign currency really isn't much more hassle. (The $8 plus 1% fee cited here seems way high to me, in my experience.)

Christina

Let me see if I can explain it, Mr. Bucks -- you do not HAVE to pay for travelers' checks. I don't and never have in my life -- I always get them completely free either at AAA or even my bank (because I have a preferred account). So, as a backup, they are free to many people, as long as you get them in your own currency, so if you don't use them, you just spend them at home or stick them in the bank. As for the fact that getting foreign currency is no more of a hassle than TCs, that isn't true for me, and I suspect others -- I rarely go to my bank and bank's hours are not very convenient for working people (if you don't work near the bank), so that would be a hassle for me. On the other hand, the AAA travel offices are open on weekends and are in a shopping mall where I go anyway near my home. <BR><BR>Some of the other things people recommend seem like a big hassle to me, so I guess it's individual -- like going to a bank branch in a foreign country to try to get money (not from an ATM) on a credit card. YOu often couldn't do that on arrival which is when you are likely to need it to get into town, so I don't understand that solution (I don't see many bank branches in the airports I've been in, but maybe I've missed them). I also can't imagine taking all of your foreign currency with you which you get from your local bank to avoid a 1 pct credit card fee, as someone above does, if I understand that post--you'd have to take thousands with you to cover hotel and everything. I think as long as you will arrive during the day time, it's pretty safe to assume you can get money somehow at the airport on arrival, at least any major airport, as long as you don't mind potentially a little wait in some lines.

Carolina

I would never dream of travelling without some local cash. The extra expense is worth the peace of mind. A few dollars isn't much to add on to the cost of a trip and it is really miserable if you can't get any cash. Imagine what it would be like to be in the US with no cash whatsoever - yes, you can use a debit / credit card for most things, but small purchases, bus fares etc. etc. would cause a big headache.

Jeff

What makes you think there is going to be a problem? If the ATM's are out, you mosey over to the exchange bureau. What is dumb is not having a back up....I rely exclusively on ATM's, have never had trouble at any international airport in the world, but always bring $200 in nice crisp (or old scuffed) $20's so that if by some change the ATM's are down, I can exchange cash.<BR><BR>Now if you can just saunter off to the bank and pick up foreign currency, obviously nothing ventured nothing gained. If you have to start hunting or wait around for fedex well to me there are better ways to spend your time for something that is quite easy and routine upon arrival but that's me.

barb

I take $100 in local currency, $100 in US travellers checks (free at AAA), a bank debit card (which I use for cash, and which I use for most everything), an American Express card, which is also a debit card to my bank, just as a back up to my other debit card and a Visa card, if all else fails. Works just great!