Hey all, I am leaving on tuesday and I dont have an active bank account right now. I need to try to get some euros at the best rate possible. what are my options???

So that means no ATM card & no credit card.

Well you are going to have to travel with large quantities of hard cash and change them - for really terrible rates - at money changers in Euroland

realllllly bad plannng IMHO . . . . . .

no atm no credit card is right. i didnt get my ticket until like last week. i wasnt planning on going until july. now i dont have time to open a new account. is their any bank here or anything that can give me a kind of good rate? or maybe someone elses card i can use and then give them the money i dont know

Tuesday? That is 5 days from now? My credit union has ATM card making machine and issues an ATM card on the day I open an account -- activated within 24 hours.

You need to deposit cash or something that does not have long deposit hold time.

Forget about large banks. They take forever.

You can get 'credit cards' at travel agents & post offices in the UK where you deposit funds which are credited to the card & then available to use abroad - like a gift voucher card. I have not used one myself as there is a fee charged for using it & the scheme only started in the last year.

Hi

I would contact your bank and make a request for a card on an urgent basis. If nothing else a Visa card and put your cash on that. I get my euros from my bank but I save them up over time - the bank doesn't have thousands in one hit. So I don't like your chances. There is Thomas Cook but they'll skin you alive! If you do carry large sums wear a concealed moneybelt around your waist. There is also Western Union but I think they slug you 10%. Failing all that bring your currency (assuming it's USD or pounds)) and hope you can exchange it at their bank. X the fingers, good luck.

If you end up having to use banks or change bureaus to exchange money keep the following in mind:

you'll probably see signs saying "low" or "no commission" (the fee charged for changing)..that usually means a poorer exchange rate.

If you see any sort of advert for "best rate" that often means a higher commission.

Not the best set of options minus any sort of ATM or credit card but not the end of the world, either.

I know most people don't use these any more - but in your case - ever thought about traveler's Cheques?

total baloney IMHO.

Don't know about banks where you are, but here you can open an account on the spot and receive your ATM card right then. Just deposit a said amount of cash (or checks that should clear overnight... no more float guys) to open the account. Today is Thursday, you have even tomorrow... and be set to depart on Tuesday. Just be sure you have sufficient funds in the account.

Verify with the financial institution, ATM fees (can be a flat fee, a fee + a % of what is withdrawn... these will vary) when withdrawing from overseas ATMs, daily max you can withdraw (which may be less than the particular machine you are using).

Suggest you withdraw sufficient funds to hold you for a few days/a week, so you're not dipping into the account and incurring fees daily.

Be careful with opening an account on the spot with cash. Regardless of how much and in what form the funds are, today's anti-terror and anti-money laundering requirements require a 3-5 day hold on those funds before you can access them.

Nosy question - how did you pay for the plane ticket? (this might lead somewhere)

My "curt" answer was because The_Lover has been to Europe before - and for extended periods. He is not a newbie or novice at European travel, nor w/ foreign exchange. So he must know there is really no place he can get a good rate for € w/o a bank acct . . . . .

Anybody want to flash the Troll Alert sign on this one?

Oh for heaven's sake. If it's really true you don't have a bank account, you deserve whatever befalls you.

You can go to a bank and get a travel debit card on the spot for cash (the 2007 version of travelers checks without the hassle of exchange or trying to find shops that will take them). My friend got an American Express one and used it all over Italy with no issues as long as the place took Amex. You can also get Visa and masterCard branded ones.

Get to Europe and then rob a bank!

How can anyone without a credit card or a bank account be going to europe? (Even if your idenity is stolen you can get replacements in a day or 2 from any bank.)

Where are you keeping your money - under your mattress?

And if you have no money - how could you be going to europe? Or how did you buy a ticket.

If you're dealing with large amounts of cash only - and have no bank accouts at all - it;s not somethig I would advetise - since the IRS will be extremely interested. (And you do know there are limits to the amount of cash you can take in and out of many counries?) If it's too much they'll assume you're laundering illegal money - and I wouldn;t want to explain that to any authorities.

OK- I am going to go against the flow here and say it is not that big a deal not to have the bank account, tho I agree that I am not sure HOW anyone can travel without a credit card.

This is what I would do - take a large amount of cash & buy some traveller's checks as a back up.

Bring a large amount of cash on the plane, secured in a neck pouch or some such similar on your body. When you arrive at the airport in Europe, go to an exchange booth. If I were you, I would watch the rates even if you have to go though security more than once, and get the best rate you can. Lines should be nominal. Rates are usually better closer to the street (vs. the gates).

For changing money in Europe, ask around to find out if money changers or banks will be better, sometimes the hotel desk will give you a very competitive rate. If using TT's, since they have long been considered antiquated, you may find only banks will accept. I got stuck when the ATM's wouldn't accept my particular card, and had to go with my back-up T-checks- thank goodness I had them!
I don't know what it's like in Europe now, but I just returned from Mexico, and lines for the banks for those who do not have an account (tourists) were 45 min- 3 hours long. If you encounter that ask locals when the quietest day or time is. You'll be ok. Hope this helps.