How much cash?
 

I did indeed search first for the answer, but found nobody who asked my question. I know to use the debit card at am ATM when I get to the airport in Paris, but how much cash do you anticipate I will need? No way for you to answer that. So, how much cash do YOU take out upon arrival?

Thank you!
beth

300 euro

Interesting, suze. Our usual withdrawal is also 300 euro, although in Italy it often becomes 250 as that is the limit for a single withdrawal set my many of their machines.

200€.

that's about how much i was thinking. any other input?

well, it's a personal thing, but I take out around 150-180 euro. I don't like carrying around huge sums with me, I'd rather use the ATM a couple times a week. I try for an odd number so I can be sure to get some 20s, not just 50s (eg, 140 or 190).

My ATM home bank charges a $5 fee for international transactions so for me it is better to take more then less each time.

I might be a bit hesitant to be carrying around over 300 euro at a time too, but that withdrawal is for two of us which we immediately split. Not sure if miel is alone or with another "honey".

How much does your bank charge you per transaction? I usually have no problem carrying around a couple hundred Euro at a time, but my bank doesn't charge per transaction to get MY money from MY account as some other banks do. ((b))

Good point. It depends on how much cash you are comfortable carrying. Everyone's different. I am traveling solo, take the 300 split it into two, put 1/2 back in my suitcase and carry the other. I don't know about anyone else but it doesn't take me long to go thru 300 bucks!

neopolitain - love the honey line.

miel - i usually get 50 euro (at ok rates w/ no fee) before i leave the states, just enough to tide me and my honey over until we get to atms away from the airport. then 2 overseas atm hits at most, max withdrawl each time. the fewer atm fees, the better. i guess it depends how comfortable you are carrying money.

yeah, it does make a difference on the ATM fees as $5 is pretty high and I might think about that more. My bank doesn't charge me anything for foreign ATM withdrawals, so that doesn't matter to my planning. My 150-180 euro is just for me, one person, so that would be 300 euro for two. I don't spend cash for large amounts, so that lasts me close to a week, even on vacation. I don't leave much cash in the room, though, I just wouldn't take out so much if I didn't want to carry it around with me.

thanks for noticing, chandrayoung. I didn't even notice the poster's name until I typed it.

caught it immediately- "maison du miel" is always one of my stops in paris. i make sure to leave plenty of room in my suitcase for lavender, rosemary, and thyme honey.

Neopolitan--too cute! you made me smile while i'm stressing out over here with pre-travel jitters.

For anyone else interested--I called Bank of America, and ATM fees are 1% of the withdrawal amount. So $3 on 300 is not bad, I think.

Thanks everybody!

oh, miel, I hate to tell you this, but the person at BofA was giving you false (or I should say, misleading) information.

It is true that these days Visa services who likely will handle all ATM withdrawals in Europe will charge you 1% of the total amount as a currency exhange rate. This is not unlike the usual 1% automatically added by Visa or Master Card for all credit card charges.

But you are also likely to have a regular fee in addition to that. BofA states that the fee is now $5. So on a 300 euro withdrawal you will actually spend about $8 (the 1% is on the euro amount not the dollar amount I believe).

You can avoid that extra $5 fee if you use a BofA partner bank -- Barclay's, BNP, or Deutschebank for example. Or some BofA accounts like my "Advantage" account also gives me two free non-partner bank withdrawals per month, and after than charges me $1.50 (although I think that may have recently been raised to $2.50). I am usually able to find partner banks, so I don't pay any fees.

On that BofA thing, I just spoke with them about withdrawals and travel and the fellow I was chatting with who said exactly what Neopolitan said about using the partner banks chuckled when I said something about "no fees" for using one of the partners' ATMs. He explained that there is always the 3% foreign currency fee that is worked in there, even with the Advantage account (which I have, too). No $5 withdrawal fee, though!

I always make sure that I go home with at least 100 euro so I have a start for the next trip. My typical ATM withdrawal is 150 euro which is divided between the two of us. We use a credit card whenever it is reasonable to do so. This minimizes the need for a lot of cash. When I have calculated the currency conversion costs of cash from ATM and credit card the results have been very close.

I think it depends on how comfortable you are with dickering. I know many Americans are not comfortable with it, and just pay the listed price, and they need very little cash as most touristy areas will take credit cards. More remote areas often don't take credit cards. If you travel this way, carry about the same amount you would carry on a domestic trip.

If you like to hassle over the price, carry more euro and pay cash. Many places will offer a nominal reduction for cash payment, as it saves them the fee they have to pay the credit card company for taking plastic. And of course, in many parts of the world, the dickering over price is expected and can be a memorable part of one's trip.

If you decide to carry a meaningful wad of euro, I would suggest a money belt or pouch for most of it; luggage and purses are too easily stolen.

I take out the max. Last trip it was €400. I carry the cash the same place I carry my ATM card. If I lose those the cash will be nothing compared to the problem of not having the card.

Every time you go to an ATM it is an exposure to risk. Minimise the number of ATM usages by taking the max.