Is there a good source for British pounds in advance of trip?
Oct 9th, 2008, 06:33 PM
#23
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<i>I am an older person, 70, and really don't care for you attitude.</i>
Awww, an older person. All bow down and hail your longevity. Meanwhile: don't be a total git - use an ATM card when you arrive, as most of the people on this thread advise.
<i>I noticed a few threads today where he was actually almost nice - I was totally flabbergasted.</i>
Oh, I'm full of surprises. Ask anyone who was at the Paris gtg.
Awww, an older person. All bow down and hail your longevity. Meanwhile: don't be a total git - use an ATM card when you arrive, as most of the people on this thread advise.
<i>I noticed a few threads today where he was actually almost nice - I was totally flabbergasted.</i>
Oh, I'm full of surprises. Ask anyone who was at the Paris gtg.
Oct 10th, 2008, 09:20 AM
#25
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It's not that I'm impolite - it's simply that I do not suffer fools gladly.
bakerstreet asked for "a good source that charges a modest fee" for foreign currency. I offered one alternative that happens to be both the cheapest and easiest way of doing it.
Others disagree, and are willing to pay more in money, time, or both, for the sake of having local when they arrive.
bakerstreet asked for "a good source that charges a modest fee" for foreign currency. I offered one alternative that happens to be both the cheapest and easiest way of doing it.
Others disagree, and are willing to pay more in money, time, or both, for the sake of having local when they arrive.
Oct 10th, 2008, 12:12 PM
#26
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Thanks all. Tried a couple of local banks and not a lot of difference. Went with Travelex -- thanks for the referral. The cash will come to my house and I'll have it handy and immediate on arrival in London ewhen I head to the car service I have reserved. (Chose the cash payment option, not credit card, so do need the cash).
To the many people wondering why anyone would be so stupid as to want to have a little local cash in hand on arrival in a foreign country, it's because I will have an immediate need for cash (as opposed to credit card) and want to spend zero time in the airport acquiring cash. Didn't see any way to accommodate those two without bringing some with me.
To the many people wondering why anyone would be so stupid as to want to have a little local cash in hand on arrival in a foreign country, it's because I will have an immediate need for cash (as opposed to credit card) and want to spend zero time in the airport acquiring cash. Didn't see any way to accommodate those two without bringing some with me.
Oct 10th, 2008, 12:26 PM
#28
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<i>...when I head to the car service I have reserved.</i>
Oh. That's different. Why didn't you say so? I would plan on:
o Tapping an ATM in Baggage Reclaim, or
o Getting cash once in town, or
o (Worst case) paying the driver with plastic
Oh. That's different. Why didn't you say so? I would plan on:
o Tapping an ATM in Baggage Reclaim, or
o Getting cash once in town, or
o (Worst case) paying the driver with plastic
Oct 10th, 2008, 12:50 PM
#29
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Stupid? No, not at all.
All we're questioning is convenience and cost effectiveness.
Yes I know $20 or $25 is not a big deal in the context of things Agreed.
The only thing I question and again in all due respect is just how inconvenient it is to use an ATM, even at the end of a long flight. ATM's are plentiful at both Heathrow and Gatwick but okay.
Also, and again not meant to offend, why does one think it's better to pay cash for the car service rather than credit card? Why is it ever better to pay cash than credit card on any sort of foreign trip. Even if you use a credit card that adds the obnoxeous 3% fee to the interbank rate for use of a foreign currency (most today but not all), you still do far better than if you pay cash where the best you can get off with, and even this is hard to do, is about 8% above the interbank rate. And of course, if you use a credit card which does not charge a fee for foreign transactions (such as Capital One) then the fee is what it should be namely 0% (well actually, 1% is acceptable as that's what visa and mc charge)...that is always my question on these things.
As a peripheral, and believe me I don't understand this...while the US economy is in the tank, when I checked today's closing currency rates, I just can't comprehend what's going on...
Euro...$1.33 (was almost $1.60 it seems a couple of months ago.
UK£ $1.69
...was well above $2 several months ago
CA$ is down to $0.83 US...was almost at par a couple of months ago.
AU$ down to $0.63 US...was in the vicinity of $0.95 US a couple of months ago.
So, if these trends continue, why would one want to buy foreign currency (assuming one is from the USA) in advance?
All we're questioning is convenience and cost effectiveness.
Yes I know $20 or $25 is not a big deal in the context of things Agreed.
The only thing I question and again in all due respect is just how inconvenient it is to use an ATM, even at the end of a long flight. ATM's are plentiful at both Heathrow and Gatwick but okay.
Also, and again not meant to offend, why does one think it's better to pay cash for the car service rather than credit card? Why is it ever better to pay cash than credit card on any sort of foreign trip. Even if you use a credit card that adds the obnoxeous 3% fee to the interbank rate for use of a foreign currency (most today but not all), you still do far better than if you pay cash where the best you can get off with, and even this is hard to do, is about 8% above the interbank rate. And of course, if you use a credit card which does not charge a fee for foreign transactions (such as Capital One) then the fee is what it should be namely 0% (well actually, 1% is acceptable as that's what visa and mc charge)...that is always my question on these things.
As a peripheral, and believe me I don't understand this...while the US economy is in the tank, when I checked today's closing currency rates, I just can't comprehend what's going on...
Euro...$1.33 (was almost $1.60 it seems a couple of months ago.
UK£ $1.69
...was well above $2 several months ago
CA$ is down to $0.83 US...was almost at par a couple of months ago.
AU$ down to $0.63 US...was in the vicinity of $0.95 US a couple of months ago.
So, if these trends continue, why would one want to buy foreign currency (assuming one is from the USA) in advance?
Oct 10th, 2008, 12:58 PM
#30
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"Also, and again not meant to offend, why does one think it's better to pay cash for the car service rather than credit card?"
The car service I have reserved charges two different prices: One if you pay by credit card, and a lower one if you pay with cash.
The car service I have reserved charges two different prices: One if you pay by credit card, and a lower one if you pay with cash.
Oct 10th, 2008, 01:44 PM
#32
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"Oh. That's different. Why didn't you say so? I would plan on":
But she didn't ask what you would plan on, she asked for a good source for pounds in advance that only charges a modest fee.
But she didn't ask what you would plan on, she asked for a good source for pounds in advance that only charges a modest fee.
Oct 10th, 2008, 06:09 PM
#34
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We've had this discussion here before....
The merchant agreements with visa/mc in the USA state very specifically that the following actions are not allowed
1. Setting a minimum for use of a credit card.
2. charging a surcharge for use of a credit card (although discounts for cash apparently allowed, some day somebody will explain the difference).
I don't think these two consumer protections apply outside the USA; at least sometimes in the UK I've been humiliated by a merchant trying to tell me there is a minimum for use of a credit card (although some of that nonsense, at least in London, has begun to disappear.)
The merchant agreements with visa/mc in the USA state very specifically that the following actions are not allowed
1. Setting a minimum for use of a credit card.
2. charging a surcharge for use of a credit card (although discounts for cash apparently allowed, some day somebody will explain the difference).
I don't think these two consumer protections apply outside the USA; at least sometimes in the UK I've been humiliated by a merchant trying to tell me there is a minimum for use of a credit card (although some of that nonsense, at least in London, has begun to disappear.)
