I am leaving for Ireland now in just five days!!! Anyway I am so exicited! Question do you all think I am best going over with traveler checks, cash, or just a bit of cash with my traditional ATM card. I hear alot how people are using their ATM cards in Ireland but wouldnt the fees be astronomical? I was going to go to the bank this week and get a bunch of travelers checks but I have heard others advise against it. Any help would be great!

Thank you

John

You have to see what your bank charges for using the ATM overseas. I use two banks. One exchanged the Euro to dollars at the going exchange rate. I didn't receive any other charges. The other one exchanged at the same rate and then charged me 3% to exchange the money. They never did this before. I went into the bank and insisted they credit the charges back. They did. You need to research so you know what you will be receiving. Also check with your credit cards because some are also charging 3% to use them in other countries. Some places don't take travelers checks. I don't carry them anymore.

And always INSIST that you be charged in local currency. If the merchant refuses to offer you the choice, do your transaction in cash and report him to Visa when you get back.

Some merchants pad their income by 3-5% at your expense by marking up the conversion.

We jusy got baclk last week. used ATM's exc;usive;ly. We did not bring any cash or travelers checks. You will have no problems. Then we just used our credit card for everything else. Be aware that the ATM's in Ireland do not give you a choice of where to take the money from, such as checking or savings. It all comesa out of your checking account.

Have a great time.

Hi S,

No TCs.

Get less than $100 in Euro at your departure airport if you will be more comfortable than getting the cash on arrival.

European banks do not charge fees for using ATMs.

Find out what the Out of Network fee is at your bank.

If it is more than $2, find another bank.

Charge everything chargeable and, as noted, don't let them charge you in dollars. The merchants up the exchange
rate in their favor, and your bank might tack on a conversion fee in addition.

Most credit cards charge 3% transaction fees; you can call your cards to check on charges. Our bank charged us $1.5 fee plus $3 unexplained charge (they refuse to return it) for international withdrawal few month ago. We opened another account in different bank to avoid ATM charges – works great, didn’t have to pay an extra cent.

While it is true that credit cards and many banks charge a small percentage (up to 3% - and it pays to shop around for the best deal) to exchange funds - this is still way less than you wold pay if you were exchanging cash or travellers checks on the spot (even when you can find someone willing to take the latter).

Use your ATM card - draw out enough for 2-3 days at a time so you aren't spending your vacation withdrawing cash. Your ATM bank will most likely give you the best rate of exchange you'll find [USAA has terrific rates, no ATM fee]. Lots of retailers in Ireland play the instant conversion game with US credit cards, and it's a hassle to get them to cancel the charge, then recharge in Euros - some simply won't do it and insist you pay cash if you have a US credit card but want to pay in euros. I know/knew they could process the charge in euros, but who wants to have a fight over every purchase?

Ireland is not crawling with muggers, pickpockets, and armed robbers, so carrying 2-3 days cash is not a problem [really it isn't anywhere I've been - just use the same care you'd use in your hometown or nearby large city]

hope you have a great trip!

and watch out for the &quot;dynamic currency conversion&quot; where the merchant bills you in &quot;US Dollars&quot;(or whatever) instead of local currency, taking a few % extra for themselves and Visa/MC. Supposedly, this is a 'benefit' to travelers so they know how much their purchases cost, but it is an inflated charge. <i>Insist</i> on paying in local currency.

I primarily use ATM to withdraw local currency after arrival. ATM fees come from you own home bank and are normally $0-5 per transaction (so take the max you are allowed when you use a machine to keep the transaction fees down... it should not be 'astronomical').

That said, I would never recommend traveling with only one source of money! So also have a couple of the following: euro bought from a bank or exchange service before your trip, US cash to exchange in an emergency, 1-2 credit cards, a second ATM card, travelers checks to cash at a bank (don't assume you can spend directly at shops and restaurants) as your backups.