6abc

The only posts I could find about currency and travelling seemed to be pretty old. Being that it is 2007 is there any new advise on how to handle money overseas when we travel. I haven't been to Europe since the early 1980's and TC was the way to go. If I missed a recent post please direct me.

We will be travelling to Scotland in June and really gave no thought to currency until I read a post from 2005.

Do I just bring an ATM card from my local bank which is PNC and a regular credit card from Capital One? Would that work? Is Visa more accepted than Master Card? I will call my bank to alert them that I will be using these overseas.

Thanks for any suggestions. Still haven't planned our itinerary yet so I will post again soon for suggestions. Thanks in advance for currency suggestions.

cls2paris

Did you do a search here? This is an almost daily topic so I'm surprised you would not have found a recent post.

The most common method is to bring an ATM card to get cash in the local currency from the ATM machine. For bigger expenses (like hotels), use your credit card. And yes, it is wise to call your bank and credit card company to alert them as to where and when you will be traveling.

Scotland is beautiful, have a fun time!

To find some recent posts, type ATM in the search box above.

Christina

ditto the above advice, I wonder how you were searching. Even if you narrow it to Scotland, there are many such posts. There isn't a Scotland in the righthand searchbox, but if you narrow that to UK and then type "scotland and atm" in the left search box, without quotes, you get many many posts, some very recent.

amelie

There was just a big post on this last month in the UK section.

I'd go with the ATM.

janisj

It doesn't really matter - Scotland, Ireland, Italy, Finland - wherever . . . Same advice holds. (and there are at least 2 or 3 threads about this every day).

An ATM card and either a visa or mastercard (some people like to have back up/extra cards as well)

amelie

Here it is, from the end of March and its title is: "using travelers cheques in England and Scotland"

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34970134

It has over 50 responses. All I did was search for "money" in the UK area and scroll down to about post #25.

noe847

Most people recommend that you get cash at the ATM at your arrival airport. Some prefer to obtain a nominal amount prior to travel, eg, through their bank. I go fairly regularly, and always keep some cash to bring back for the start of the next trip. If I didn't have any local currency, I think I'd get around $100 worth before leaving the US, and although there will be fees, they won't be more than a few percent. A recent trip report told of someone who ran into trouble with not having local currency in an airport.

6abc

Thank you all, I did find other threads

I am so glad for this website. I would have gone with travelers checks as I did 20 years ago. It is amamzing how quickly 20 years flies by and it felt like just yesterday so I didn't even think about the money thing and was stuck in my old ways.

What is this thing about if you get a bill that is written in American $$ that we should not accept it that way?? Do many establishments try to do that?

I have decided to bring an ATM card which is also a credit card. And a regular credit card. And my husband will do the same. We both have different banks for our ATMS and both have Capital One for credit card. So thanks to all of you we should be fine. I will send you all virtual pretend gifts from Scotland for all your help.

alanRow

<<< What is this thing about if you get a bill that is written in American $$ that we should not accept it that way?? >>>

Dynamic Currency Conversion - it means that the retailer gets to set the exchange rate, generally to your detriment - http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...072900927.html

amelie

I thought they mostly do that in Canada. Has anyone had that happen to them in the UK?

janisj

yes, it does happen in the UK, and Ireland too.

Not usually because the merchant is trying to cheat you (though that is the case sometimes). Some sales clerks simply don't know thay must offer you the choice of currency.

6abc

alanRow...great article. Thanks. So it sounds like before I enter an establishment I should question if they use DCC? and then I can chose if I want to patronize the place or not. From the NY Post article it sounds like the rental car companies are using the DCC would it be to my benefit to request to be charge in UK currency?

Another question, which I am sure has been addressed in other posts but my eyes are getting goofy from all this reading and I am tending to forget some of the things I read so please forgive me for any redundency. Do most B&Bs take credit cards?

Alec

If the establishment uses DCC, just tell them as you hand over your card that you want to be billed in sterling. If they won't or don't know how to do it, ask to see their supervisor/manager. If you still don't get anywhere, go somewhere else or pay cash.
I'd say that almost all B&Bs that are included in on-line directories and accept online booking will take cards. Small, modest B&Bs without their own websites probably don't - just carry enough cash or get some from ATM - there are plenty of 24 hours ATMs (go to ones located outside banks to avoid £1.75 to £2 fee charged by private operators, such as Cashbox, located mainly in convenience stores and motorway services).

audere_est_facere

Do most B&Bs take credit cards? >>>>>

It would be commercial suicide not to.

I'm suprised that we've got this far and no one's mentioned that Scotland has it's own notes (they're still pound notes - they are just issued up there instead. The Scots use them to buy Irn Bru and deep fried Mars Bars)

alanRow

<<< It would be commercial suicide not to. >>>

In most cases it would be commercial suicide to ACCEPT CC's - the B&B as a small trader will be paying 5% or more with possibly a minimum fixed fee for each CC payment to the CC company.

Small B&B's prefer hard cash

janisj

&quot;<i>Do most B&amp;Bs take credit cards? &gt;&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt;</i>&quot;

&quot;<i>It would be commercial suicide not to.</i>&quot;

Many, MANY B&amp;Bs accept only cash and haven't seemed to commitedsuicide just yet. Probably 35-40% of the B&amp;Bs I've stayed in the UK have not accepted cc's.

amelie

My Scottish husband has never had a fried mars bar. Is that blasphomy? I wouldn't even want to try one, it would be too good and too deadly (I have cholesterol issues lol).

My parents are obsessed with trying a Scotch egg though for some reason. So that will be on the list for June (maybe not me though). I think I read that it is actually English though.

Ok this is going in a whole different direction....

6abc

Thank you all for your advice. I guess I should start planning my itinerary. Just heard that the currency exchange rate is higher than ever before. That figures... I think we will be looking at VERY small inexpensive B&amp;B's. I will now seriously start planning. This is hard for me to do because we never really plan our USA trips we sort of fly to where we are going and than use our One travel book (Moon Publicatons) and AAA and just play. We are somewhat hoping to do the same in Scotland. But once I get my basic route I will post it and get all of those wonderful reviews. We are leaving on May 29 so I better get moving. Thanks again!

sheila

If you don't want to plan (and I sympathise; I really do), buy a good atlas and you can go from there. Accomodation will not be a problem late May/early June.

Do let me/us know if we can help more.