Going to Munich next week, may spend a day in Salzburg. Was wondering about spending money there. Do most places take credit? Was going to carry some cash with me. My girlfriends mom was trying to get her to exchange all her money off the bat. I'm not thinking that is a good idea. Just wondering what it is like over there. Are we able to get money out of the ATM's with our debit cards from the US. Thanks

>> Do most places take credit?<< Hotels, yes. Restaurants, some not. Attractions, some not. Stores, some not.

You need cash. Ask your bank and no one else whether your card works with ATM.

I never travel with money.

Going tomorrow to Paris then to Krakow, I've got 15 € on me, and about 120 Zlotys (leftover from last time).
I'll be ok, knowing that I've rented a car, booked a hotel and a flight all with CC.

Everything I pay on top is with credit card except for purchases of less than 5 €. Having some cash is useful, not more than 100 € for me.

ATM's are aplenty everywhere and you get the best rates there (especially if you are europeans : we get our € at no fee in most ATM's).

Enjoy Munich !

Germany is still very cash focused so having the stuff in your hands is good. Where to get it? At an ATM. Ask your local bank to discover what they will charge you. If you have a small US bank assume complete ignorance on their part that the rest of the world has a banking system

>>My girlfriends mom was trying to get her to exchange all her money off the bat. <<

Your girlfriend's mother is wrong -- IF she advised taking cash to Europe.

>>Are we able to get money out of the ATM's with our debit cards from the US. <<

Yep -- that is the way to go. Exchanging currency is not advisable. You will use a combination of credit cards and cash -- and to get that cash use your ATM/debit card. Doesn't matter if you are in Germany or Austria or anywhere else in Europe.

Besides exchanging currency being more expensive . . . it is foolish/unsafe too carry a LOT of cash from home.

You will get the best exchange rate using an ATM, however you may be hit with fees from your bank (credit unions are better). You also MUST tell your bank ahead of time that you will use the card abroad - ditto for your credit cards.

Watch out for DCC (google it). If the ATM or a credit card transaction asks if you want to be charged in dollars or euros, ALWAYS pick euros.

didn't see bilboburgler's post >>If you have a small US bank assume complete ignorance on their part that the rest of the world has a banking system<<

IME even most large banks -- the staff has no clue.

For US bankers, the rest of the world doesn't exist, it is called 'overthere'.

In summary, the ATM and the credit card are your best bets for getting cash and spending. Don't go to an Exchange booth, as they will figure out ways to cost you money.

I earn miles on my Mileage Plus Explorer credit card, so I charge as much as possible on that card. My old card (and my bank) charge 3% for foreign purchases. I do get cash from ATM's when I am "overthere," but my bank charges $5.00 per withdrawal outside the U.S., so I usually get $500 at a whack.

Occasionally a small hotel or eating establishment will prefer cash only.

Notify your bank and your credit card company where and when you will be going. My Mileage Plus Explorer card will refuse a charge if they think it might be fraudulent, but other cards will go ahead with the charge even if you don't notify them beforehand.

If I don't have euros left over from my last trip, I will get a small amount of money from my bank beforehand. When I went to Mexico last fall, I purchased some pesos from my bank.

If you want to arrive with a small amount of euros then change them at the cambio in your departure airpot. the rate will be terrible but it doesn' matter if you are changing only $50 or $100.

For your time in europe pay for as much as you can with credit cards and for walking around money pull cash from your checking account with a debit card at a bank ATM.

In Germany some smaller places will want cash - but there should always be an ATM nearby if your don't have enough cash. But I would check with each hotel and restaurant to be sure they take CCs.

You never want to change all your money right off the bat, no matter how you do it. That would clearly put you at great risk. Your GF's mother is misinformed.

You take an ATM card and withdraw cash as you need it. Make sure you arebanking with a bank that isn't siphoning off your own money in transaction fees and withdrawal fees. If it is, change banks, if only for this trip. European ATMs do not charge for withdrawals, so any fees you incure will come from your bank. Alert your bank in advance that you will be making foreign transactions and tell them where.

"For your time in europe pay for as much as you can with credit cards and for walking around money pull cash from your checking account with a debit card at a bank ATM."

Whether that is good advice depends on the cards. If the foreign transaction fee on the credit card is higher than that for the ATM card, the OP will be better off spending cash. I carry cards with no transaction fees or ATM fees, but I have accounts I chose specifically for travel, I suspect the OP does not.

Even in that case, it wouldn't be worth the trouble most likely, the point was you won't need to carry so much cash around you that way, if you pay mostly be credit card. So even if by some chance the OP had a bank card with zero transaction fee (which most people do not), I don't think it would matter that much. And aside from the foreign transaction fee, a lot of people have cash back or rewards cards now--all of mine are that way, and I get back 1-3 percent on stuff I charge.

>> the point was<< . . . the point <i>is</i>, it doesn't matter if you want to use mostly cash, or mostly credit card, or all one or the other . . . you do NOT want to take a boat load of cash to Europe and you do NOT want to exchange much if any cash while there.

Thank you everybody. Should I take a checkbook? i have a pretty well known bank. Its military so i assume it will go worldwide. I made the travel notification on all my cards.

No.

>> Should I take a checkbook?<<

Absolutely not. You couldn't use checks <i><u>anywhere</i></u>. Use your ATM card to get cash and your credit card for many if not most purchases.

Re: checkbook, NO, although interestingly enough the guesthouse we stayed at in Dresden asked me to send a check, in US funds, which the owner held as a deposit until we arrived and paid in cash. This saved us a rather hefty transfer fee from our bank, but I had to wonder what he'd have done with the check had we not turned up.

I am always amazed how many posters who do not live in Germany appear as experts on this forum.

In Germany, it is always good to have 200-300 Euros in cash in your wallet. Plus a credit card, MasterCard or VISA. All other cards are not accepted. Cheques are not accepted.

To get Euros in cash, you need a bank card that is accepted by German ATMs. Check with your home bank if your card is valid.

>> i have a pretty well known bank. Its military so i assume it will go worldwide.<<

Certainly not.

No more advice needed.

We always have cash in Germany. Cash is king unless it is a hotel, the B&Bs and guest houses like cash as well as many restaurants.

If you are military see if you can get this card, the one with chip and pin. We have had it for several years and it is great for use in Europe.

https://www.andrewsfcu.org/personal/...dit-cards.html