Cheapo currency

I was looking at some of these online sites for getting furrin money, and
some give pretty good rates, but I've never heard of them. E.g. 'Ace
FX' - anything called Ace has to be dodgy right?

Any recommendations?

What about pre-ordering and collecting at Travelex? Not sure I like the
idea that if they ****-up, then you're standing at the airport with no
useful money. Are they good or to be avoided?

 

In the country of choice withdraw cash via a cash machine from a
Nationwide account.

 

Depends. If Euros or US$ then get a pre-paid Mastercard such as
CaxtonFX which allows you to withdraw cash without charges.

 

I have used moneycorp for a few years - good for international
transfers and they also do currency at airports.

 

As a related issue, I was in Thomas Cooks a couple of weeks ago, and told
the cashier that the rate I'd just been offered sucked. She then asked me
what I'd been quoted elsewhere, reached under the counter for a
clipboard, and offered me their 'best price'. Despite being used to
haggling, it never occurred to me that someone like TC would be able to
negotiate on rates (1)

1: Obviously, if I was talking big sums, I'd expect a deal, but not on
£200

 

That's my plan for personal trips. Work I just use travelex at the
departing airport and take the buy back offer.

 

Oddly, the best rates I've discovered are at Marks & Spencer. The
worst are at the Post Office, or actually at the airport bureaux de
change.

 

Not any more: I think they've just started charging for it.

<Googles>

Yup

http://www.guardian.co.uk/money/2010/jul/31/nationwide-flexaccount-charge-withdrawals

 

http://www.guardian.co.uk/money/2010/jul/31/nationwide-flexaccount-charge-withdrawals

I don't seem to have been charged in Mexico

10 Aug Cash Banco Santande/ MEXICO MX 2,031.32MXN at 19.868. £102.24

The machine did say something about a MX$30 charge for using a foreign
card but that's only about £1.50 - not sure where the MX$1.32 has come
from.

The exchange rate compares pretty favourably (interbank rate on the 10/8
was 20.17)

 

You can get a much better rate by "booking" ahead than turning up on the
door step, as it were.

Yeah, I looked at those, but a) they didn't seem worth it apart from being
able to budget and b) cards are not widely accepted where I'm heading
anyway.

 

Just looked it up and the PO are beating M&S at the moment.

 

I was about to say that the PO are usually one of the best...

....and now you've saved me the trouble!

 

I've never bothered worrying about it, on the grounds that if you're
bothered about a few % either way on your cash transactions on
holiday, why bother going in the first place - you could save a lot of
money by just sitting at home with a sunlamp and a ****-load of
whatever foreign lager's on offer at Tescos that week.

Similar ethos as to why I pay extra for valet parking at the airport -
a holiday is supposed to be enjoyable - not a situation in which you
fuss and scrimp.

 

Every time I've been to Egypt, they *say* that they take cards, and then
when you come to pay, it's "I'm sorry my friend, but our machine isn't
working, do you have cash? Or I can take it across the road to my friend
who runs the shop there".

It's just a lot less pain in the balls to pay them cash. They like cash.
They don't like or trust the system. Unless it's a big hotel, then that's
usually OK.

 

Good points, but by shopping around I can get an extra £20 (as it were)
and buy even more beers.

Besides, the mrs basically wants to use the local Thomas Cook because
they're convenient, and I like to mess up her day.

 

This. It's a couple of pounds at the most.

Might try that next year.

I hate it when I agree with you.

 

so you've decreased the overall cost of your holiday by what, less
than 1%?

now that's more like it.

 

Good move. Play to your strengths. 77% of accident-related injuries
happen in the home. Save yourself the hassle of travelling.

 

Third time lucky?

 

Nooooo, think of all the time we'll have wasted on setting up the
sweepstake if you don't go.