OT: Travel Thread - Alaska to Zanzibar

[bigkurty]

Exchange rates can be tricky. My wife and I were in Florence a few months back and needed some cash. We stopped at an exchange place and before I knew it we paid $2000 usd for the equivalent of 1200 US dollars worth of euros. Ouch. I didn't realize it till later of course. Never again. I guess going to a bank stateside and doing the exchange before leaving is the best practice from what I heard. Or does anyone else have any recommendations on how to do it? The Suck thing about Italy is so many places don't take credit cards which is obviously the easiest way if you get a card that doesn't charge for exchange rates.

[humanrefutation]

Going to Vegas for the first time next week for a work conference. I'll be staying at Caesars. I'm not a gambling man, but I'm looking forward to seeing what Vegas has to offer.

[HurricaneKid]

Exchange rates can be tricky. My wife and I were in Florence a few months back and needed some cash. We stopped at an exchange place and before I knew it we paid $2000 usd for the equivalent of 1200 US dollars worth of euros. Ouch. I didn't realize it till later of course. Never again. I guess going to a bank stateside and doing the exchange before leaving is the best practice from what I heard. Or does anyone else have any recommendations on how to do it? The Suck thing about Italy is so many places don't take credit cards which is obviously the easiest way if you get a card that doesn't charge for exchange rates.

Everything should be done electronically. NEVER exchange currency at a kiosk or airport. There is a commission on top of a spread on top of a fee. They will attempt to use America's crappy math against you. Your bank will hit you with a substantial spread (buy Euros for $1.10 and sell them for $1.50 or some such) if you go there. Meanwhile, you will not pay a spread and some cards don't have qny fees. Even the bad ones are only 3.5% which is FAR better than any of your other options. Italy is a little problematic. But you should be able to hit ATMs even if you can't use CCs (which you can at most places). If you have some notice call your bank and see if they offer cards specifically for use in Europe. Europe is miles ahead of us in CC tech and have chips rather than the black slide.

[MartyConlonOnTheRun]

Weather is getting cold so I'm daydreaming on summer vacations. Any suggestions for road trips that incorporate outdoors and city attractions?

[drew881]

Exchange rates can be tricky. My wife and I were in Florence a few months back and needed some cash. We stopped at an exchange place and before I knew it we paid $2000 usd for the equivalent of 1200 US dollars worth of euros. Ouch. I didn't realize it till later of course. Never again. I guess going to a bank stateside and doing the exchange before leaving is the best practice from what I heard. Or does anyone else have any recommendations on how to do it? The Suck thing about Italy is so many places don't take credit cards which is obviously the easiest way if you get a card that doesn't charge for exchange rates.

Just go to an ATM. Time in and time out that will be the best rate. Getting money before hand is not a good idea, especially since you aren't in the country where that money is spent (i.e getting Euros in Milwaukee or NY). Take out as much as your ATM card allows on site. You get hit with ATM fees on your end only, but nothing like you mentioned above.

[drew881]

Exchange rates can be tricky. My wife and I were in Florence a few months back and needed some cash. We stopped at an exchange place and before I knew it we paid $2000 usd for the equivalent of 1200 US dollars worth of euros. Ouch. I didn't realize it till later of course. Never again. I guess going to a bank stateside and doing the exchange before leaving is the best practice from what I heard. Or does anyone else have any recommendations on how to do it? The Suck thing about Italy is so many places don't take credit cards which is obviously the easiest way if you get a card that doesn't charge for exchange rates.

Everything should be done electronically. NEVER exchange currency at a kiosk or airport. There is a commission on top of a spread on top of a fee. They will attempt to use America's crappy math against you. Your bank will hit you with a substantial spread (buy Euros for $1.10 and sell them for $1.50 or some such) if you go there. Meanwhile, you will not pay a spread and some cards don't have qny fees. Even the bad ones are only 3.5% which is FAR better than any of your other options. Italy is a little problematic. But you should be able to hit ATMs even if you can't use CCs (which you can at most places). If you have some notice call your bank and see if they offer cards specifically for use in Europe. Europe is miles ahead of us in CC tech and have chips rather than the black slide.

ATMS in Europe don't require the chip. They still make it accessible for swipe card technology. It is other areas like in restaurants where you might need the chip, but I wouldn't try to use cards there anyway. And ATMs in general in every country work just fine, and are the way to go. In Europe all ATMs will work with your American card. In some places like China there is a difference between a local bank and an international bank ATM.

[drew881]

And boo to Florence. Such a lame tourist trap of pizza and gelato and jewelry shopping compared to the rest of Italy.

[M-C-G]

Love the discussion on this thread, would be cool if we could have one dedicated to travel moving forward.

DONE!