Getting currency for a trip
By maximax8
@maximax8 (31053)
United Kingdom
June 5, 2012 10:36am CST
I know that exchange rates vary depending on where the currency is exchanged. Sometimes the rate is pleasing and other times it is miserable. When I visited America it was close to one pound for one US dollar so that was miserable. When I visited Australia I got more than two Australian dollars for every pound so that was very pleasing.
When I wanted Colombian currency it was challenging to get in my home country. I easily got it on my arrival in that country. I took US dollars and my debit cards with me on my trip to Argentina, Chile, Brazil and Uruguay. I found it easy to get money from ATM machines on my trip. On my trip around Europe when I was age 18 I took travelers checks. These had a high charge every time I cashed one of them.
When I go to a dangerous place within my luggage and person I hide my money in different places. For my last few trips I have traveled with my slash proof hidden away money belt.
How do you do when you go off traveling money wise?
Have you ever taken a bank card to use overseas?
Did you ever exchange money and get a pleasing rate or a miserable rate?
Did you get a money belt for your travels?
1 person likes this
6 responses
@frankiecesca (2489)
•
22 Jun 12
Th first tiem I went to the USA, it was just under $2 to the pound and I felt that was great - the next time I went I got just under $1.60 to the pound so the diffeerenc was huge! I have just changed some money for my short trip to Cyprus and got 1.18 euros to the pound which isn't great but, at least it has gone bac up slightly! Lasst tiem I changed euros it was only just over the 1 euro to each pound!
@Torunn (8609)
• Norway
10 Jun 12
I usually have all my cards, wallet etc in my camera rucksack. I know quite a few people who have had things stolen from their rucksack, but since I'm paranoid about anyone coming to close to my back I feel pretty safe. Plus, a camera rucksack is much sturdier than normal rucksack (double lining, water proof, etc) and has lot of hidden pockets etc.
I usually take a bank card and use an ATM at the airport. I think the worse exchange rate was when it was 13 krones to a pound, the best when I went to Iceland after the banks collapsed. It used to be 1 NOK for 1 Icelandic krone, but then it was only half the price. I think it is still pretty low.
@youless (112103)
• Guangzhou, China
6 Jun 12
When I traveled Hong Kong, it is quite convenient to exchange money there because the exchange shops are available everywhere. So usually I will exchange Hong Kong dollars when I arrive there. But if I want to travel abroad, I think I will exchange the local currency here at first because I am afraid I am not familiar with the place to exchange money when I arrive at the destination. But if I can pay by the credit card, I prefer to pay with it rather than cash since I will not have a lot of cash with me, especially when I have a travel abroad. I don't like to exchange it back when I go home.
I love China
@Porcospino (31366)
• Denmark
6 Jun 12
In my bank I am able to exchange money without a fee and I always exchange some money before I leave my country. I don't want to carry big amounts of cash so I use my visa card to pay for expensive things and I use cash for small purchases.
In some cases I am able to exchange money before I leave, but it is not always possible, it depends on the country that I want to visit. There are some countries where the local currency isn't available outside the country for instanse in Laos. I have to bring some US dollars instead and in Laos I can exchange them to kip. There are also countries where it is illegal to bring out the local currency and there are countries where you can bring them out but it is impossible to exchange them outside the country. I don't want to get stuck with a lot of cash that I am unable to exchange, and that it one of the reasons why I don't exchange large amounts of money.
@marguicha (215346)
• Chile
5 Jun 12
Hi Maxine,
I usually take with me some small amount of US$ in small currency for taxis and the
rest I have it in a credit card. I have not had any problem in any country with credit cards but I never liked traveller cheques because they only accepted them in big stores.
Rate of change depends on the economy of each country. Euros and dollars are cheaper now than some years ago as compared to our currency.
@RawBill1 (8531)
• Gold Coast, Australia
8 Jun 12
On our recent trip to the USA, we exchanged our currency for US dollars at the local shops here and got a good rate. Much better than they were offering at the airports both in Brisbane and LAX. We got $1.04 in USD for every AUD we handed over so that was good. We also used our debit card over there for larger purchases as well as a credit card which we had to apply for specially for the trip as we did not have one prior to planning it. We needed that for the deposit on our car rental and hotel rooms.
I have never used travellers cheques and yes, I did have a money belt which I carried on me at all times with my excess cash and passports. It was uncomfortable at first but I got used to wearing it after a while. It felt odd to not wear it once we returned home!
