Use atm or get sterling before I go

memaul

So I'm off to England for the weekend and I'm wondering which is better to do. Either use my laser / credit card or get sterling from the bank before I go.

Thanks for any info

GSF

Not a huge difference unless you are planning on spending a lot of £'s. If using an ATM in the UK DO NOT accept the fx rate offered by the bank ATM. Instead let your own bank do the fx conversion.

Jet Black

If your flying out of Dublin the ATMs seem to only take BoI laser cards. I've tried a couple of different ones and none of them worked.

memaul

thanks folks

coylemj

OP, get cash from the ATM in the airport when you arrive, I've never managed to land at a UK airport that didn't have ATMs in arrivals.

GSF wrote: »

Not a huge difference unless you are planning on spending a lot of £'s. If using an ATM in the UK DO NOT accept the fx rate offered by the bank ATM. Instead let your own bank do the fx conversion.

I've never seen an ATM in a foreign country offering to do the currency conversion. Credit card transactions (especially in hotels) are often offered in your home currency but it's always best to do the transaction in the local currency, that way you'll get the best exchange rate which by the way will be from the credit card company, not your bank.

Never do an electronic transaction in anything other than the local currency, even if buying from Amazon i.e. always use the trader's currency so that the FX is done by your bank or CC company.

finbarrk

Personally I would have my cash got before I leave. Couldn't be bothered looking for ATMs at the airport and then hoping the card will work.

GSF

coylemj wrote: »

I've never seen an ATM in a foreign country offering to do the currency conversion.

The ones in Heathrow certainly work that way. I think a lot of the UK bank ATMs are set up to do the same ie. offer their own exchange rate for withdrawing in GBP

Random

i was in the uk at the weekend. im with aib. taking 40 pounds out of the atm cost me 52.13 euro on my bank statement, which includes the atm fee.

gandalf

Jet Black wrote: »

If your flying out of Dublin the ATMs seem to only take BoI laser cards. I've tried a couple of different ones and none of them worked.

Nope used then last month to get sterling on my aib card.

thebiglad

I always accept the conversion offered and it is better than my BoI option - BoI will charge a fee for the withdrawl (€3.72 on last few) and apply their own version of an exchange rate. Accepting the rate from the machine (which can be quickly calculated in the head) I usually find it better.

Charges

3.5% of transaction value
Minimum €3.17, Maximum

€11.43 per transaction