Shopping Up North.

byhookorbycrook

I was wondering if anyone can help me here. Is it cheaper to use a credit card or to use an ATM card to withdraw sterling?

The Backwards Man

What bank are you with? Debit card usually, unless you're with one of them fancypants banks.

Stheno

Depends on the rate the shops are offering, usually it's cheaper to use a card ime

MadYaker

Might be cheaper to withdraw euros down here and then change them at a credit union.

Aint Eazy Being Cheezy

Cheapest way is to actually walk into the bank, and bring a shotgun.

biko

Possibly buy Sterling here and bring cash.

byhookorbycrook

Thanks all, am with PTSB

The Backwards Man

biko wrote: »

Possibly buy Sterling here and bring cash.

In AH?

OK, I'll give you £75 for a €100 OP. PM me for details.

humbert

I believe a lot of the Northern ATMs have fees for withdrawing cash. When abroad I've found Visa's exchange rates to be pretty fair.

The Backwards Man

byhookorbycrook wrote: »

Thanks all, am with PTSB

Just use the Visa Debit in the shop, best rate you will get.

IvySlayer

Many shops accept Euro, at least in my experience

The Backwards Man

IvySlayer wrote: »

Many shops accept Euro, at least in my experience

They do indeed. In my business I'll even accept roubles, rupees and rhubarb as payment, but I'll tell you one thing;

I'll give ya a crap rate.

Bog Standard User

Johnny Electricity wrote: »

Cheapest way is to actually walk into the bank, and bring a shotgun.

you doing it wrong

kidnap a banker's family and force the banker to rob the bank for you is the proper way to do it.

Aint Eazy Being Cheezy

Bog Standard User wrote: »

you doing it wrong

kidnap a banker's family and force the banker to rob the bank for you is the proper way to do it.

Doesn't work. All you end up with is a can of fizzy orange

dm09

Its usually cheaper to use a credit card, you will get the exact exchange rate at that moment in time. A lot of stores in Newry for example do except Euro but they generally give you 20% less than the actual exchange rate. Like wise if you exchange cash you may not get a favorable exchange rate and you may also have to pay commission.
The only time it might be favorable to have Euro is from time to time, especially coming up to Christmas, a lot of stores in Newry offer Euro for Pound exchange rates!
Otherwise credit card is best, as long as you pay your balance off quickly to avoid interest and fees!:rolleyes:

iopener

if your shopping in newry why don't you bring euro and change it to sterling in either the buttrcrane shoppping centre bureau or the hill street bureau the rate today was 83.5p for a euro.if your going to be changing a large amount of cash bring id.

anncoates

I think the accepted local custom is to offer the retailer 'protection' in lieu of money for goods.

kneemos

iopener wrote: »

if your shopping in newry why don't you bring euro and change it to sterling in either the buttrcrane shoppping centre bureau or the hill street bureau the rate today was 83.5p for a euro.if your going to be changing a large amount of cash bring id.

Then you're left with change and more fees for changing back the leftover Sterling.

the groutch

Credit card for most shopping, but bring a wad of notes for shops that will give a decent exchange rate for your € (ie. 90p +)

ABajaninCork

Is there an American Express or a Marks & Spencer with a Bureau de Change? Best bet would be to bring Euro and change to Stg when you get there. No commission and usually a good rate of exchange. Thomas Cook also offer commission free exchange. I do that when going home to London, and usually no problem.

Don't change money in the banks or the CU. Sh1te exchange rate and they'll charge commission.

Take a Visa debit card for anything else. A lot of shops will offer you the choice of paying in Euro or Stg too.

byhookorbycrook

Am heading to the Banbridge outlet centre.

Stheno

byhookorbycrook wrote: »

Am heading to the Banbridge outlet centre.

Ah. That's different, I shop there at least once every two months.

Bring a wad of euro cash and your card, and check each store. Some do € for £, others charge exorbitant rates.

If you've both euro and a card, you get the best of both worlds. My OH has a laser so he always has the cash and I have the card, and we use whichever is the best rate.

Anything in particular you are looking out for? This weekend is a good one as it's a special offer weekend so there should be decent value up there.

More than likely the best bet is to use Euros.

Owldshtok

Im likely to be behind the times on this but I though it didn't make a difference anymore,in that retailers both sides of the border are doing their best to compete with online and consequently each other.Is shopping up north is still significantly cheaper to make it worth the trip or is it just shops or items not readily available down here?

Mardy Bum

Change in the post office for free before hand.

Stheno

Owldshtok wrote: »

Im likely to be behind the times on this but I though it didn't make a difference anymore,in that retailers both sides of the border are doing their best to compete with online and consequently each other.Is shopping up north is still significantly cheaper to make it worth the trip or is it just shops or items not readily available down here?

Banbridge is the NI equivalent of Kildare Village, e.g. they have an Armani Outlet/DKNY etc along with the likes of M&S, Denby and a few other shops.

I've picked up Armani suits up there for less than €200, but the individual shops in the centre vary wildly on what rate they offer for euros, so best to have a combination of Euro cash and card to get the best value.

Deleted User wrote: »

More than likely the best bet is to use Euros.

Nope not in Banbridge, it ranges from € for £ to rates as low as £.70 to be honest, varies hugely between shops

The Dagda

Johnny Electricity wrote: »

Doesn't work. All you end up with is a can of fizzy orange

And a tiger...

donegal__road

its commission free on Sterling (and dollars) at An Post at the minute. Change your cash straight over the counter at the post office before you head up north.

wretcheddomain

If you're shopping up north then I think it's the Krona you're looking for, not Sterling.

The Backwards Man

donegal__road wrote: »

its commission free on Sterling (and dollars) at An Post at the minute. Change your cash straight over the counter at the post office before you head up north.

It's commission free but at a far inferior rate. Changing money always costs money, there's no way around it. Best bet is pay with your card in-store unless they have an overly generous euro exchange rate, which you rarely see these days. As a wise man once said to me, 'calculate twice, transact once.'

Stheno

The Backwards Man wrote: »

It's commission free but at a far inferior rate. Changing money always costs money, there's no way around it. Best bet is pay with your card in-store unless they have an overly generous euro exchange rate, which you rarely see these days. As a wise man once said to me, 'calculate twice, transact once.'

That's one of the good things about the shops in Banbridge, almost all of them advertise the €/£ rate very visibly so you know before you even go in which is the best option

Stheno

Stheno wrote: »

Nope not in Banbridge, it ranges from € for £ to rates as low as £.70 to be honest, varies hugely between shops

Jaysus.

3_BOoYA_X

The Backwards Man wrote: »

It's commission free but at a far inferior rate'

Used to think that myself but most days they're the spot on same exchange as the bank. Get a sterling an post card if you don't want cash. No commission charges for money exchange or use.

Stheno

Deleted User wrote: »

Jaysus.

It's alleviated by the fact that most stores very prominently display what rate they are offering, and if they don't the staff are so used to being asked they don't make you feel under any obligation by asking.

I shop both there and in Kildare Village, and Banbridge regularly outdo Kildare Village (e.g. Jaeger which is in both) on price when you factor in the exchange rate.

I can hand on heart say that by signing up for their newsletters and taking advantage of their promotions that I've gotten better value than I ever do in Kildare Village, and considering they are pretty much equidistant from where I live I'd go to Banbridge every time.

There is also a massive difference in service.

byhookorbycrook

One of the reasons it is better than Kildare Village is that it has mobility scooters.

For Forks Sake

byhookorbycrook wrote: »

One of the reasons it is better than Kildare Village is that it has mobility scooters.

It's probably very wrong that the first thing that popped into my mind upon seeing that was this...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zd3LjSHjg80

TheHighest92

Johnny Electricity wrote: »

Cheapest way is to actually walk into the bank, and bring a shotgun.

'put £120,000 in the bag NNOOOWWW'

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B4YiR3zS4uE

iopener

Was up in the outlet center in Bainbridge on Thursday and it's the same every time I go up there, the place stinks, I don't know if it's a sewage problem or theres a meat packers near by but the smell is rotten.