Changing € to $ USD - what's the best way?

PrettyBoy

Sorry if this is the wrong section as I'm sure this question has been asked before but I couldn't find anything recent

I'm travelling to America in a couple of weeks and will need to exchange around €3000 to USD - what's the best way to do this (ie. as cheaply as possible)? Someone said to me the post office would be the best place but I said I'd ask here beforehand just to be safe.

Jayop

Revolut card and withdraw the money over there or use the card as you need it.

elfy4eva

Post office sell dollars comission free IIRC. Cant speak for their exchange rates though, youd have to do aome calculations. They have an exchange calculator on their website here.

http://www.anpost.ie/AnPost/Mobile/Personal+Customers/Money+Matters/Foreign+Exchange/

thebiglad

Jayop wrote: »

Revolut card and withdraw the money over there or use the card as you need it.

Not sure if sames applies for Revolut Card but I used a Post Office Currency Card (a pre-paid MasterCard in either USD or STG) on a recent trip to US.

Worked perfectly for purchases but whenever I wanted to make a withdrawl (I think daily limit was $300) I was charged $3 by the bank machine - tried multiple banks but all applied a charge so each withdrawal was shown as $303. These $3 fees soon add up.

With the cost of the card/slight loss on conversion rate etc it was not a good deal.

This is not a charge applied by An Post it was from the US banks

Jayop

There's no cost to getting a Revolut card. AFAIK the withdrawal fees in American atms are their side and apply regardless of the card you use but you can still get some machines withdrawal free.

223vmax

https://transferwise.com/ or https://www.currencyfair.com/

shrapnel222

223vmax wrote: »

https://transferwise.com/ or https://www.currencyfair.com/

not very handy when you don't have a USD account :rolleyes:

+1 for revolut. great card and system

coylemj

An Post looks at the AIB and BoI rates every morning and they pitch their rate for the day in between the two so they are never the best for FX, one of the main banks is, even allowing for commission. I've come to that conclusion based on the fact that having checked the rates dozens of times, the An Post rate always falls between the two big banks, every time.

For example, here are today's rates, An Post is marginally better than BoI but in both cases the AIB rate is best.....

UK Sterling notes sell:

AIB 0.8804
An Post 0.8668
BoI 0.8662


US Dollar notes sell:

AIB 1.0811
An Post 1.0642
BoI 1.0631


Q.E.D.

Jayop

Revolut dollar exchange rate right now is 1.0939 with no commission.