When traveling, where do you get your foreign currency?

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I went to the bank and the rate they gave was
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. Where do you guys usually get your foreign cash? Airport? Bank? Foreign country?
 
I remember when I went to Guatemala, I was going to go to the bank my cousins stonefaced me and told me they would give me a bogus rate and literally drove me to some house and told me to go inside. It was just this house with a waiting room and the lady asked how much us dollars I had and they came back with the money. A week later goons hit the house and took all the money I heard
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like 100k
 
When I went to Amsterdam, I got a small amount at the airport when I landed, then a larger amount at a currency exchange in the city.
 
I'm going to mexico, so I dunno bout going to their currency exchange spots there. The wolves can be waiting outside
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Originally Posted by illphillip

When I went to Amsterdam, I got a small amount at the airport when I landed, then a larger amount at a currency exchange in the city.

Yeah don't use the airport/train station spots for large amounts. The rates are usually horrible.
 
Usually I exchange my money at either the bank or the hotel. Sometimes the hotels can offer decent rates.
 
This got me thinking. What if you just get it from the ATM? I know there's a certain fee but does it increase when you withdraw more?
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Originally Posted by JPioneer

This got me thinking. What if you just get it from the ATM? I know there's a certain fee but does it increase when you withdraw more?
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I've withdrawn from a foreign ATM before. You just need to make sure your card is affiliated. The back of your credit/debit card should let you know which ones to look for. My Wells Fargo cards work with STAR and Plus affiliate ATMs.

I believe there's a cap to how much you can take out. Not sure if it's a daily cap.
 
If you can, try and get to the US Embassy. I'm pretty sure they'll do it for free (I did it in Nigeria). Most places where the crime is bad you definitely don't want to do it at a bank or any other major exchange place b/they're just waiting for Americans to come out with bank rolls. My best guess is consulting a travel guide and somewhere inside it should be able to help with converting money.
 
credit card with no foreign transaction fee>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>hotel or bank
 
im going to DR for spring break, i was just going to withdraw a good amount of cash and put it in my sock before the plane took off, and exchange it later on.
 
You will almost always get the best interbank exchange rate when buying foreign currency with either ATM cards or credit cards, which will usually be 2 to 7 percent better than the rates you'll get when exchanging cash or traveler's checks. Try to use credit cards whenever possible for large purchases such as hotel bills, tickets and car rentals. However, keep in mind that most credit card companies add fees for transactions made in foreign currencies. (Capital One is one of very few U.S. credit card companies that do not.) Local vendors such as restaurants and shops may also charge a fee for credit card transactions.

If ATM's are easily accessible in the country you're visiting, we recommend using your ATM card for day-to-day cash needs. But again, remember that your bank (and the local bank) may charge you an additional fee for each transaction -- making it generally a good idea to take out as much money at a time as you feel comfortable carrying, rather than making multiple stops at the ATM.

http://www.independenttra...le.cfm?AID=44&category=8
 
Originally Posted by rocman23

im going to DR for spring break, i was just going to withdraw a good amount of cash and put it in my sock before the plane took off, and exchange it later on.
Im in DR right now the best place I have seen is the bus station Caribe Tours the exchange rate was like 36 everywhere else it was only 34
 
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