Buying Euros in the UK

[Mike G]

For a while now the Post Office has been a good bet- no commission and good rates. This summer Going Places and Lunn Poly have gone "no commission" to compete. Lunn Poly has recently been advertising better rates than the PO in their shops. However, this is for amounts over £600- surely more than most want to change. For less than £600 the rate is much worse. So the PO is still the cheapest I know of in the UK.

Hope some of you will find this of some help.

Mike

[Allan Barham]

For a while now the Post Office has been a good bet- no commission and good rates. This summer Going Places and Lunn Poly have gone "no commission" to compete. Lunn Poly has recently been advertising better rates than the PO in their shops. However, this is for amounts over £600- surely more than most want to change. For less than £600 the rate is much worse. So the PO is still the cheapest I know of in the UK.

Hope some of you will find this of some help.

Mike
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....and if you are fortunate enough to have a Nationwide debit card you can get an even better rate with no commission or foreign exchange charges by drawing money from the 'hole in the wall' machine in Plakias.

Allan

PS In case you are wondering, I don't have any connection with Nationwide other than being one of its customers!

Allan

[harribobs]

I've found Marks and Spencer giving the best rates with no commission, also that Thomas Cook were matching the best rates earlier in the year

(on an aside may I add that it is VERY difficult to exchange sterling in Belgium)

[John R]

In the good old pre euro days the best rates of exchange was via UK notes exchanged in Plakias itself - far better than dong the job in the Uk and travelling accross with the Drachmas (The what ?).

Anybody know what the exchange situation for UK sterling is now when in Crete.

John R

[compage]

Just a word of warning for those planning to use ATMs to obtain all their foreign currency...

My debit card was stopped while trying to make a withdrawal on our penultimate day.
The bank gave the reason as:
"The machine had trouble reading the chip on your card and that, combined with the unusually high level of withdrawals in recent days caused our automated systems to flag the transaction as potential fraud."

After calling the bank (24 hour support) they reinstated the card and have subsequently paid £20 compensation for the inconvenience and the cost of the call.

In response to my enquiry as to whether such a situation could be avoided by warning them in advance they said they said no, the systems could not cope with that.

[Graham_and_Karen]

The situation may vary from band to bank (worth asking). I had a similar situation a few years back and was told that pre-warning them that you were going abroad would help but since then there has probably been software installed that automatically checks for abnormal activity. It might not be easy to modify the criteria for blocking a card. Mid you - foreign travel is so common now that there should be a mechanism to allow for it. For info, using my Nationwide Debit Card, I got 1.48 to the pound and no charges - far better than buying in the UK or, I suspect, in Plakias.

[Greecemad]

I've been using ATMs in Greece for a few years now (ever since they became available). I've never been had any trouble before until 2 or 3 weeks ago. I was touring the Cyclades (I know that's not Plakias!) but I visited a few ATMs on Naxos and they all went right through the process then said something like "Sorry we are temporarily unable to process your transaction - please try again later". I had to get some cash quickly as I was going to some small islands where I knew there were no banks (and therefore you can't use credit cards anywhere). I went into a bank and went through a right rigmarole (passport, phone call, various forms, €5 charge..) but I got some cash in the end. About a week later when I got back to civilization (Mykonos), one evening I tried to use an ATM and started getting the same message again - what was going wrong I thought. However, the morning after, the first ATM I tried worked first time.

Greecemad

[George]

It's for all the above reasons that I don't rely on the machines, I'm still taking Travellers Cheques and a few euros to get me over the first few days.
It's nice to know that they're there though in case of emergencies.
george g...

[Noopsy]

It's for all the above reasons that I don't rely on the machines, I'm still taking Travellers Cheques and a few euros to get me over the first few days.
george g...
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Yes, that's what I always do.  I calculate the amount I need on the basis of a "daily allowance", and find that I always have money left over at the end of the holiday.  I get all my foreign exchange at Lloyds TSB who charge no commission.

Noopsy

[George]

Yes, that's what I always do.  I calculate the amount I need on the basis of a "daily allowance", and find that I always have money left over at the end of the holiday.  I get all my foreign exchange at Lloyds TSB who charge no commission.

Noopsy
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[/quote]

I'm still spending my holiday money. I got back on Sept 13 and haven't taken anything out of the bank yet.
Over zealous boy scout training, I guess.
george g...

[harribobs]

I'm still spending my holiday money. I got back on Sept 13 and haven't taken anything out of the bank yet.
Over zealous boy scout training, I guess.
george g...
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got rid of the Drachmas yet George?  

If you having trouble spending your holiday money, i'll send mandy over

[George]

got rid of the Drachmas yet George?  

If you having trouble spending your holiday money, i'll send mandy over
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[/quote]

Well if you don't mind, that's probably, the best offer I've had for a while.
george g...

[harribobs]

Well if you don't mind, that's probably, the best offer I've had for a while.
george g...
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she says OK but in the meantime can she have your credit card number  

now that's scary!

[beachcombers]

Yes, that's what I always do.  I calculate the amount I need on the basis of a "daily allowance", and find that I always have money left over at the end of the holiday.  I get all my foreign exchange at Lloyds TSB who charge no commission.

Noopsy
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I'm still spending my holiday money. I got back on Sept 13 and haven't taken anything out of the bank yet.
Over zealous boy scout training, I guess.
george g...
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[/quote]

George G,

Let the forum membersknow when you you will be again in P*, they will help to solve your financial problem without doubt.  
A last night dinner might do the trick?  

Regards
Beachcombers

Beachcombers

[harribobs]

you see how everybody is trying to help George....what a friendly forum this is!!