Buying USD when you get over there

[aussiegirls]

So normally I buy my USD and a travel card before I go. But today I was having a chat with a guy from work who swears that it's way better to buy it over there and that you get a much better rate. He says that he cahngesbover about $100, just enough to for a bit of food and a cab etc and all the rest he changes once he is there.

I looked at the travelex US website and lo and behold, I would be able to get quite a bit more if I could buy from there......but I can't - ugh!!!

Does anybody else exchange the bulk of their $$$$ over there? Thoughts??

 

[burne99]

Where are you getting the rates? Whats the website? Had a quick look and not seeing rates any better than here. You risk flying all that way with foreign currency and then you have cash, is it worth the risk?

 

[aussiegirls]

I got the rates from travelex.com. It's not a huge difference but it's a few hundred and, personally, I think a few hundred dollars is quite a bit.

Yeah, I know the risk, that's why I'm not sure. I wouldn't necessarily take cash. Maybe I could do a transfer or take it out of an atm. Depending on how much better the rate is, the fees could be worth it.

 

[burne99]

a few hundred? It must be me, but I cant understand how you are getting those results. You want to convert Australian currency to USA dollars? I cant see where you can buy USD on the travelex website? Mustnt be looking in the right place It would cost you a fortune to take USD out of an ATM. The banks here, would slug you which is why the cash passports are so popular. I thought you meant taking AUS$ and changing them when you land?

Is that what you meant? I worked night shift and havent slept yet, so its prob me

 

[aussiegirls]

Ugh, maybe it's me that doesn't know what I'm taking about. I can't find it on the website now either but I swear I saw it when I looked this afternoon at work

The dollar is just so crap, maybe I'm just clutching at straws.

 

[ozliz]

I have found that I got reasonable rates from Travelex doing the order online and pick up option. I actually try to pay for as much as possible using a credit card with no international transaction fees as that gives me the best rates. Where I have to use cash I prefer to use a travel card just so I don't have to carry much actual cash for safety. If you want to change money in the U.S. You would need to carry Australian dollars with you as of course withdrawing cash from an ATM overseas is expensive (and comes out in U.S. Dollars). I've never actually changed cash in the USA so cannot clarify whether it is cheaper.

 

[aussie shaz]

We put most purchases on the 28Degrees card, and take USD cash that we buy here. We now have a Citibank debit card, which we'll use in Japan. It will let you take cash out of machines with no fees and a 'good' exchange rate. (Not that any exchange rates are 'good' at the moment.
It's always a gamble what the $ will do. It's not looking good against the Yen either

 

[burne99]

28degrees used to be great when you could be in credit and use it as a debit card without the cash advance fee.

My last trip they cancelled my card due to "fraudulent" activity, while my mother was in the ICU. When I queried the activity, they were all mine, but they wouldnt reactivate it, without me agreeing that future charges would be my responsibility, whether they were fraudulent or not.... ahh, no!

So I cancelled my card and took my business to another provider.

 

[LivingforDisney]

I am still in US till tomorrow night, I bought all my money in cash, I dislike those travel cards, anyhow have been to DL, WDW & cruise, and had no problems, just put it in the safe with passport.
I just carry a small crossover bag, and take a couple of hundred with me when we go out.
Can't help with exchanging money here though

 

[lffam]

We just got back in early Jan after 40 days in USA(mostly). We did a combination of Travel card, Cash & 28 degrees. Yes the travel card rates are not the best, but they are not too bad and they are so convenient. I have read some horror stories with people using travel cards, however we have zero issues with them. We reloaded once while overseas also. 28 Degrees was our preferred way to get cash when needed in 2013, but after there change to the way they treat those transactions we just opted to carry the cash. We used the 28 Degrees card for anything large (accommodation mainly)we hadn't already paid for.

 

[lorryx3]

the dollar is crap so really i think it's convenience!
I had cash. and then i just used my visa debit card as an eftpos card and got cash out. the rates are about the same and it's just $3-6 fee for atm use. The Bank atms tend to be cheaper. think it was chase?

i always found the travel cards annoying - i always ended up with around $16 left that i couldn't get out!