Guide Tips question

[mog]

Did you take along US dollars in cash for your guides' tips or did you just get local currency out of the ATM when it was time to tip?

Just trying to decide whether to get the cash out and take it along or wait until we get there and take care of it then.

 

[redzinner]

Did you take along US dollars in cash for your guides' tips or did you just get local currency out of the ATM when it was time to tip?

Just trying to decide whether to get the cash out and take it along or wait until we get there and take care of it then.

Personally, we withdrew it as Euros from ATMs for both the Italy and Ireland trips. I did it that way for my comfort level of not carrying that much cash with me.

 

[mog]

Personally, we withdrew it as Euros from ATMs for both the Italy and Ireland trips. I did it that way for my comfort level of not carrying that much cash with me.

That's kind of what I was thinking, too. I didn't really want to be carrying that much cash with me.
When you withdraw Euros at ATM's over there, I assume you put in the amount in Euros - so do you know right then how much in US dollars you are withdrawing? In other words - is there an exchange rate posted or are you just taking out Euros and finding out later how much in US you took out. Not sure if that even makes sense, but I'm just trying to wrap my mind around this...I haven't been to Europe since before the "age of ATM's". The last time I was there we took travelers checks and just exchanged money at places!

 

[redzinner]

That's kind of what I was thinking, too. I didn't really want to be carrying that much cash with me.
When you withdraw Euros at ATM's over there, I assume you put in the amount in Euros - so do you know right then how much in US dollars you are withdrawing? In other words - is there an exchange rate posted or are you just taking out Euros and finding out later how much in US you took out. Not sure if that even makes sense, but I'm just trying to wrap my mind around this...I haven't been to Europe since before the "age of ATM's". The last time I was there we took travelers checks and just exchanged money at places!

Hi mog,

You made perfect sense because I had to wrap my brain around it too.

When withdrawing from a foreign ATM you will have the choice of language, although I don't remember that in Ireland since it already was in English but definitely an option in Italy.

I always asked for a receipt and sometimes I received it and sometimes I didn't. The receipt only shows how many Euros you withdrew, not the number of US $ or your balance or any fees associated with withdrawing money.

So when you punch in 100 you will get 100 euros. But in your account about $145 will be deducted, which figures in exchange difference and bank fees.

I just kept a running account since I didn't have my checkbook with me. I knew my balance when I started and then just subtracted an approximate figure each time I withdrew money. Then when I got home and received my bank statement I did the exact subtractions in my checkbook.

Hope that helps.

 

[mwebsite]

I would also encourage you to have your tips ready before the day of the farewell dinner. We were scrambling on the evening of the dinner to figure out how much we needed to tip and you can only withdraw so much each day. The last day of the trip comes so fast, it would have been nice to have been prepared. The guides were so good, I didn't realize how much I would want to tip them.

 

[Phil1019]

This question is for anyone that has gone on the Costa Rica Adventure. Did you tip in US dollars or colones?

 

[Traveling Tinkerbell]

We went on the Costa Rica trip this past April. We gave US dollars to the ABD guide from the US whereas we gave colones to the local home based ABD guide from Costa Rica.

 

[mog]

Thanks for all the great info! I will plan to set aside money for the guides as we withdraw it throughout the trip so I am ready with it the last night. It is helpful to know that you are only told in Euros, not dollars how much you are withdrawing - I will just have to keep a running tab and check on exact amounts later.
Thanks!

 

[kjd469]

Not all ATM's in Italy will give you a choice of English or Italian...I just got back from there a couple of weeks ago, and many of the ATM's we used only "spoke" Italian...we just kind of muddled through, and it eventually spit out the Euro's! Also, although this has been said before, make sure you inform your bank before your trip, that you will be using your debit card (or credit card) to withdraw money in a foreign country (give the the dates and country), or you may get a nasty surprise when you go to use it i.e. being blocked from using it!