OMG at the exchange rate!

[ema74]

I've been really disorganised this time and only just bought some Euros. Nearly cried at the bank when I paid £180 for 200Eur We have some euros left from our trips before so that will come in handy.

Remember the first time we went, 2 years ago, we got 100Eur for £60 and now

We're planning to pay on the cards (debit/credit/anything) wherever we can so hopefully that will work. Now need to call the bank to let them know we're going so that they don't block our accounts.

Grrrrrrrrr

 

[poppyolivia]

I've been really disorganised this time and only just bought some Euros. Nearly cried at the bank when I paid £180 for 200Eur We have some euros left from our trips before so that will come in handy.

Remember the first time we went, 2 years ago, we got 100Eur for £60 and now

We're planning to pay on the cards (debit/credit/anything) wherever we can so hopefully that will work. Now need to call the bank to let them know we're going so that they don't block our accounts.

Grrrrrrrrr

does it make any difference using cards??? I get confused with all this!!haha!

 

[ema74]

No it doesn't. But I feel much better when I pay on the card, it's when I get the statement that I panic

 

[cap'njack.]

It's only 1.13!! I need it to go up rather quickly or I am knackered for this trip

 

[ema74]

It's hideous! It was 1.11 for me at Barclays this morning. I nearly cried

 

[Jeccaboos]

OMG that is awful.

I am planning to open the Terramundi tonight and then exchange into Euros in the next couple of days....how typical.

 

[cap'njack.]

It's hideous! It was 1.11 for me at Barclays this morning. I nearly cried

I'm not sure that I would have bothered at that rate!! Don't know what I'd have done but not sure that I could change money up at that rate

 

[ema74]

I'm not sure that I would have bothered at that rate!! Don't know what I'd have done but not sure that I could change money up at that rate

Yeah... I agree... But it's always good to have some change in your wallet, to buy an autograph book and a lollypop

Crazy!

 

[scampbunny]

yes - it is awful....

firstly - (here i come with more links lol) most card companies use the visa rate to convert, which is marginally better - http://corporate.visa.com/pd/consumer_services/consumer_ex_results.jsp?from=GBP&to=EUR&rate=0.0 - so that will show what ur bank is converting at when u use ur card..... it is a better rate than getting cash, but depends on if ur card charges (nationwide flex account doesnt lol)

secondly - heres a couple of sites that compare exchange rate.... some obviously charge for small amounts, but some dont....
http://www.comparetravelmoney.co.uk/
https://www.travelex.co.uk/uk/mywallet.aspx?content=mn
https://www.currency-express.com/cg...id=01&menu=currency&dept_id=01&sub_dept_id=01.

i was lucky - i ordered mine monday from lloyds and got a rate of 1.1588.... but really hope it picks up!

 

[thelittlemermaid83]

Thanks for that link Nikki.

I'm only taking £350 with me so that has helped incase i need to use my card to take some cash out.

 

[Jeccaboos]

The HB vouchers look even more value for money now.

 

[Sarah84]

I still need to get mine too, it had dropped today again but looked to be getting better the last few days so hoping it will go up again sometime over the next week rather than drop anymore

 

[cap'njack.]

I still need to get mine too, it had dropped today again but looked to be getting better the last few days so hoping it will go up again sometime over the next week rather than drop anymore

I'm exactly the same! I have said if it reaches 1.17 at any time I'll just buy otherwise I'll wait until next Wednesday

 

[ukstitch]

does it make any difference using cards??? I get confused with all this!!haha!

It can make a difference.

Most cards use the "real" rate rather than the "exchange" rate.

For example, if the "real rate" at the moment is roughly 1.167, where as the "exchange rate" that you get when changing money up is somewhere around the 1.13 mark as far as I'm aware.

This means that most cards will give you a better rate.

But...

Most cards will also charge you a small fee for every payment you make with them, which effectively lowers the rate you get by using the card. This is where the Hotel Chargecard thing comes in useful, as it groups all your payments together and charges them as one large payment instead, meaning that you only pay one transaction charge (giving you a better rate again).

I appreciate this may not make sense, but it's quite hard to explain it any simpler than this

Basically:

For large payments, a card is better

For small payments, there's probably not much difference or cash may even be better.

 

[scampbunny]

thats explained much better rob!
the 1st link i gave is the 'real' rate site that u mention - so it can give u an idea on how its all going!!

 

[mummyal]

Oh gosh, I've completely forgotten that we have to change some Euros. We still have some leftover from our summer hols. So hopefully that will be enough for small bits & pieces and we won't have to change too much. Must go find that stash of Euros now - can't remember where I've put it lol.

 

[diswix]

I don't know whether the half board option would help. As we stayed at the Sequoia too ( it is so Christmassey)
We went last week and got E1.1 to the pound too. I wish we had pre-booked the half board option it would have saved us £10 each on the buffet meals alone and we would have got a drink included too.
We paid E28 at the Hunters grill which is virtually pound for Euro. The cost in advance for half board would have been £18!!!!!!!!
It would not have worked out for the tea part E15, but otherwise a good deal.
We did the awful thing of making a few rolls up from breakfast, I did feel guilty but with two kids at UNI we had to be careful.

 

[aobh]

i'm so stupid! last friday the exchange rate went up to 1.20 and I didn't bother getting my money changed So i'll be keeping a close eye on things between now and monday week. I think the best way for me is to nip over the border into the republic of Ireland (only 20 mins away) and take money out of the cash machine with my nationwide debit card .. i've already warned everyone that there'll be no pressies brought home this time .. well maybe a few but only for DS and DD

 

[marcus.ka]

If I read all this I am so happy that we have the Euro. Since 2002 we don't have to change Deutsche Mark into Franc anymore. And we also don't need to calculate if we see a price in Franc how much that is in Deutsche Mark.

And the same applies to so many European Countries.

And to make you even more mad at me: I am also angry that the Pound is so low in the moment. When I was in the UK in August I had to pay 1.24€ for 1 Pound. These days my UK trip would have been much cheaper.

 

[karenmoloney]

I'm sorry to hear that the exchange rate is so awful for everyone at the moment, but I must be one of the few that benefit. Although I live in Northern Ireland, very close to the border, my DH - the sole earner - works in the Republic so all our income is in euro. So we are having to convert euro to sterling all the time, so we think it is great!