Post Office currency offer on again...

[PJackson]

Anyone wanting euros - was at our local PO yesterday and they have the "get over £500 worth of euros and get a better rate" offer on. It's not fantastic but was 1.21 something when I looked.... Might help someone....?

PS - My Mum managed to get me 1.22 at our local travel agents (little independent one) so I was fairly pleased with that May be worth checking yours out if you have one... Every penny counts when the exchange rate is so bad!

 

[manxtatt2]

travelex rate this morning was 1.22

 

[Tricky_lil_Pixie]

I got 1.21 in Marks & Sparks today

 

[thelittlemermaid83]

The PO always has that offer on as far as i know.

I got mine from Sainsbury's for 1.21 yesterday and i got some from the PO website when the rate was 1.19 a few weeks ago.

So I'm not complaining for £570 i got 700Euros.

 

[PJackson]

Does it Emma - I was told by the lady behind the counter that it expired at the end of August but that they'd extended it for a few more weeks??

Anyway - thought I'd mention it just in case anyone uses the PO for convenience or whatever

 

[gemmybear83]

I'm going to hang on a bit for me, knowling me if I get it now they will start going up again!

 

[thelittlemermaid83]

Does it Emma - I was told by the lady behind the counter that it expired at the end of August but that they'd extended it for a few more weeks??

Anyway - thought I'd mention it just in case anyone uses the PO for convenience or whatever

Thats what i got told, i ordered my euros online and picked them up at the local PO and the lady said i got the same Euros for £350 than what someone got for £500.

Then she rambled on about how the exchange rate is a bit higher if you exchange £500 instore....

I would recommend that if your changing up more than £350 and want to use the PO go online and order them your get more or the same as the £500 instore rate.
(you can collect at your local PO or have it delieverd)

 

[PJackson]

Also depends on how you are paying for it online though - you may have a credit or debit card where you get charged for currency transactions by your provider (we do - Lloyds TSB - thieves!!). So in the past, if I've used the PO I've been able to get a wad of cash out over the counter and then use a cheque for the rest to make the balance up - therefore saving the transaction fee. I know not everyone is bothered about it but I think it's a bit rich charging you for it IYSWIM Co-incidentally it was the lady in the PO that told me about 'getting round it'...

PS - I don't work for the PO

PPS - that's why my Mum got mine for me as she has a card where she doesn't get charged

 

[DLPdaft]

I get my euros from Marks & Spencer, as there is an exchange bureau in my local store.

The lady in there also warned me about using my Lloyds debit card to purchase currency, as Lloyds charges a hefty fee. So I just withdraw the cash from my Lloyds account at the atm then nip into M & S with it.

 

[thelittlemermaid83]

I used my halifax debit card and wasn't charged thankgod. I like the PO its just a shame there exchange rate is a bit rubbish at the moment.

 

[Ware Bears]

I use M&S and if you pay with an M&S card there isn't a fee.

I once priced it up with Travelex who do a good rate if you order online to collect at an airport/port but by the time I'd have been charged the fee on my debit card it worked out cheaper to just get the money from M&S.

 

[PJackson]

Emma - my Mum got my currency for me because of my debit card charge but apparently she was told (and I thought different) that she would be charged with a Halifax card?? I'd read that you weren't with that card so that's why I'd asked her to get it. In the end she got the cash out to do it just in case but I'll let her know your experience

 

[thelittlemermaid83]

I have just looked on my bank statment from when I brought my Euros online from the PO and nope I haven't been charged.

 

[PJackson]

Great thanks - that's good to know

 

[dizney71]

Hi

For my trip in 5 weeks time there a few companies that offer you like forward rates. I.e favourable rates that you prepurchase in advanced. The rate gets better the longer time you spoecify and the cash is delivered to you free

For example on travelmoneyservices.co.uk

I can get rate today of 1.2432 for delivery in 5 weeks time.. im seriously considering this...

 

[cookie334]

I'd recommend shopping around a bit too. When we went preparing for our June trip we were at a shopping centre with 4 travel agent and I went in to ask each of them their exchange rate and all of them asked if we'd been elsewhere. As soon as we told them what one had offered, they offered a better deal, so by the time we got to the 4th we were offered quite a bit more than we had originally and it worked out better than the post office etc. Unfortunately I was just asking at this point. I didn't have the money available to change what we needed and we were quite far from home so it didn't make any sense to go back to get it, but if there are a few travel agents near you it's worth a go.

 

[tetley02]

I went to hays travel today, they were charging £203 for 250 euros, best deal ive seen in a while.

 

[Jukeboxs]

I usually find International Currency Exchange are the most competitive (i.e. compared to the other top players, like M&S and the PO). I bought mine from them today, something like 1.235.

Off topic slightly, if you use credit cards when you're abroad, the best ones to get (i.e. those with the cheapest exchange rates) are the Post Office or Nationwide (Gold Card). These cards do not charge commission on top of exchange rates on foreign transactions. When I was in France in July, the Nationwide gave me a rate of 1.27 Euros on most of my transactions.

Every penny saved means another cent than can be spent in the Disney shop!

 

[FiFi Rose]

Hi I'm getting confused. Off to DLRP in two weeks and was just going to exchange at M & S (£600) Would this post office offer be better? Am I better to do it over the counter with cash?

 

[PJackson]

Hi Fifi

I think you just need to compare the rates on the day tbh - while there aren't huge differences in the rates clearly for £600 it can make a difference. If you were going to pay with debit card you may be charged by your bank for the transaction (we are with Lloyds TSB unless we buy it from them!). You will need to check with you bank, or to get around it, take the cash....

HTH