Euros......... (1 Viewer)

Charlie

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Really daft question.. We go away in just over two weeks so have to order some Euros.

Is it easy to get coins as well as notes ? Would like a pile in the designated container ready for toll roads.. Wife seems to think we may have a problem getting coins. Me I haven't a clue .

Cheers .
 
R

Robert Clark

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The French toll roads usually take cards, so it might be worth considering a pre paid Euro card from Travelex or one of the other currency providers. We got ours from Easyjet, applied online and it came in 10 days
I'm not sure you can get coins from foreign exchange shops - but I might be wrong
Have a great trip
 
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WynandJean

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I wouldn't worry about it. If you give them a note they'll give you the change. To be honest I find their coins too fiddly to be worth the trouble!

Wyn

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denisejoe

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It is possible to get 1 and 2 Euro coins from some currency exchange bureaux. Personally prefer to use a good credit card rather than getting Euros in this country.

Denise
 
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Flamenca

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Exchange shops in UK usually only provide notes. Most tolls have a lane for paying in cash and will give change.
 
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wizza

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Cant get cions only notes, you can order them and getter better rate but i just get mine from post office, you will soon get a collection of coins

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Charlie

Charlie

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I wouldn't worry about it. If you give them a note they'll give you the change. To be honest I find their coins too fiddly to be worth the trouble!

Wyn

Well that shows how green we are ! Didn't realise the tolls were manned !

The toll on the Forth Bridge (Now gone ) was unmanned. The M6 toll is or was when I went though at night was unmanned.. I jus supposed the ones on French Motorways are the same.
 
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vwalan

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never use toll roads avoid motor ways . try not to take dual carriageways if there is another road going in the right direction .
thats the best way to travel , you find fonts ,taps ,nice places others miss . the nicest places are hidden away from fast roads and crowds .
just go slow enjoy every minute . smile wave at people .
every village has something hidden away . stop someone will guide you.
 
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Feb 16, 2013
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Pre paid euro card of your choice, is really the way to go, good site here to have a look at
Broken Link Removed
You pays your money and takes your choice(y):)
But you don't have to carry a lot of cash with you , accepted everywhere but motorway tolls and unmanned petrol station, and you can draw cash at any hole in the wall, plus if you lose it or get it nicked you only stand the lose the money on it , they don't get acces to your bank account details with the cufuffel that can cause(y)

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Errrr Dont have a credit card... Will debit do ?
We have tesco credit cards and use for everything, and find they work quite well in Europe plus every time you use it you get points for the tunnel, but still have a eurocard.
 
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WynandJean

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If you can get one in time we use a Caxton Card. It's in euros. Does not charge for usage. You pre_pay it as much as you want. Can use it in French ATMs without charges or exchange rate worries and can load it online whenever you wish or set a minimum level for auto top up.(y)

Wyn
 
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Allanm

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never use toll roads avoid motor ways . try not to take dual carriageways if there is another road going in the right direction .
thats the best way to travel , you find fonts ,taps ,nice places others miss . the nicest places are hidden away from fast roads and crowds .
just go slow enjoy every minute . smile wave at people .
every village has something hidden away . stop someone will guide you.
Some of the nicest places we have visited was because we either got lost or took a wrong turn off an autoroute / toll road. France, as well as most places, is best seen from small roads, assuming you have the time, of course.
But, if you have to take toll roads, most take cards and cash, some are manned, some aren't. We have a French bank account and use the bank card for that, previously, we just used credit cards. Tolls are generally not too expensive, especially when you take into account that you have just filled your tank up for around 75p a litre! ( we paid €1.08 yesterday)

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sdc77

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Another thing you could consider... Probably too late now ..is getting a toll tag .. That way you just pay by direct debit a month later.
As some have said it can be nice not to use tolls. But lots of us do for various reasons.. For us .. We have limited time and know where we're going in advance.
Have a great trip
 
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Errrr Dont have a credit card... Will debit do ?

Get yourself a Post Office Credit Card, might be a bit late this time round but handy for next time.

Get it through Quidco and get £25 just for getting it. No extra costs for using it abroad for purchases so long as it is paid off every month (I treat mine just like a debit card and pay it off every month), good business exchange rate. Use it to buy your Euros online through the post office and there is no extra charges (and go through quidco again and get £3 cashback). It's a win win. (y)

Your other options are as other members have said a prepaid euro card but sometimes these aren't so great in the unmanned fuel stations.

Also, depending on who your debit card is with you might get stung a bit in fees for using it abroad. Many years ago I learnt the hard way with my LloydsTSB (as it was then) debit card. I've now got a N&P bank account to get their debit card which doesn't cost to use abroad.

Hope all that isn't information overload!!

You'll enjoy your time abroad and learn loads just as you go along. And we're always here to lend a helping hand.

Back to the toll roads - I've only ever found one that didn't have any manned booths, but it was something like 3am. Just us and another car to go through. It was the first time I used my card in the booth - no problem - but the other car tailgated us through and all hell broke loose with alarms sounding!
 
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We have mytravelcash card but found we get a better rate in the hole in the wall machines with tesco credit card even with the interest, but as I said before there are more benefits with a euro card than just the rate

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Lenny HB

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We have tesco credit cards and use for everything, and find they work quite well in Europe plus every time you use it you get points for the tunnel, but still have a eurocard.
Crazy, we use a Tesco CC in the UK would never use in abroad exchange & charges are horrendous, always use a Nationwide CC when away.
 
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Crazy, we use a Tesco CC in the UK would never use in abroad exchange & charges are horrendous, always use a Nationwide CC when away.
Charges are not horrendous, my euro card had run out so got some cash out on my tesco card , was expecting the worst but the bill has come and with exchange rate and interest still worked out at 1.39 to the pound, better than the eurocard at 1.35
 
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Charlie

Charlie

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If you can get one in time we use a Caxton Card. It's in euros. Does not charge for usage. You pre_pay it as much as you want. Can use it in French ATMs without charges or exchange rate worries and can load it online whenever you wish or set a minimum level for auto top up.(y)

Wyn

How long would it take to set up a card ? Wish I had known sooner !

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vwalan

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these days you might even find it difficult to change pound notes into euro,s . in spain inland away from the tourist areas even some banks dont want to change sterling . cards or any sort of leccy conversion ok . but hard cash is not as easy as it was.
in places like benidorm or malaga etc ok .
 
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just take cash, we hardly ever need coins, but do end up with a purse of shrapnel :)

but unless you are short of time stay off toll motorways, nowhere near enough gain to justify the cost (y)

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JockandRita

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Nationwide CC for fuel and tolls (if any at all), and Norwich & Peterborough DC for cash withdrawals. Both are free of charges, and attract a good exchange rate. (y)

Cheers,

Jock. :)
 
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MattR

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Halifax Clarity credit cards are supposedly the best to use.

Don't take cash out with a Lloyds debit card - the fees are way too high,
 
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WynandJean

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I can't remember now, we've had it few years. Also obtained a US one for dollars.
If you're not going for 2 weeks I'm sure it will be plenty of time. The sooner you apply the sooner you'll have it. It costs nothing.

Wyn


How long would it take to set up a card ? Wish I had known sooner !

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peter marshall

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Well that shows how green we are ! Didn't realise the tolls were manned !

The toll on the Forth Bridge (Now gone ) was unmanned. The M6 toll is or was when I went though at night was unmanned.. I jus supposed the ones on French Motorways are the same.


Hi
Most are Manned but a few are not, they have Card or Note slot to pay, French Motorways are a lot dearer than in Spain some of their's are unmanned also, both have signage over the booth's to indicate Card or Manned. Pete
 
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Lenny HB

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Charges are not horrendous, my euro card had run out so got some cash out on my tesco card , was expecting the worst but the bill has come and with exchange rate and interest still worked out at 1.39 to the pound, better than the eurocard at 1.35
Tesco CC Exchange rate loading 2.75%
Nationwide CC Exchange rate loading 0%

If you draw out cash on a Tesco CC, 2.75% exchange rate loading, plus 3% charge or £3 minimum plus interest charge of between 24.9%-29.9% APR.
 
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