Euro’s or not

Rockcrawler

Rockcrawler

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Good morning all, it’s been a while since we have had a holiday abroad. We are going to Gran Canaria and usually I’ll change up sterling into euro’s and just take cash but I’m thinking if like the UK quite often cash isn’t accepted.
Is cash still readily accepted do you know ?
 
Northern Boy said:
I live in Euro Land and often convert pounds to euro, a Revolut and or Wise card are fantastic. Cash is still accepted everywhere that I live (cant comment on Gran Canaria)
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It wasn't in Sweden a few years ago, as I found to my cost. Tried to change Euro/Pounds to Krona at 5 different banks ALL said they no longer dealt in cash.
Has this changed, I know a lot of Swedes were not happy about it?
 
Thank you for all your replies. I have just received a Monzo card so will top that up and take a small amount of euros
 
Beltie said:
Get a debit card that doesn't charge foreign transaction fees and just use an ATM when you get there.
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is the absolute worst advice.

a preloaded currency card lime revolut and a zero or clarity credit catd if you want the best rates. yes you will need some cash because " the card machine is broken" is slipping back in, bjt draw it when you're there from atm using preload card
 
Get yourself a Wise card. You can use it as you would a debit card but no transaction fees for atm's or currency conversions. Works in any currancy.
Wise take a few pence per transaction, but I estimate we saved over £300 on our last trip just in conversion rates.
You don't have to keep much on the card as the app is very fast.
Also, we got scammed (fake web page) and Wise sorted it out for me and got me a refund.
Thorougly recommended.

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We got a Starling bank account, really easy to swap money from your normal bank to Starling, when using the card in France you treat it like a normal debit card, it registers the transaction in Euros and converts to Sterling at the latest exchange rate on the day. You can even use it as a debit card in the UK. Excellent product/service.

Cheers!

Russ
 
We'll be going to France for September for the first time since Covid hit the fan. In the past we took a no fee, no commission debit card for purchases and occasionally cash at an ATM.
Could someone explain why this is a bad idea now please just so I get it right for this visit?
Thanks
Sue
 
Rockcrawler said:
Thank you for all your replies. I have just received a Monzo card so will top that up and take a small amount of euros
Click to expand...
Exactly what we do.

We were in Arras in June where a supermarket wouldn't take cash, even for the €1 baguette we were buying.
 
Suenliam said:
We'll be going to France for September for the first time since Covid hit the fan. In the past we took a no fee, no commission debit card for purchases and occasionally cash at an ATM.
Could someone explain why this is a bad idea now please just so I get it right for this visit?
Thanks
Sue
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If you were happy with it before and the terms and conditions have not changed then stick with it.
Devil you know, 😉
 
We went to Ibiza in May, (flew) on a twice cancelled holiday, we took £1000 of euros with us and everywhere took cash, I did an online deal delivered to your door to get a good exchange rate which in the high street at the time was 1.12 to the pound got a 1.16 deal, its now about 1.19 on deals but only 1.16 in high street, by using your card you cant choose a rate, just a thought.

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Pre load a Revolut card bought at Mondays rate couldn't getting you over 1.19€ to the £1. That's much better than carrying cash....plus a bit of loose change for the add coffee or a few beers....
 
I think the day's of taking a load of cash are ended there's no real advantage and I wouldn't normally take out all the cash for a UK trip in one go and risk carrying it around/ hiding it.
 
France is fine with cash changed all our spending money up, happy to take anything I guess
 
I had a couple of hundred Euros in house - just given to my son as he’s off to Greece for a month, working. He’ll not get paid till the end. I’ll warn him to take his card too when he goes out (gets 1 day a week off) in case cash isn’t accepted.

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Rockcrawler said:
Thank you for all your replies. I have just received a Monzo card so will top that up and take a small amount of euros
Click to expand...

That's the way to do it.

(Actually I use Chase - it's pretty much the same but I get 1% cashback on all spending too)
 
Suenliam said:
We'll be going to France for September for the first time since Covid hit the fan. In the past we took a no fee, no commission debit card for purchases and occasionally cash at an ATM.
Could someone explain why this is a bad idea now please just so I get it right for this visit?
Thanks
Sue
Click to expand...
Its because you don't get a good rate on a UK current account. I have compared purchases made on my zero credit card to cash Ive taken out of my current account on the same day and it was 4c difference.

If you preload something like a revolut card, you can choose when to buy and even if you did it on the same day will get a much better rate than you will just accepting what they give you. prior to our recent trip I managed to load up with Euros at 1.20, which I was then able to use rather than take the circa 1.17 when we were there. Ive currently got a market order to buy a load if it hits 1.20 again but might actually take the 1.19 as we re getting close. You can then use your Revolut card as a payment card and to withdraw cash.
 
What you don't do is simply use your UK debit card to pay multiple bills or get money out of an ATM abroad.
And as others have pointed out the further north you travel the less cash is accepted, Sweden is now almost a cashless society.

The odd exception is Germany, where most places, shops, restaurants ect. still expect cash, but usually have a card machine as well.

There are a number of companies that have £ accounts that you can set up a seperate € account and transfer money between the two at a point when the exchange rate is 'right' for you.
Once the money is in your Euro account it stays in Euro's until you spend it or move it.

Currently the top four banks are Starling, Monzo, Wise and Revolut but there are several others
There are number of comparison sites giving the plus and minus of each bank
Here are a couple:

https://www.digitalfodder.com/monzo-vs-starling-bank-vs-revolut-vs-transferwise/

https://www.householdmoneysaving.com/the-best-euro-bank-accounts/

https://www.which.co.uk/news/articl...ld-it-save-your-cash-from-brexit-aOTKp9N43I7J

Below is a list of UK banks that offer Euro accounts and the costs associated with them (updated 14/9/2020)

BankEuro account costs
BarclaysDependant on personal situation – appointment needed at the bank to open
StarlingFree
Carter AllenFree
Citi BankFree
Co-Op£20 per half year
HSBC£5 per month
Lloyds£24 per year
NatWestDependant on personal situation – appointment needed at the bank to open
Standard Bank£15 per quarter
TransferwiseFree
Alliance and LeicesterFree
SantanderFree
AirwallexFree
HandelsbankenDependant on personal situation – appointment needed at the bank to open
Bunq€7.99 up to €9.99 per month
Bank of Ireland15EUR per month
Fair Everywhere£50 per month
HolviFree
MoneseFree and ranging up to £14.95 per month
BABBFree
PayPalFree
PlutusFree

https://goodmoneyguide.com/what-are-the-best-euro-bank-accounts-in-the-uk/
 
Brains said:
What you don't do is simply use your UK debit card to pay multiple bills or get money out of an ATM abroad.
And as others have pointed out the further north you travel the less cash is accepted, Sweden is now almost a cashless society.

The odd exception is Germany, where most places, shops, restaurants ect. still expect cash, but usually have a card machine as well.

There are a number of companies that have £ accounts that you can set up a seperate € account and transfer money between the two at a point when the exchange rate is 'right' for you.
Once the money is in your Euro account it stays in Euro's until you spend it or move it.

Currently the top four banks are Starling, Monzo, Wise and Revolut but there are several others
There are number of comparison sites giving the plus and minus of each bank
Here are a couple:

https://www.digitalfodder.com/monzo-vs-starling-bank-vs-revolut-vs-transferwise/

https://www.householdmoneysaving.com/the-best-euro-bank-accounts/

https://www.which.co.uk/news/articl...ld-it-save-your-cash-from-brexit-aOTKp9N43I7J

Below is a list of UK banks that offer Euro accounts and the costs associated with them (updated 14/9/2020)

BankEuro account costs
BarclaysDependant on personal situation – appointment needed at the bank to open
StarlingFree
Carter AllenFree
Citi BankFree
Co-Op£20 per half year
HSBC£5 per month
Lloyds£24 per year
NatWestDependant on personal situation – appointment needed at the bank to open
Standard Bank£15 per quarter
TransferwiseFree
Alliance and LeicesterFree
SantanderFree
AirwallexFree
HandelsbankenDependant on personal situation – appointment needed at the bank to open
Bunq€7.99 up to €9.99 per month
Bank of Ireland15EUR per month
Fair Everywhere£50 per month
HolviFree
MoneseFree and ranging up to £14.95 per month
BABBFree
PayPalFree
PlutusFree

https://goodmoneyguide.com/what-are-the-best-euro-bank-accounts-in-the-uk/
Click to expand...
Alliance and Leicester??. How old is this list?

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