Please help me avoid foreign currency problems!

[ProbablyLate]

I'm going on holiday tomorrow and need some cash currency to take with me for tipping etc in Turkey. I have somehow managed to reach the grand old age of 29 without ever having been responsible for this and now I realise I don't know how to do it! I've put it off because of that but now have ended up in a situation where I think I've made it worse. I only want about £100 in turkish lira but need them today. Can I just go into a post office/bank/M&S and pick it up?

I know this probably seems such an obvious thing but that's what's made me feel anxious about asking someone in real life / getting it wrong so I would really appreciate some advice (even if it seems basic and patronising!)

Thank you so much

Use the Moneysavingexpert travel currency finder which will let you check rates. You can just rock up but likely to get much worse rates.

Do you have a monzo or starling card? I always go to a cash point in the country and get it out with that.

If not, google “best conversation Turkish lira” or similar and see where locally does the best rate. Go there and ask for what you need.

This possibly sounds totally ridiculous but do places usually have currency in stock that you can just pick up? (I will investigate rates as well.) All the talk or ordering money made me think that if I just went in they wouldn't have the physical cash

they might have it in stock, they might not
if your only getting £100 then the rates wont differ much

If I need currency I just go along to my local Tesco, larger supermarkets often have currency exchange places - and tend to be a fair price. I recall needing my passport as ID.

The exchange places in travel agents will have Turkish lira in stock. It's not like you're looking for thousands.
Post office usually needs 24 hrs notice.
I wouldn't worry about shopping around too much for the sake of £100 worth. Just go to a convenient place.You'll end up saving 87p!!

Don't get them at airport though as it's always lot more expensive

We have a Ramsden's in our local shopping centre and they have currency in stock. You can pay using debit card. For £100 worth it isn't worth comparing exchange rates.

I have never needed to let a post office know in advance? Just go to any bank or post office, for such a small amount they should have it and differences in exchange rates will be negligible.

you can use your debit card to get lira out of a Turkish atm when you get there - though it's always best to tell your bank you'll be using the card abroad if this is outside of your normal behaviour pattern.
The rate isn't all that different from buying foreign currency in this country

Thanks everybody! This is very encouraging. I don't know why this has phased me so much but it sounds like it will be very achievable for me to source! I shall try my local big tesco and thanks @Flavabobble for the info on taking a passport 😊

*fazed

While I know it's much cheaper if you get them before you go, ideally online but honestly for the sake of £100, the different rates won't make that much difference.

If you are really busy in the run up to your holiday, just bite the bullet and buy them at the airport. No biggie.

The most important thing is to insist on being given very small denomination notes. No good have the local currency if all you have is the equivalent of two £50 notes. £1 note will be small change for you but could still be quite a lot in tips.

Another useful tip when you are in a hurry is how acceptable $US are in many places used to western tourists.

Tesco have stopped needing a passport, I went to my local one recently armed with my passport and all they wanted to know was did I have a clubcard so that I could get a better rate and even then they didn't need to see it.