Foreign currency - where do you get yours from?

[smellyfeet]

We used to just get it at the airport, but I think its a big rip off. Where do you get yours from?

Is there some place that's reliably good rates with low commission?

usually get my from the pawn brokers ramsdens. no commission and usually are just as good as the high street shops etc.

The Post Office and M&S often have good rates depending on the currency.

Check your bank too.

The best place I have found is Co-Op Travel.They give a special rate if you buy £500 or more in Euros, and also have a loyalty card for an even better rate. I also book holidays with them, and get points for money off future holiday bookings.
Much better than the banks offer - and my DH is a Bank Manager!

Don't get foregn currency from airports unless you really have to - they always charge more!!
Many places do not charge any commission these days.

I also agree with checking the rate in the Post Office and M&S Bureau De Change.

I get ine from the ATMs in the country we are visiting [useless with money]

I'm with kreecher - I don't like carrying huge amounts of cash, and travellers cheques are a nuisance to change, so I get a basic amount (£100 or so) from the post office or M&S then use cards to pay or withdraw cash from ATMs abroad. That way you don't end up with too much cash you need to change back at the end of the holiday. You just need to check with your bank first what the charges are, and also let them know where you'll be travelling - a lot of them have 'anti-fraud' systems that impose an automatic block if your card is used abroad. But yes, airports are nearly always the worst value.

Oh - and the 'no commission' thing isn't always such a good thing - they just offer worse exchange rates instead. If you're changing a lot, you need to compare actual rates as well as commission.

It depends on where you are going really. When we go to Turkey we just get a small amount of lira about £50, usually from M&S, then we either change sterling out there as the exchange rate is a lot better or just use the ATMs to withdraw lira.

When we went to Kos this year we took some euros though as we were staying in a small village and we weren't sure if they had an ATM. We also change some sterling and again the exchange rate was better than in the UK.

Airports always offer the worst exchange rate!

Marks & Spencer or the Post Office, obviously depends what currency you are changing.......

Same here M and S or the Post Office

Another vote for M & S or Post Office.
we have a post office within walking distance so I don't have to factor in the cost of getting to town as well.

I haven't changed currency before a holiday for over 15 years.

We take money out of a ATM in the country that we are visiting. Normally at the airport.

Taking cash is too much of a gamble, I don't like to carry large amounts of cash around.

The cheapest way is to preload a cash card, that can then be used in ATMs or as a credit card in shops restaurants etc. Using your UK debit card can see you being triple charged, a commission, a fixed fee and a lousy rate.

See what money supermarket says here www.moneysupermarket.com/prepaidcards/?feature=PrePaid&cardtype=CreditCard&p=0&ef_id=Pw1M4VSiAQAAN7w:20101209135432:s