Best way to take money to Spain?

[hex]

...traveller's cheques (is there a local fee to change them?)...card...which type?

I always buy some euros to go, pay where I can on credit card and if really pushed use the cash point (but you will get charged a fee)

Check what the charge will be to draw money from current account, I only get charge £1.50 so if you only do it a couple of times its ok

Never bother with travellers checks just take a initial amount, use current account visa debit to pay for most things and draw cash when needed

Few Euros in cash, and the rest by debit card from Cashpoint, and also to pay for stuff as a credit card.

debit card?? is the only one that doesn't charge the Nationwide? ...which i haven't got and it's probably too late now to apply for one...since I'm going on saturday

if you are paying for goods on your debit card you don't get charged a fee - only if you draw cash out of a machine....

we'll get a load before we go then draw out money in big chunks to minimise fees.

If you do get cash out, get a lot at once; for 300 euros our charge was £3.15 and for 50 it was £1.50 (I think it's 1.5% of the £ equivalent but with a min charge of £1.50)

(That's with Alliance & Leics)

Also when you use your credit card make sure the slip is in £; some places now convert it before you sign and the rate is likely to be less favourable.

We went in May/Jun and had a fabulous time, hope you do too

thanks - and just one more question..do crdeit cards now charge an annual fee if you use them?

We've got some but have never used them as prefer debit cards. We have to pay for our car hire using a credit not debit card, it seems.
Also, in Spain, do you need to know yr number (chip and pin) or can you just sign as you used to in the old days when we used to use them?

If you have a Visa Delta card, it doubles up as a credit card.

If your debit card is something like Switch, then that might not do the trick. However, credit cards are usually free, with joining perks.

most in spain are chip and pin ime

Don't forget that when you are using your credit card in a shop in Spain, they will ask for i.d. i.e. your passport.

I was only asked a couple of times, and showed my driving licence.

Ooooh, and another thing - when you buy currency here before you go, withdraw cash beforehand to pay for it; Visa debit cards are often treated as if they are credit cards and charged a cash advance fee accordingly

We found that supermarkets always wanted ID (we carried passports as we have old-style licences) but didn't always have chip and PIN. Most other shops, & restaurants, have chip & PIN but didn't always ask for ID.

Use a credit card for buying stuff as much as poss; there is no surcharge, you get the best conversion rate, and it's much easier to keep track of what you've spent and what on.

Try to keep the card in sight though - restaurants particularly tend to take the card away to process, so go with it if you are worried about security.

as others have said, we take some Euro, use our credit card where poss in shops/restaurants (you get a better exchange rate as it's the bank's rather than tourist rate) and use normal cashpoint card if needed. Just a warning, if the cashpoint asks if you want the withdrawl converted to sterling there and then, say no. Go with Euros, otherwise it'll cost you more. (can't remember exactly what it asks, and exactly what the costs are - maybe someone else can remember - but definitely go with the Euros option)

thanks this is useful...do most banks with hole iin wall accept normal Uk debit cards then?

We've never had a problem finding a hole in the wall that'll take our usual cashpoint card. Where are you going? Maybe then someone on here could put your mind completely at rest.