Best way to get and spend euros abroad?

[Lucia23]

I'm coming from the UK going on holiday to Spain. If I take cash out at machines I will be charged an extortionate amount I'm told.

How are people getting and spending their money to avoid fees?

Get some from the list office before you go

I don’t ever really use cash abroad or at home. I have not taken out euros on holiday for the last 5yrs. I use a no fee transaction card and just use that, works out the cheapest. Those cards also let you draw a certain amount of cash at a machine free of charge.

Get either a Starling account or Revolut card. Most places will want you to pay on card anyway so you won’t have much use for actual euros. Starling works in exactly the same way as a normal bank account but charges no fees and will give you a very good exchange rate. Revolut is basically the same but is a prepaid card so you transfer money onto it.
Both will also let you withdraw money if you need it.

Revolut card.

A starling bank account works for me. I think some foreign cash machines charge you a fee just because it’s a foreign card but using it as a debit card is very efficient.

Revolut - I think you can take out £200 cash without fees and as most places have card machines - you can use it without fees at usually one of the best exchange rates available.

Revolut.

I recently went to Ireland and most places were cashless. So although I had €50 with me in cash I came back with it.

We also use revolut.

@kitchenSink5 does Revolt work like a normal card? What about pin code etc?

Revolut

Yep - pin code and contactless as well.

I take cash in euro's. I don't really like taking that much cash on me, but I have little choice.

I go to a very small rural place. Nowhere takes cards, there's one atm. If it runs out of cash it takes up to three days to get filled again. Because I've been going there for 20+ years, and know most of the locals by name, I've been told my credit is good and if I don't have cash (I've gone out at times without my purse) there is no problem, just pay when I've got money on me. But I don't like to do that to people who probably rely on today's takings to fill their shelve or restaurants for tomorrow.

Have a look at Currensea card

I’m living in France and opened a Starling account (super easy, via the app) before I moved. It was a godsend until I got my French bank account.

Basically you just open a UK account and then set up a separate Euro section, and transfer funds to this from your sterling account. The rate is very competitive. I used the app (contactless) to pay for everything, but once the debit card arrives you can use that to withdraw cash.

Halifax "Clarity" Mastercard is good exchange rate & fee-free.

There are always places that want cash, & people that need tipping, so I always take some currency wherever I'm going.

The Chase card is probably the best bet for withdrawing cash at the moment, closely followed by Starling, with the Halifax Clarity for purchases. I have all three because I don’t like relying on one card.

Actually, Chase is probably best for purchases too because you get 1% cashback.