Cash machines abroad? Which are cheap?

[KatyMac]

Going to Egypt

I've been told the hotel has several local cash machines

So how do I do this?

I guess I can pay restaurant/bar bills with my CC but how do I get cash out to buy small stuff - which card is est to use?

Its pretty much the same as using your card in a UK cash machine, except it will ask you which account you want to use, I always found selecting 'checking' worked. Obviously you have to withdraw money in local currency, and there will be no conversion given when you withdraw, so you'll need to know how much you need in egypital pounds. Your bank will probably charge you a handling fee, but I was never charged by the local banks in egypt. Their money is fab, you have notes for everything, I think the lowest denomination note is something stupid like 2p! You end up with a huge wallet full of notes, and feel really rich!

Does it matter which card I use?

OOh I know Egypt! The bank just charges a handling fee - say £2. You usually get the best exchange rate this way. Just limit the number of transactions to keep the charges to a minimum.

Any of the main cards, visa/mastercard etc. Remeber if you draw cash on a credit card you bank will charge you higher interest.

Hadn't thought of that

Oh poo

I'll check & find our how much each card will cost (have about 7 all with zero balances atm)

I'd rather not use cash...but I suppose I could

According the money saving expert, I have all the wrong cards

Natwest & Abbey debit

Natwest, Abbey, Virgin, Tesco CC

I think I am stuffed

Does this sound realistic

A CC to pay for meals/excursions etc..

Cash to covert to currency at the hotel (the conversion rate is about 8.5 egyptian pounds to £1 sterling - It's only about 7.9 at the post office

A reserve of cash on a cash card to withdraw if we need it

Or am I all confused - I get so confused over holiday money

No-one? - this is quite urgent now

I'd take money with you when you go and if you don't spend it you can change it back when you get back. Its a shame your banks charge. I live in the Middle East and have two main current accounts in the UK with Nationwide and Halifax. Nationwide do not charge for any of my cash withdrawals from my current account but Halifax charge 1.50 for each withdrawal, which certainly adds up over the month. Credit cards will charge a fee for each withdrawal and a higher APR on cash withdrawals than if you were actually paying for a purchase with your card.
If I was you, I'd use your credit card for any major expenditure, ie meals/excursions/hotal bills and take a combination of sterling and some egyption pounds and you should be ok.
hope you have a fabulous time

Thanks for the advise - apart from getting Egyptian money before we go I think we are OKish with my plan

Do you know how I do the tipping thing?

When we were there before they kept asking for english £5 notes....which seems a lot for a tip - coins weren't good enough

they will no doubt expect tipping for everything. Where abouts are you going? When we went a few years ago what we found really annoying was whenever we got a taxi from the hotel downtown the taxi driver always had a brother/uncle/cousin who had a 'tat' shop and they would always insist on dropping you off there and picking you up there and you were pretty much bullied into buying something before they'd take you back to your hotel. Sod giving them 5 pounds, give them small notes in local currency (they used to like us dollars too) and if they don't like it, tough.
A useful phrase to learn is 'la shukran' (no thank you) and be firm when using it. Over the years living in the Middle East I've learnt some very useful (and forceful) arabic but will refrain from teaching offensive language on here!

So a couple of quid (egyptian equivilent) is enough for bringing the bags to the hotel?

We are going to Dahab with Neilson

I would think that is more than enough although no doubt they will push for as much as they can get. When you think how low the cost of living in some of these places it is a fortune for some of them. I used to tip our houseboy in Saudi what I thought was a fairly reasonable amount (SR100 which is around 15 pounds) at xmas (even though he doesn't celebrate it) and his birthday but later found out it was an absolute fortune for him and about 2 weeks salary! Don't ruin your holiday worrying about how much to tip them, relax and have a fab time.

I guess - I do stress about this sort of thing

& the fact that I forgot to get currency

Check out this site. Lots of good advice