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Thread: Currency exchange - ever ordered online?

  1. #1
    Master r.dawson's Avatar
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    Currency exchange - ever ordered online?

    I usually go for convenience and change a small amount of cash and use a card that doesn't charge me whilst abroad, however I'm going to Florida shortly and I will be changing a bit more.

    Has anyone used an online delivery exchange like travel FX? Any other suggestions?

  2. #2
    Grand Master mart broad's Avatar
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  3. #3
    Master
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    I have used travel fx, pretty happy with the rates and service

  4. #4
    Travelex (LHR)/ Moneycorp (LGW) are usually competitive IF you pre-order and pick up at the airport. If you just rock up on the day you'll be subjected to a severe taking down of the trousers.

    Cheers,

    Plug

  5. #5
    Journeyman
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    How much cash are you getting? You should just use revolute. You can withdraw a GBP equivalent amount abroad based on your account type (I think between £200-£600 p/m).

    The rest you would spend on your card which will convert at market rates.

  6. #6
    Grand Master Chris_in_the_UK's Avatar
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    I use a Monzo card - best rates and no fees.
    When you look long into an abyss, the abyss looks long into you.........

  7. #7
    Master mondie's Avatar
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    Used John Lewis a few times, rates have been ok and the cash is delivered the next day.

  8. #8
    Craftsman
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    Used travel fx in the past no issues

  9. #9
    Master
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    I use Travelex as allows me to collect at the terminal and use the cash buyback service. They have a price match guarantee I've used on numerous occasions too so ticks the boxes for me

  10. #10
    Master
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    Try Starling Bank, new challenger in the market. FCSA protected and free overseas withdrawal, amazing signup experience.

  11. #11
    I use FairFx for both currency and their pre-paid euro card. Card is easy to top up and works just like master card abroad.

  12. #12
    Master
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    Used Covent Garden FX exclusively for the last 3-4 years


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  13. #13
    Grand Master snowman's Avatar
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    I found Tesco offered the best value the last couple of times I've bought currency.

    Once I got it delivered by post, the other time I went to my local store to pick it up.

    Easy experience both times and if they're the best (or near) price again, I'll use them again.

    M

    PS Of course, someone will be along to say I could have got twice as much for my money from Lidl or Aldi, but the money wouldn't have looked the same, in a minute!

  14. #14
    Master Wolfie's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Chris_in_the_UK View Post
    I use a Monzo card - best rates and no fees.
    And me…. Great app…. Plus I have the Nationwide for the odd cash withdrawal

  15. #15
    Master r.dawson's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Plug View Post
    Travelex (LHR)/ Moneycorp (LGW) are usually competitive IF you pre-order and pick up at the airport. If you just rock up on the day you'll be subjected to a severe taking down of the trousers.

    Cheers,

    Plug
    Flying from Manchester and ideally wanted it in hand before I set off

  16. #16
    Master r.dawson's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by ASD25 View Post
    How much cash are you getting? You should just use revolute. You can withdraw a GBP equivalent amount abroad based on your account type (I think between £200-£600 p/m).

    The rest you would spend on your card which will convert at market rates.
    Most of my spend will be on the card but I've been a few times and it's just handy to have some cash. With the rate in the toilet I'm being a bit more adventurous about where I get it from that's all.

    Looks like travel FX gets the vote

  17. #17
    Master r.dawson's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by snowman View Post
    I found Tesco offered the best value the last couple of times I've bought currency.

    Once I got it delivered by post, the other time I went to my local store to pick it up.

    Easy experience both times and if they're the best (or near) price again, I'll use them again.

    M

    PS Of course, someone will be along to say I could have got twice as much for my money from Lidl or Aldi, but the money wouldn't have looked the same, in a minute!

    They aren't on the comparison site I used so I'll look into that, cheers

  18. #18
    Master
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    Just get yourself a Revolut card. It's essentially a multi-currency app controlled debit card. So you get a fair rate at all times, no need to take cash with you and just use cash machines abroad to withdraw dollars from your dollar account on your Revolut app. Doesn't make sense when trying to explain, just get one and you'll see how easy it is. I now no longer need to plan currency when going abroad.

  19. #19
    Craftsman
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    Quote Originally Posted by Chalet View Post
    Try Starling Bank, new challenger in the market. FCSA protected and free overseas withdrawal, amazing signup experience.
    I second this. I have both a Starling account and a Revolut card. I avoid the revolut card over weekends as they do pad the fx rate to cover the interbank rate being not available - but you can pre transfer funds between virtual currency wallets.

    I went with Starling as well because some foreign ATM networks do not play well with Revolut, never a problem with Starling.
    Last edited by NickGaters; 19th September 2018 at 14:00.

  20. #20
    Craftsman WhopperSenior's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by ViperStripes View Post
    Just get yourself a Revolut card. It's essentially a multi-currency app controlled debit card. So you get a fair rate at all times, no need to take cash with you and just use cash machines abroad to withdraw dollars from your dollar account on your Revolut app. Doesn't make sense when trying to explain, just get one and you'll see how easy it is. I now no longer need to plan currency when going abroad.
    I have been using revolut for just over a year now. It's very useful when you're travelling for work as my expenses can be billed as the actual cost without any fees or crappy rates sneaking in. Has some useful features but the core stuff is the most important. The app is excellent too.

    It sounds like Monzo card is basically the same thing so you could go for that too.

  21. #21
    What does revoult convert at or how do you settle your foreign purchases ? I use FairFX card so try to load it when rate a bit better but of course has money sitting on it when I am in UK. I travel quite a bit so be interested in something that makes things a bit easier. I have Curve card so get the app bit I assume but the settling interests me.


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  22. #22
    Craftsman
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    Quote Originally Posted by MB2 View Post
    What does revoult convert at or how do you settle your foreign purchases ? I use FairFX card so try to load it when rate a bit better but of course has money sitting on it when I am in UK. I travel quite a bit so be interested in something that makes things a bit easier. I have Curve card so get the app bit I assume but the settling interests me.


    Sent from my iPhone using TZ-UK mobile app
    Revolut use the Interbank rate at the time of transaction, aside from weekends when the current interbank rate is unavailable (banks shut I guess). Weekdays you pretty much get the rate you can google up there and then but weekends Revolut pad some fx rates in their favour to avoid their commercial risk (and especially badly on some volatile currencies).

    To get around that you can transfer from your GBP Revolut wallet to your target Revolut currency during the week to get a decent rate...or use a different card at weekends where you'll get the pure Mastercard rate (starling/Monzo et al).

    mastercard rate is close to the interbank rate normally.

    Your question on settling: Revolut alarts via an in app message as point of sale with the actual settlement amount in target currency and GBP so you'll get no surprises.

    Interesting fact on Revolut as a pre-paid card: using it to pay road tolls in Europe they don't check your balance on the card at the booth. Despite that function usually only taking a few seconds to auth at the booth it's too much at a busy toll booth and you can get by with zero balance on the card throughout Europe. You'll get a surpise transaction days later (couple of weeks once for me) with the actual amounts from the tolls. That's the only gotcha I see for using pre-paid cards for travel. Some might say this is a handy feature ;-)
    Last edited by NickGaters; 20th September 2018 at 08:38.

  23. #23
    Thanks - so vs my FairFX card the euros don’t (unless I want them to) sit on the card - I pay via Revolut and it debits my bank at pretty much interbank?


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