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So, well, here you are again with your jam packed hold all/back packer, just getting off the plane. And you know that you missed a really good opportunity to get a good foreign exchange rate in your city, before you boarded your flight, because you are in a hurry. So you have no option but to go to the airport and exchange your hard-earned cash for whatever exchange rate in foreign currency you can get there.
If you do not want to change your money at the airport, you can also go to the foreign exchange agents in the host city's High Street. Of course, you are going to be very disappointed at the exchange rate you get for your Pounds while you are changing them into dollars, yen, euros, and other foreign currency. But why operate at a loss when you have really good options for buying foreign currency, before you take the long-awaited trip abroad?
Travellers cheques
Some peripatetic travellers are surprised that Travellers cheques are still being used by other travellers. Did they not go out just about the time credit cards and ATMs came in? Well, Travellers cheques are still very popular cash substitutes, even though ATMs are going to give you a better conversion rate than an exchange counter or a bank is going to do.
ATMs
Now, is that so? You will be surprised to know that ATMs have a conversion fees and a transaction fees, which are going to add up when you are trying to get easy access to your cash abroad. Your money is being converted into the currency of the country, in which you are travelling. So, they are going to take the conversion fees.
Pre-paid Currency Cards Are Your Best Option
So this is where a traveller cheque is going to come in handy. But then here is another problem. You need to go to a branch of that particular bank which issued your travellers cheque and get it encashed. This is the only way to get easy excess to your travel money dollars right away. But what if it happens to be a lazy, hazy Sunday and the bank shutters are down? So, that means you need to fall back on the limited amount of ready travel money dollars in the form of cash at hand.
So how best can you settle this foreign exchange problem, in a really hassle free manner? Easy, you buy travel money dollars by converting your pounds into a prepaid currency card. It means that you are going to be paying pounds into your bank to get your cards made. Then go off, high, wide and free on your holiday and spend up to the limit of your prepaid currency cards.
Prepaid currency cards are the best option for a person, who does not want to pay huge amounts of fees, for buying foreign exchange. Buying cash at the airport or at the high Street is not a profitable proposition. So, save on a number of charges and fees, (much lesser than that of a number of credit cards) while getting a much better exchange rate. Buy the foreign currency of your choice, with prepaid currency cards right away!
Monday 19 April 2010, 04:10pm
When you want to get the best travel money exchange rates, it helps to know about the most secure and convenient ways to convert your home currency. There are some traditional ways that come to mind, but they don't offer the best travel money exchange rates because they keep a commission from the proceeds to cover rent overhead and other expense. Instead, you can need to be familiar with the prepaid currency cards that are the ideal travel card for your holiday needs. Not only do you get the best travel money exchange rates, but they are the most secure and convenient way to exchange currency.
Prepaid Currency Cards Are The Easiest Way To Save On Currency
It is easy to use the Internet to open an account and exchange your currency. Because there is no commission, you get the best travel money exchange rates and a convenient and secure prepaid MasterCard for your holiday travel money. You can open your currency exchange account in a matter of minutes as part of your initial currency purchase. You can take advantage of 21 foreign currencies, so it doesn't matter where your foreign holiday might take you, it is easy to take advantage of the best travel money exchange rates and carry the secure prepaid currency cards that come with a chip and PIN. You may also choose to receive your exchanged currency in banknotes that are delivered to you through insured mail or you can still enjoy the best travel money exchange rates when you have your currency transferred to your foreign exchange bank account.
Can I Use Prepaid Currency Cards For Everything I Need?
Because the prepaid currency cards are a prepaid MasterCard, you can use them anywhere in the world. Many people like the convenience of the prepaid currency cards because they can help you securely pay for everything you need on your holiday, including hotels, rental cars, eateries, pubs or shopping. It is easy to take advantage of the best travel money exchange rates and purchase any of the things you need or want on your holiday in a foreign country.
Are There Limits To How Much Currency I Can Exchange?
Because the prepaid currency cards are only one of the ways to get the best travel money exchange rates, there are clients that exchange currency to purchase foreign property and there are unlimited ways that you can take advantage of the best travel money exchange rates for your larger transactions in foreign countries. Be sure to consider the advantages you can enjoy with the best exchange rates on larger International transactions because any sizes of International currency exchanges can be handled, once you have set up your currency exchange account. The prepaid currency cards are the most popular way to carry travel money, but when you need to exchange currency for other purposes, it is easy to do with your foreign currency exchange account and you can still enjoy the most competitive exchange rates you enjoy when you get the best travel money exchange rates with the prepaid currency cards.
Get a FairFX Travel Money Card today.
Thursday 15 April 2010, 05:21pm
Exchange rates go up and down all the time but in the current economic crisis the rate can change from one minute to the next. At present travellers are getting fewer Euros to the pound than they were a year ago, so the last thing you want is to pay a hefty commission on your holiday spending money. If you want to get the best exchange rate for Euros when you travel abroad, then shop around for your currency. There are a good number of currency providers around and it is worth taking a look at some of the options before you buy your Euros.
Travel Agents
When you book your holiday or business trip through a travel agent you will probably be asked how much money you want to take with you. Many people will automatically get their currency from a travel agent because it is convenient, and don't consider that they might not be getting the best exchange rate. Some travel agencies will get you a good exchange rate for Euros, but their commission charges often wipe out any advantages this may have had. When you return from your trip, many agencies have strict rules about what they will buy back, e.g. nothing under 20 Euros. Not everyone takes a lot of cash with them when they travel abroad and they may decide to take some more out on their credit card while they are away, but this is often even more costly than buying from a travel agent. Some people still prefer to use travellers cheques when they go away.
Travellers Cheques
Travellers cheques are convenient because you can cash some when you arrive at your destination and get the local rate, you can also use them throughout your stay. Travellers cheques are a secure way of getting currency as your signature and identification are required when converting them into Euros or paying for something in a shop. If you lose your travellers cheques they will be quickly replaced, however, you do pay for this service. You still have to buy your travellers cheques to start with and they can prove expensive as the exchange rate goes up and down all the time. If you want to get the best exchange rate for Euros when you travel abroad then you may want to think about using travel money prepaid currency cards.
Prepaid Currency Cards
Prepaid currency cards are becoming increasingly popular as they are less expensive and more flexible than buying your currency from a travel agency, or purchasing travellers cheques. When you have a prepaid currency card, you can still top it up from your bank account if necessary while you are away and avoid paying credit card charges - although some issuers charge ATM fees. It is much safer to carry a prepaid card with you than to walk around with a pocket full of Euros and the card gives you 24 hour access to your money. Next time you are looking for a decent exchange rate for Euros, why not try a prepaid currency card? See how much you could save, and check out the rates the FairFX card offers on foreign exchange.
Wednesday 14 April 2010, 09:54am
If you've booked your holiday abroad and are looking forward to going away soon then you're probably thinking about holiday money. You should shop around before you buy your currency because the exchange rate alters every day, especially since the credit crunch. You will probably get fewer Euros for your pound than you did last year, so it makes sense to find the best currency option available.
Best Exchange Rate
One of the first things you should be looking for when you are looking for holiday money is the Euro best exchange rate. You should remember that any currency deal where you have to pay commission puts your exchange rate up. A lot of people like to use travellers cheques when they go away because it is a more secure option than carrying around a lot of cash. When you opt for travellers cheques however, you will probably pay some commission and maybe a bit extra to cover you in case of loss or theft. Sometimes people buy a certain amount of currency, thinking that if they need more while they are away they can always use their credit cards.
Credit Cards
Credit cards are useful to have but they can be an expensive way of buying foreign currency. When you use your credit card abroad you'll find that whether it is goods or currency, you will face a surcharge. A good number of people who have used their credit cards abroad have had their cards stolen, and in some cases lost quite a bit of money. Credit cards may be convenient but they are not a good way of getting a Euro best exchange rate because of all the extra charges that you will incur. In recent months the number of people who choose prepaid currency cards has increased because this is one of the cheapest methods of purchasing foreign currency.
Prepaid Currency Cards
When you opt of currency cards you pay a small amount for the card and providing you keep it safe you can use it again. If you lose your currency card, no-one can touch your money and all you have to pay is a small card replacement fee. There are a growing number of prepaid currency card providers and some of them give better exchange rates than others. Probably the best type of prepaid card is one that doesn't charge you for ATM withdrawals, as this adds to your currency costs. A currency card not only means that you get the Euro best exchange rate going, it is also a more secure way of buying foreign currency. You can get your prepaid card on the internet and all of the sites that deal in these cards are secure sites, so there is no risk of having your details stolen. It is certainly worth trying a prepaid card for your next European trip.
Tuesday 13 April 2010, 03:43pm
Here comes the vacation season and there is not any reason why you should not be looking for the best vacation destinations all over the world in which to rest and recuperate. Nevertheless, if you are a seasoned traveller, you would definitely be looking at the financial and safety aspects of carrying all that lovely money to be splurged during your vacation, with you.
So, you need to look at these tips which are going to get you the best exchange rate in high street travel money while ensuring that your money is carried to your destination safely!
Further Your Horizons And Get Better Value Online
There was once a time when you are just limited to a given number of money exchange options. You could either convert your home currency into pounds, at your nearest bank or money exchange facility. Nevertheless, you would be surprised to know that there are plenty of places online, which are going to give you a higher rate of exchange, especially when you are changing desirable foreign exchange currency like euros and dollars into pounds.
Traveller's cheques
The days of traveller cheques are fast disappearing. Traveller cheques are secure, but buying them is rather expensive. You would need to pay the service charges to the bank to make out these cheques. You will have to take these bulky cheques to a branch of your bank, while travelling abroad and get them cashed. Until that is done, you will have to make do with the cash you brought along with you for incidental expenses.
Credit Cards And Debit Cards
These are definitely a good way to get easy access to money, but every transaction done on an ATM is going to cost you. And just imagine that you are travelling in a rural area which does not have an ATM. So what are you going to do for money? You also need to notify your banks that you are using their debit cards abroad. Otherwise, you might find your debit card swallowed by the ATM, and confiscated as a case of ATM fraud!
So what is the best travel money option which is going to be safe, and secure?
Try Prepaid Currency Cards
Remember that any person waiting to reach his destination before he exchanges his home currency into pounds at Heathrow Airport or Gatwick is just asking for a lower exchange rate. So why do not you go online and try prepaid currency cards, which are going to give you a much better exchange rate than buying pounds in cash to carry along with you? Not only is this a safer option, but you are secure in the fact that you are not carrying that load of lovely lolly around with you in your money purse.
This is definitely not a sensible option, especially when you have exchanged all your travelling money into cash. Just imagine you being mugged on the streets of London in the worst case scenario! That leaves you high, dry, and wiped out in terms of ready cash.
With prepaid currency cards, you just need to load your money on to a pre-paid currency card. Use it as you would a credit card, to make purchases in shops, or like a debit card at ATMs. This is definitely the safest way in which you can carry your bank account along with you, while travelling to the UK! So what are you waiting for? Get a FairFX prepaid currency card now.
Monday 12 April 2010, 09:36am
Thanks to the hassle that is involved with trying to cash travelers cheques and the huge fees that are involved with exchanging your homeland currency for currency in other places of the world, more people are searching for reasonable alternatives to getting local currency while on holiday or while taking a business trip. Most people do their research and ultimately decide to buy travel money online.
The ability to buy travel money online is something that is catching on with waves of travelers, though it is not necessarily a brand new idea. This option has been available for awhile, but as more people become comfortable making online transactions and giving their private and financial information through websites, there are more people who are also comfortable enough to buy travel money online.
Why Buy Travel Money Online?
The primary reason that anyone would want to buy travel money online is obviously to save cash, especially if you decide to purchase a reloadable prepaid credit card. The following steps should be taken if you want to purchase your prepaid travel money card online:
1) Do some research to find the lowest currency exchange rate and as few fees possible.
2) Purchase your travel card with a substantial amount of money on the card.
3) Use the card while on holiday or throughout the course of your trip.
How to Purchase Prepaid Travel Cards
This first step is extremely important, though it is the first thing ignored by many people whether they buy travel money online or offline. Many people just take it as a given that they are going to have to pay some fees and a high exchange rate when they are buying holiday cash. What they don't realize is that they can save a substantial amount of cash just by going online and doing a bit of research prior to purchasing their travel money.
If you aren't totally convinced that a prepaid travel money card is the way to go, see what kind of exchange rates you can get through several different card options and compare to the fees and exchange rates being offered through banks. You will see quickly that the travel card is definitely the way to go, even if it's only due to the increased security of having a card which can be replaced with all your money intact in the event it is stolen or lost!
Locking in the Savings
Once you find a prepaid travel card that will give you a competitive exchange rate, go ahead and buy travel money online on that card. You want to put a substantial portion of your travel money on the card since you are locking in that exchange rate at the time you place the money on the card. That means they can't raise the exchange rate on you later on, which is what will likely happen if you run out of money and need to exchange money while on vacation or a trip in another country.
If you put enough money on your prepaid card and use it as often as possible while on your trip you will eliminate the problem of trying to exchange money at a foreign bank. You will also avoid the super high fees that come with using your regular credit and debit cards while out of the country. Finally, you avoid the fees that come with withdrawing money directly from a bank ATM while away from home.
Friday 09 April 2010, 03:45pm
Buying travel money? Considered a Prepaid Card? If not, you are probably aren't getting the best deal. See how much you could save with a FairFX Prepaid Currency Card.
Purchasing travel money to spend is essential for anyone who plans on taking a holiday or trip to another country. Years ago there were only one or two options open to anyone who wanted to do this, so the choice was very limited. This meant that there was little point in trying to find out about who would offer you the best exchange rates and so on as your options were so narrow. Today there are so many different places to purchase travel moneythat it can be hard to know which is the best, so it is vital that you do your research to get the best rates around.
Why you should research travel money
As with any kind of financial transaction everyone wants to feel as though they are getting value for money, and purchasing travel money is no different. As it is possible to purchase travel money from travel agents, banks, post offices, online and on prepaid currency cards there have never been so many ways to buy your currency. So as you can see, with so much choice and so many ways to obtain your travel money, you need to make sure that you have thoroughly researched the market. Doing this kind of detailed research will make you confident that you have made the best decision about where to purchase your travel money from.
How to research travel money
The first place that many people start when they want to research anything is the internet. Here you can find a wealth of information on every topic you can think of and that includes information for people wanting to purchase travel money. You might want to see who offers travel money and what their rates are. While online you can also take a look at the exchange rate of the currency you are interested in purchasing.
It is also possible to research rates before you buy your travel money from more direct sources. Some people like to take a look on the high street and check out the varying rates and ways to purchase money to travel with. One of the drawbacks to this is that it can be very time consuming and few people have hours to spend doing this.
What you should be looking for
One of the best ways to make your research work for you is to know what you should be looking for when you purchase travel money. For example you will want to take advantage of the best exchange rates. You will also want to find a way to be flexible with your money and if needed, set the amount that you are going to spend. Using a prepaid currency card is the best way to get the most from your money as you can load a prepaid currency card whenever the exchange rate is good. You are under no obligation to load a set amount and you have the freedom to reload your card at any time during your holiday, should you need to. In fact with so many advantages it is clear to see that using a prepaid currency card to purchase travel money is a smart move for anyone planning on travelling abroad.
Monday 29 March 2010, 05:25pm
If you are tired of paying the huge fees that have become standard when exchanging money prior to a holiday, you aren't alone! More and more people are standing up and questioning why they should have to pay those high commissions just to exchange money that is already theirs for currency of another country. This is why it is now advised that you compare exchange rates for your travel money well in advance of a holiday.
Exchanging Last Minute
If you are accustomed to exchanging your money just before leaving home or at the airport once you have arrived for your holiday, you are probably paying the most outrageous fees out there. Since you are in a hurry, you aren't likely to compare exchange rates and companies that deal with last minute exchanges know this!
They know you aren't in the frame of mind to be questioning their exchange rates, if you are even paying attention at all. As a result, rates in airports and banks or other exchange businesses near the airport tend to have higher rates.
People who take the time to start shopping around for the best rates in advance of their holiday are the ones who end up paying much less. This only makes sense because it will free up more money to actually be spent on holiday!
Comparing Rates Online
One option to compare exchange rates in advance is to go online. You can now access virtually anything you want with a few keywords and the click of a mouse, so why not try to find the most competitive currency exchange rates online? This is actually the best way to start, but you have to watch out that the sites you use are trustworthy.
For starters, ignore any random emails you receive asking you to click a link and compare exchange rates. Many of these sites are set up for phishing, which means they are there to collect your personal information rather than to actually exchange your money.
Another word of caution is to avoid exchange websites offering "commission free money," as there is really no such thing as legitimate exchanges without any form of commission. The trick here is that they offer you a higher exchange rate while waiving the typical "commission fee." You are still paying the fee, but it is deceptively hidden in the exchange rate.
If you compare exchange rates from one site to another you will catch these little scams!
Prepaid Options
You never know exactly how much currency you are going to need when you go on holiday, so the new options of purchasing prepaid currency cards are probably going to be your best deal. You can still compare exchange rates prior to leaving for your holiday, but you will be able to purchase your currency and have it placed on a convenient, completely safe Mastercard or Visa which can be used around the world just like any other credit card.
What is so beneficial here is the ability to compare exchange rates prior to purchasing your currency and then have a safer way of carrying your money around once you leave for holiday. While you may still want some local notes on hand while on holiday, the bulk of your travel money should be secured on a prepaid card where the fees are noted upfront at the time you place currency on the card.
Monday 29 March 2010, 03:32pm
Go to Google and put through a search for travel money and you will be hit with thousands of websites promising commission free travel money. While it sounds like a great deal to order your money online and avoid the costly commissions, the idea of commission free travel money is a myth that has fooled far too many people.
Commission Free Money: The Truth
When you see someone promising commission free travel money, understand that they are not offering to convert your money into the currency you need for your next vacation completely fee-free. They may want you to believe that you are getting an excellent deal, but it is guaranteed that you are paying more than you should have to.
In most cases, they are not giving you a fair exchange rate. While the competition used to be who could give the most competitive exchange rates while offering reasonable commission fees, the game has changed today. Companies are now trying to fool the consumer into believing there is no commission, while they offer a less competitive exchange rate. The extra money collected through the higher exchange rate is the same thing as a commission.
This is why it is so important to compare exchange rates well in advance of your trip abroad. You don't want to just use your credit and debit cards overseas because you will incur lots of fees that will rob you blind, but you also don't want to just quickly exchange your money at the last minute because you will end up with a much higher exchange rate.
Money Exchange Options
There are quite a few options for exchanging your money prior to a trip:
If you're exchanging money at the airport you waited too long to take care of business! You are already on your way or have arrived in another country and need money on the spot to make purchases. You don't have a lot of options as far as comparing exchange rates at this point.
Comparing Exchange Rates in Advance
The best option is to go online in advance of a trip and start comparing exchange rates. You can go to your bank or credit card company's website and see if they do money exchanges. Many banks now have this service online and some credit card companies such as American Express do as well. Get their rates, but don't commit just yet.
If you have a membership to AAA or other travel related organizations, check their exchange rates as well. You may want to check into a couple money exchange websites, but be careful because many are scams just waiting to collect your bank information and run. If you know of a completely legitimate site, check their exchange rates as well.
Finally, look into prepaid currency cards which can be used just like a credit card around the world. You will be able to load these cards with the currency of your choice prior to a trip and save tons of money on fees! While there is no such thing as commission free travel money, there are ways to know upfront what your fees are going to be so you can better plan your expenses. Prepaid cards are the cheapest and most effective way to spend travel money. Find out more.
Friday 26 March 2010, 09:32am
How do you get your Euro travel money? If you`re paying higher rates on a credit card or at the airport, try a FairFX Currency Card and see how much you can save on your next trip!
The global economic crisis has led to instability in the currency market, in that exchange rates are changing all the time and this will affect how much euro you will receive for your pound. As your holiday approaches you should think of shopping around to see where you can get the best currency rates.
You may not like taking too much ready cash with you when you go away as you pay for most things on your credit card; however, it never hurts to have some cash available when you go abroad. There is a tendency for many travellers just to wait for their travel agent and to buy their currency through them, but this is not always the cheapest way of doing things. You should shop around for the best deals on euro travel money, just as you would for anything else. When it comes to currency exchange, all rates are not equal. If you have already paid a great deal of money for your approaching holiday, then it makes sense to save some cash on your currency. There are a number of places where you can buy the currency you need without having to go with the rate offered by your bank or travel agent. Most people, for example may not be aware that it is possible to buy a currency card, or to get your foreign money at the local post office. Whatever you decide you should never leave getting your euro travel money until the last minute.
It is true that rates change daily but if you leave getting your currency until late on in the proceedings you could end up spending a lot more on it than you first intended. When you leave currency until the last minute, exchange bureaus may take advantage and raise their service charges because they know your options are limited and you could pay as much as £35 for your currency. Several businesses list their currency exchange services on the internet so you could begin your search for cheaper foreign currency online. While you are abroad, remember to spend all of your loose foreign currency, as many currency dealers will not refund on anything less than a certain denomination note.
You may not know it but a bureaux de change that says it does not charge for currency exchange, could prove expensive because you may get a lower rate of exchange. Before you buy anything you should compare at least some of the offers from online exchanges as this will give you a better picture of what is going on. Many online exchanges have collection points for you to collect your foreign money before you go away at airports and bus and rail terminals. When you do go to buy your euro travel money you may find that you can opt for One thing you should never rely on is using your debit card to draw out money when you are away as you will be charged for this and it could well wipe out any other savings you have made. Getting your euro travel money early will save you a deal of grief at a later date.
Thursday 25 March 2010, 05:13pm
