Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1999/10/06
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Odd, I had quite a different experience the year I lived in the Netherlands. I paid an ordinary non-system transaction fee (USD$1.50), but the bank gave me institutional exchange rates on all transactions. This was a couple of points better than I could've gotten from any local exchange. This was also true when I travelled to England and Belgium. I take about $100 in the destination currency when I leave the States (ATMs *do* go down)--buys me a cup of coffee in the airport and pays the taxi/bus/train fare when I get there, with enough left to eat, etc, w/o having to sweat the exchange right away. Chandos At 09:51 PM 10/6/1999 +0800, you wrote: >You suggest that there are no fees to pay when you use an ATM to >withdraw funds when overseas. Let me suggest otherwise: When I withdrew >some funds when I was in Bangkok recently (I live in Hong Kong and have >a "no fee for ATM use" credit card issued by a bank in Boston), I was >charged a "foreign use" fee for simply accessing the ATM of Hong Kong >Bank in Bangkok. Then I was charged a transaction fee (three bucks or so >USD) for the actual withdrawal, and then on top of those surprises the >bank gave me a terrible exchange rate, adding yet another cost to me on >top of the other two insults. I've lived in Asia for almost six years, >and I find it almost always better to exchange USD into the country's >currency at the airport upon arrival in the visiting country. At least >in Asia. The exception being in Manila, where the hotels are usually >(miraculously) a better deal. > >Jim Nelon > > > >William Ferris wrote: > > > > What equipment to take is always debatable, but the ATM advice is tops. I > > travel a lot, everywhere and never get cash any way other than with an ATM > > card. Those machines are everywhere---no lines to stand in, no fees to pay > > and the best rate you can get. > > > > Bill > > ----- Original Message ----- > > From: Nathan Wajsman <nathan.wajsman@euronet.be> > > To: <leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us> > > Sent: Wednesday, October 06, 1999 12:37 AM > > Subject: Re: [Leica] Travel Photography Made Easy > > > > > Bill, > > > > > > This is a fun rule...Actually, you should NEVER exchange money when > > > travelling. Just bring your good old ATM card and use it to withdraw > > > cash as you need it. Chandos Michael Brown Assoc. Prof., History and American Studies College of William and Mary http://www.wm.edu/CAS/ASP/faculty/brown