A Dumb American in an Irish Ice Cream Parlor

[Sightings Reporter]

When I went to France a few years back, I "ordered" Euros from my bank before I left. I wanted to make sure I had cash on hand when my plane landed just in case...doesn't everyone do that?

[Dreamstalker]

I've had a few people (buyers on ebay or buyers on one of the other forums I frequent) mail me Euros or GBP. I don't mind; yes the AmEx travel place charges a fee, but as my mom goes over to Northern Ireland and France semiregularly, she'll just buy it off me at whatever the current rate is.

I once accidentally overpaid a Japanese seller slightly, and got my "change" in yen tucked into the package

[sirwired]

I've found that the best way to get foreign currency is via the airport ATM. The rates are usually the "official" rates, and the fees quite reasonable. (Usually 1% from your bank + 1 or 2 Euro fee from the ATM.) They are practically free compared to the highway-robbery exchange booths.

As a backup, I bring a couple hundred $US to change, but that stays in the wallet unless I can't get the ATM to work.

SirWired

[rerant]

Living moderately close to the border I get a lot of people who try to use American money here under the premise that:
a) It's American money so I should WANT it. (buh?)
b) But The U.S. is RIGHT there so what's the big deal?!

When I worked at IKEA we could do it on conversion but I would hate accepting it. IMO if you don't get your money switched over to that of the country you're visting then T.S.

I think what really bothered me most, though, was when I was in Buffalo visiting friends. We were only expecting to be there for a couple hours and the original plan was to hang out at my friend's place.
Plans changed and we ended up at a restaurant, and before ordering my friend asked how, if at all, they handled Canadian currency (the plan was to buy cash from our friends and they'd just go to the bank later but he was curious) and the waitress replied, "Why would we take THAT? This is Americaaaa" and rolled her eyes before walking away.
But then again that young lady apparently had a reputation for being something of a... how shall I put this... raging bitch-cake.

Thankfully at my new job we just flat out don't accept it. It becomes far too much of a hassle sometimes that it's just not worth it.

[Midorikawa]

I've found that the best way to get foreign currency is via the airport ATM. The rates are usually the "official" rates, and the fees quite reasonable. (Usually 1% from your bank + 1 or 2 Euro fee from the ATM.) They are practically free compared to the highway-robbery exchange booths.

As a backup, I bring a couple hundred $US to change, but that stays in the wallet unless I can't get the ATM to work.

SirWired

That's a good idea. last time I went travelling internationally, the euro had been announced, but wasn't in (widespread at least) use. I had an ATM card with money I intended to buy an italian leather jacket with. I get to the town, go to withdraw money from the ATM, and the card doesn't work. (D'OH!) Jacket would have cost me something like $50USD, and I had $400 in the account, but couldn't get to it. still kicking myself for not having spare cash or something to change over. :-(

Oh well. Live and learn. :-D

[Munkie]

I was in the States for a vacation just a couple weeks ago and I had all the money i needed (or thought I did) converted before I went. It is sooo much easier to buy things with the local currency!

On a side note... American money is very monochromatic, but i did notice that the 20s were a slightly lighter shade of green from everything else. Oh and I kept expecting coins when I got less than 5$ back LOL

[Andara Bledin]

On a side note... American money is very monochromatic, but i did notice that the 20s were a slightly lighter shade of green from everything else. Oh and I kept expecting coins when I got less than 5$ back LOL

Our bills used to be much more monochromatic than they are, now.

^-.-^

[Pagan]

Living moderately close to the border I get a lot of people who try to use American money here under the premise that:
a) It's American money so I should WANT it. (buh?)
b) But The U.S. is RIGHT there so what's the big deal?!

Thing is, that depends on what border you live on. I don't know about about CA and AZ, but I do know that a lot of the businesses across the border from NM and TX do take American currency and actually prefer it. Especially in Juarez.

Our bills used to be much more monochromatic than they are, now.

I so wanted to keep the £20 note that I had from Clydesdale Bank. It has an awesome picture of Robert the Bruce on it. But I really needed back in US currency.

[Chromatix]

Ah, fun stuff. I get to visit England again next week, and I'll have to pay the landlady of the B&B in cash, since she doesn't have a machine for my type of card. (On the plus side, a B&B in that part of England is very cheap.)

On the flip side, I was able to order my train tickets online for pickup at the airport's station. That makes things much easier on arrival, since it's a crapshoot whether the railway booking clerks have the right kind of machine. I *think* the major stations - including the airport ones - have mostly upgraded to support Visa Electron, but most of the others haven't.

Would I try to pay for my tickets or food in Euros in Britain? Only in an emergency, and I wouldn't be surprised if it was rejected as an option.

I do notice however that shops *in* airports tend to accept a range of currencies. The Scandinavian hubs in particular seem to accept at least pounds, euros and the other Scandinavian local currencies, and probably dollars too. They only give change in the local currency though.

[Nohbody]

Thing is, that depends on what border you live on. I don't know about about CA and AZ, but I do know that a lot of the businesses across the border from NM and TX do take American currency and actually prefer it. Especially in Juarez.

Well, considering that, unlike the C$ (rerant's currency du jour), the Mexican peso isn't worth much (1 peso being about 7 cents US, as of this post), and the latter currency's government is... somewhat less than appreciated by the non-elites, shall we say, I can understand the southern preference for US$.

[Pagan]

Well, considering that, unlike the C$ (rerant's currency du jour), the Mexican peso isn't worth much (1 peso being about 7 cents US, as of this post), and the latter currency's government is... somewhat less than appreciated by the non-elites, shall we say, I can understand the southern preference for US$.

Plus you get the bonus of possibly getting shot at!