# Exchanging Pounds for Euros - Best Rate?



## oilburner (Aug 4, 2018)

Having recently sold something for cash, I have a quantity of £20 notes. Rather than pay these in at the bank and then get hit for a poor exchange rate using a ATM to withdraw Euro, I put them in my wallet to exchange elsewhere.

Where (preferably in France) am I likely to get the best Pound Euro exchange rate, please?


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## winks (Aug 4, 2018)

Would it not be an idea to pay the cash into your account and use a card like the Halifax Clarity to get dosh from the ATMs in France? Could do the same then load a Caxton type card. They are usually a couple of cents behind the Halifax Rate.

You do get very close to the interbank rates on the card I've noticed. Although cash for cash should get somewhere near at the right place, probably not a bank.

Cheers

H


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## Roger Haworth (Aug 4, 2018)

Probably best to pay the cash into your bank account. Then get a specialist travel credit card such as: Platinum travel credit card | Barclaycard With this card you get an excellent commission free exchange rate on cash withdrawals and unlike the Halifax Clarity card you are not charged interest on foreign currency withdrawals from the day after you take money out so long as you pay off the balance in full by the due date each month.


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## delicagirl (Aug 4, 2018)

winks said:


> Would it not be an idea to pay the cash into your account and use a card like the Halifax Clarity to get dosh from the ATMs in France? Could do the same then load a Caxton type card. They are usually a couple of cents behind the Halifax Rate.
> 
> You do get very close to the interbank rates on the card I've noticed. Although cash for cash should get somewhere near at the right place, probably not a bank.
> 
> ...




the halifax card does not charge you currency charges for european transactions....   that is why so many folks recommend it.  last summer i used my hsbc card and it cost me £60 overall...  i have a clarity card now !!


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## winks (Aug 4, 2018)

delicagirl said:


> the halifax card does not charge you currency charges for european transactions....   that is why so many folks recommend it.  last summer i used my hsbc card and it cost me £60 overall...  i have a clarity card now !!




Yeah we use the clarity card and just pay the balance off immediately after withdrawing cash. 

Cheers 

H


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## DuncanH (Aug 4, 2018)

I've got a clarity card, my understanding is that you are charged interest on cash from the day it is drawn.

Last year brought Croatian Kuna and found surprisingly that John Lewis was cheapest so worth checking them out.


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## spigot (Aug 4, 2018)

oilburner said:


> Having recently sold something for cash, I have a quantity of £20 notes. Rather than pay these in at the bank and then get hit for a poor exchange rate using a ATM to withdraw Euro, I put them in my wallet to exchange elsewhere.
> 
> Where (preferably in France) am I likely to get the best Pound Euro exchange rate, please?




Don't know where you live, but here in the South if you've got the readies, the best place to unload them are the Asian exchange kiosks where you should get 12 euros to the £.


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## winks (Aug 4, 2018)

spigot said:


> Don't know where you live, but here in the South if you've got the readies, the best place to unload them are the Asian exchange kiosks where you should get 12 euros to the £.



If only. I think 1.12 is nearer the mark. 

Cheers

H


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## winks (Aug 4, 2018)

DuncanH said:


> I've got a clarity card, my understanding is that you are charged interest on cash from the day it is drawn.
> 
> Last year brought Croatian Kuna and found surprisingly that John Lewis was cheapest so worth checking them out.



That is correct, so the way to do it is to withdraw a decent amount of cash then clear the full balance online. If you don't draw cash but only make purchases then you will pay no interest so long as the complete balance when the statement arrives. 

Works well for us. 

Cheers

H


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## spigot (Aug 4, 2018)

winks said:


> If only. I think 1.12 is nearer the mark.
> 
> Cheers
> 
> H




  Oops!, that's what I meant, 1.12


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## Biggarmac (Aug 4, 2018)

Pay the cash into your bank.  Get a currency card such as Caxton FX.  Transfer a sum into the caxton card using internet banking just before you want to get money out at a charge free ATM.  No charges as long as you use local currency (euros in this case).  Don't use Caxton for purchases.  Use Halifax Clarity for purchases.


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## oilburner (Aug 4, 2018)

winks said:


> Would it not be an idea to pay the cash into your account and use a card like the Halifax Clarity to get dosh from the ATMs in France? Could do the same then load a Caxton type card. They are usually a couple of cents behind the Halifax Rate.
> 
> You do get very close to the interbank rates on the card I've noticed. Although cash for cash should get somewhere near at the right place, probably not a bank.
> 
> ...



This is a good idea and, had I planned ahead a bit, it's pretty much what I would have done (but probably with TransferWise card).

Unfortunately I didn't plan ahead, and I now find myself almost in France with a regular UK debit card plus a wad of cash...


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## oilburner (Aug 4, 2018)

spigot said:


> Don't know where you live, but here in the South if you've got the readies, the best place to unload them are the Asian exchange kiosks where you should get 12 euros to the £.



Right now I'm in Dover, headed to France, so unless I can find some Asians doing currency exchange in Dunkirk...


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## spigot (Aug 5, 2018)

We had a fantastic local Asian exchange kiosk that gave way above the going rate.

Couldn’t understand it until one day, on a visit, I found the place shuttered up & the gentlemen in blue were enquiring as to their whereabouts.

Apparently, something to do with money-laundering!


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## jimbohorlicks (Aug 5, 2018)

Most pawn brokers do better rates than the banks, My Halifax bank manager even recommended the pawnbroker next door to the bank as giving the best rates for cash euros.


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