Money Exchange

[believer33323]

Has anyone ever used one of the "Money Exchange" kiosks that are located in the malls. How much do they charge and do they give you a decent exchange rate, or should i just wait until I get to Canada and go to an ATM. We have a few in South Florida and thought of getting some Canadian cash before our flight. I thought of getting around $500.00 and since our hotel is not paid for until we leave I could use the remainder leftover to payoff the room. We are staying there 3 nights before our cruise.

http://sunrisecurrencyexchange.com/

[jimp1266]

It is my understanding that the rates at these places are not good. I used Wells Fargo's online service to order Euros and Pounds for our Europe cruise next week. They have good rates and I could use a credit card without incurring cash advance fees (they process the transaction as a purchase not a cash advance). The currency arrived via FedEx. It was all very simple. By the way, I do not have an account with them.

[orchidj5]

Best exchange rates are at ATMs in the country you are visiting.For Canada i would not exchange currency ahead of time-i would probably just pay with my debit card and let the bank convert it-or get cash from an ATM. Even in Europe -my husband got Euros when he was in Germany in December be for our cruise in June and that gave us enough to get from the airport to the hotel-then we just got what we needed so we werent dealing with large amounts of cash.

[Gonzo70]

Kiosks at malls and airports provide some of the worst exchange rates imaginable. If you must obtain currency while in the U.S. for another country, do so with a major bank or company like AAA. You will pay roughly 6% upcharge for doing so (versus 10% or more at kiosks, hotels etc.). If at all possible though, use an ATM in the country you are visiting to withdraw cash (and if possible use Capital One as they charge no ATM fees and no foreign currency charges - you will receive near the spot rate and have less than a 1% upcharge).

[JudyM]

Mine did it for me at a very small service charge, which included the ability to reconvert unused currency afterward for no charge. It was overnight service, but they also let me specify what denominations I wanted (plenty of small bills for tips). Very convenient.

[Gonzo70]

Mine did it for me at a very small service charge, which included the ability to reconvert unused currency afterward for no charge. It was overnight service, but they also let me specify what denominations I wanted (plenty of small bills for tips). Very convenient.

 

Often there is no service charge; what exchange rate did you receive versus the spot rate?

[FLACRUISER99]

Has anyone ever used one of the "Money Exchange" kiosks that are located in the malls. How much do they charge and do they give you a decent exchange rate, or should i just wait until I get to Canada and go to an ATM. We have a few in South Florida and thought of getting some Canadian cash before our flight. I thought of getting around $500.00 and since our hotel is not paid for until we leave I could use the remainder leftover to payoff the room. We are staying there 3 nights before our cruise.

http://sunrisecurrencyexchange.com/

Wait till you get to Canada and go to an ATM.

[dzcruisers]

The capital one card mentioined is a money market ATM card. The credit card has high cash advance rates. The Capital One is the best CC to use in international situations IMHO. And the Capital One money market ATM gives a gtrat conversion rate. It can be opened on line for a minimal deposit.

[believer33323]

Best exchange rates are at ATMs in the country you are visiting.For Canada i would not exchange currency ahead of time-i would probably just pay with my debit card and let the bank convert it-or get cash from an ATM. Even in Europe -my husband got Euros when he was in Germany in December be for our cruise in June and that gave us enough to get from the airport to the hotel-then we just got what we needed so we werent dealing with large amounts of cash.

 

I think I will take your advice and go to the ATM. i'm not talking about much money, just a few hundred dollars. Whatever is left I could put it towards my hotel bill at the end.

 

Thanks all for your help. You all came through again.