[Noisebridge-discuss] Best strategy and currency for foreign travel..

Sai Emrys noisebridge at saizai.com
Mon Jan 25 03:56:20 UTC 2010


For my ~2 week trip to 26C3 (w/ 1 week side trip to London), I got
USD$400 each of euros and pounds and USD$1k in travellers' checks.

I ended up using about 3/4 of each, and making only one card
transaction (USD$300 at the airport, because I had to change a flight;
still need to send easyjet the bill…). Never touched the checks (but
Chase charged me nothing for issuing and re-depositing them, so no
loss).

So I think it kinda depends on how long you're going to be where. If
you can get away with just keeping ~$1k worth of local currency
stashed on your person (even airport security never noticed my stash),
I think it's the simplest and cheapest method. (WaMu/Chase and
Mechanics' Bank both give decent money exchange rates - about 4%
effective one way transaction fee. Much less than you'd get at the
airport; dunno how it compares vs on-the-fly through ATMs.)

Not as easy to track though, in case you need that (e.g. for budgeting
or reimbursements). And you'd want something else for a longer trip.
I've heard travellers' checks are good for that, but I've never
actually had occasion to use them.

HTH,
- Sai



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