My husband and I will be spending two weeks in England, four days in York, 3 days in London. The rest of the time will be at relatives house. We will not be going to expensive restaurants and our hotels are already paid for. Does anyone have an idea of how much you would spend a day in York and London? Our trip is getting close and I'm starting to get a little stressed.
Thank you....
Personally, I would probably take $3-400 US just as a safety net and when I find a bank with an ATM inside, get 300 pounds. Can always get more pds.
Since staying with family, you probably don't even need that much US cash but I like to carry more.
Make sure your debit card and CC have chips
Sue, looking at the title to your post, it sounds like you're planning to take seven days worth of cash with you. If so, you need to read the Travel Tips for Money on the menu to the left. The way to deal with this is to use your debit card to withdraw from ATMs just like at home. Apologies if that's not what you meant.
Stan is right, you don't take money with you, you just get cash as you need it from an ATM. Be sure to notify your banks of your trip.. Some people do exchange a little currency before they go just as a precaution and to not have to stop at the ATM in the airport.
As for budgeting, it doesn't sound like you will be spending much money. Some incidentals, some meals and maybe museums. Transportation costs.
I am interpreting your question as wanting an estimate of how much money you will need to have available for your trip rather than how much actual cash you will be taking with you. That being said, we don't usually take any "cash" with us unless I have some leftover pounds from a previous trip. As has been previously stated, take your debit card with chip and pin and visit ATMs to get cash in pounds. As noted, make sure you notify your bank of your trip a couple of weeks before your departure. To minimize the bank fees, we usually try to withdraw about a weeks worth of cash at a time - our bank charges a $5 fee regardless of how much money is withdrawn. I would not recommend visiting the ATM several times a day as you will get hit with a charge each time. We have just returned from a two week visit that included time on our own and time spent with relatives. Hotels and transportation costs (except for around London) were paid for before the trip. We budgeted 100 pounds per day regardless of whether it was a day with relatives or on our own because it was easier to figure out that way. Most of our meals were pub grub or sandwiches and picnic type food and we do not buy lots of souvenirs. although we always bring chocolate home. We also spent money taking our relatives out for a nice meal several times. Look at places you want to visit to get an idea of admission costs (most museums in London are free, but a donation is requested) and factor that into your estimate. The National Heritage sights we visited averaged about 25 pounds each per visit.
Each of you should take a $50.00 bill with you with one of you buying coffee at your departing airport. Leave coinage in the tip jar. There's your emergency float which will most likely remained untouched until to return to the US and you buy another cup of coffee.
Use bank ATM's in London to withdraw your pounds and off you go. As far as what you'll spend per day all depends on what you are going to see.
Admission prices are steep for St. Paul's and the Tower of London but investigate getting the National Railway 2 for 1 deal. Use the search engine on this website to read discussions about this and if you decide it works for you do not forget to take spare passport size photos with you.
Most of the museums are free.
Get sandwiches, fruit, crisps, salads at places like Pret a Manger or Marks and Spencer or Sainsbury and picnic. The parks in London are lovely. Enjoy them. You can also get great food at street market stalls or food trucks which have gained popularity in recent years.
London is expensive but given you aren't eating pricey meals , have already booked your hotel, will, I hope invest in an Oyster Card while in London, I'd calculate 100 pounds a day for u both. That's about $150.
Have a pleasant visit to both cities.
I am going to London on June 3 for my 14th summer in Europe and I will be taking NO money to London. For 13 years now I have always waited until I land and my destination airport to use a debit card tied to a checking account at a local credit union to get local currency from a reputable ATM, meaning a bank owned one or one on my cards network but NEVER from a private ATM like those owned by exchange service companies who have rip-off rates. i have never not found one at any airport that I have landed at.
Each of you should take a $50.00 bill with you with one of you buying
coffee at your departing airport. Leave coinage in the tip jar.
There's your emergency float which will most likely remained untouched
until to return to the US and you buy another cup of coffee.
Geez Louise - I knew things were expensive in LaLa Land - what with that $15 minimum wage and all - but gee whiz, $50 for a coffee and all the change goes in the tip jar??!?!
Has to be $tarbuck$
There wouldn't be any change left for the tip jar if it was Starbucks.
Not ALL the change, just the COINS.
But since no one outside the US wants US Dollars, why bother? I carry whatever I have in my pocket ($20 - $40) because I do want to have some cash in case I need it on the way to and from the airport in the US. I have credit and debit cards for everything else.
But since no one outside the US wants US Dollars
Note that Ecuador, Panama, El Salvador, and East Timor all use the US dollar as their chief currency.
OK, "no one outside the US its territories, and those countries choosing to use the US Dollar as their currency want the US Dollar ..."
Just returned from something similar to what you mentioned (mostly pre-paid but wondering about pocket cash)
I brought zero cash over and relied on ATM withdrawls from checking for pocket cash. I'd say I took out 200 pounds about every three days for admissions, meals, and souvenirs.
