What is best type of currency to use in Europe (Paris, Ireland).... travelers checks or Euros. My husband wants to bring some Euro and the rest travelers checks. I would rather bring Euros and then go to an ATM if we need more.
Posted by
New Paltz, NY
9101 posts
Euros. Travelers check are dinosaurs nobody accepts them anymore: http://youtu.be/Ur7NgbJ1G30 Keep just a days spending money in your wallet/purse and any excess cash/cards in the hotel safe or money belt.
Posted by
Genesee, ID
1840 posts
Patricia, Tou should overrule your husband in this matter. If you belong to a credit union get a debit card linked to the checking account. You will be able to use it anywhere in western Europe. If you go further east than Austria there's achance, a slim one, that you may have trouble. We had trouble in Czech Republic. Fortunatley we had a few hundred dollars in a AAA Travel Money Account, and that saved the day. Before you go be sure to stop in the credit union and tell them you will be using your debit card in whatever countries you are going to. No travelers checks. You really don't need to take Euros along. Just stop at the first ATM you see in the airport when you land and get some money. Usually larger amounts make sense because there is a fee, although small.
Posted by
Tresana, Highlands Ranch, CO, USA
23330 posts
There are very few subject - probably could count on one hand - where you will get complete agreement from all of the posters. But not using travelers checks is one of them. Because of fraud and the fact anyone with a color printer can make a good looking travelers checks, TCs are dead. Some still promote them as backup but even that is not a good idea. To obtain local currency the cheapest and most convenient way - bar none - is a debit card at an ATM. PS - Euros do not work in Ireland.
Posted by
Hermosa Beach, CA, USA
277 posts
We have a Bank of America account with an ATM card. It was accepted at Barclay's Bank ATMs in England and BNP Paribus ATMs in France. There were ATMS all over the place that we used free.
Posted by
Northamptonshire, England
32905 posts
PS - Euros do not work in Ireland. Sorry, when I went to work Ireland were still in Euroland. I'll agree they won't be accepted in Northern Ireland, which is part of the UK, or for that matter anywhere else in the UK, none of which is in the Euro (they use British Pounds), but the country of Ireland is as much on the Euro as France, Italy, Spain, Greece, etc.
Posted by
victoria, Canada
11507 posts
Patricia,, you are right, husband is wrong,, good luck with that,, lol
Posted by
Bloomington, IL, USA
9363 posts
No travelers checks!!!
And PS - euros DO work in Ireland...but not in Northern Ireland.
Posted by
Toledo
653 posts
Take the debit card advice, tell your bank where you'll be going and when, and ask for an increase in your daily withdrawal limit (in case there are days when you can't get to an ATM, the ATM is broken, you need extra cash for a purchase, etc.).