Hello,
On my first day in Paris, I must have 500 Euro to pay a deposit at an apartment. My bank ATM only allows $300 per day. I know I can do a cash exchange at an airport. However, that is pretty expensive. Any ideas? Thanks!
Posted by
Tresana, Highlands Ranch, CO, USA
23267 posts
First off -- it is a good practice to have two debit cards tied to to different accounts. That way if for some reason one cards goes bad, is lost, doesn't work, etc., you have a back up. With two cards your problem is solved.
Posted by
Atlanta, Georgia
135 posts
When I went to Paris last year, I bought Euros from my bank in the U.S. To my surprise, they had to be ordered but took only 2-3 days to get to my branch. Remember to heed the advice about using a money belt and put your money and passport, credit cards, etc. in a baggy inside the belt. On hot days they get wet with perspiration. Have fun!
Posted by
Atlanta, Georgia
135 posts
Hi, again - forgot to mention that you can specify denominations when you purchase Euros from your bank. So you can get your deposit in hundreds and maybe a few smaller denominations for first couple of days' expenses.
Posted by
Lakewood, Colorado
19092 posts
I might add to Frank's advice that you should either put you cards in a very safe place, like a money belt, or carry them separately, so if you get you wallet pickpocketed, you won't lose every means you have to get more money.
Posted by
Elk Grove, CA, USA
6898 posts
For the best peace of mind, get the Euros in advance from your local bank. Brianna above accurately describes what we went through with our local bank. There's a 5% fee. Cash exchange at the airport can run up to 20%. It can run up to 40% in the high tourist areas.
With the exception of a few ATM cards like Capital One and WAMU, you're going to pay 3% on your ATM withdrawl. Just bite the bullet and get them in advance. We had to have and immediate 500Euro in cash to pay for a cooking class the day after arrival. We were in great shape on arrival with great peace of mind. Our ATM card worked great the first day and we got 300Euro. But, we wouldn't have made it to 500Euro in time for our class as you can only withdraw once every 24 hours or so on the same account.
Posted by
Chicago, IL, USA
473 posts
Talk to your bank to see if you can get your withdrawl limit increased.
Posted by
Eastern Iowa, USA
7544 posts
Depending on terms of your credit cards, another option is to have a card that allows cash advance at an ATM. Yes, there are fees, but remember, you are paying a 5 to 7% fee to get Euros at your bank/AAA/or other exchange. There is some risk that the card will have problems (rare) but carrying around large sums of cash has risk as well.