Has anyone purchased euros from XE.com

I've never done it but I would suggest you don't buy euros until you get there. ATMs are everywhere, after all.

Cam there's been a big debate on getting euros before leaving home. Some find it comforting to know they have "pocket money" before getting to their European destination.

My friend has used XE to get some euros beforehand. He didn't say anything bad about their service. Their rates are around the same as any US bank, or even the AMEX travel store. Find out how long it takes to get the money (if you are leaving soon).

As David said, there are ATM's everywhere... esp if you are going to a big city, and particularly when you get to the airport. For instance, in LHR as soon as you get past customs, there's a row of ATM's against the wall.

I was thinking about that but I just found out my bank charges the interest rate of 3% and a $5 every time. I don't know what I am going to do, I don't mind once or twice paying this fee but I don't want to continually and one of the hotels I am staying at requires cash, more than a one time withdrawal...so then there is extra fees.

click here to see a similar topic on needing cash for hotel/b+b.

check out this post on ATM/ Charles Schwab:
click here

I am traveling to London June 1, and have done some research on money, credit cards, debit cards, etc. Capital One credit cards have no transaction fees for international use. I plan on mainly using that most of the time, and withdraw money with my debit card when I get there. Don't use Capital One to make a cash withdrawal, though, as the fee is very high.

Kent brings up a good point, sometimes the best laid plans...

Rather than bring Euros, bring a couple hundred US dollars. If you can't get the ATM at the airport to work, there are money changers in the airport that will sell you Euros to get started.

Money changers aren't free; I would only use them as a backup. They are likely to sell the local currency, however, at least as cheaply as you can order it in the US.

I realize the experienced Europe travelers already know this: There are lots of ATMs in Europe. That's not the problem. The problem is whether your ATM card will work the first time you need to use it. The chances are at least 95% that it will. But we have received reports here from the other 1 in 20 or 1 in 40 whose ATM card did not work in the first ATM machine, or on the first day, for some mysterious reason that isn't going to get sorted out at your arrival airport when you need the cash. This should not happen, but it does. Just because it hasn't happened to you doesn't mean it won't happen to some traveler at some arrival airport. It does happen. The ones to whom this did happen, and who did not have a 2nd card or other Plan B, and did not have €50 in their pocket or could not use their credit card to get to their first hotel--they had a problem. It's not a good way to start off your European vacation.Some people like to have a Plan B or even a Plan C on something critical like money. So it's rational for travelers to get a few euros here, as a backup plan. They're already spending $5000 or $10000 on their trip so they aren't too worried about the extra $10 in fees because the $10 gives them peace of mind when they're jet-lagged and tired at the first airport.Nobody is saying you have to do this. Maybe you'll always be lucky, the odds are with you, especially if you're only going to Europe once or twice. But some people like to have a backup plan on something critical like having money the first day, especially if they do it a lot. They don't mind paying the $10.

Cam, It sounds like you aren't aware of another XE feature called XETrade (www.xe.com/fx). You can have a bank draft in the currency of your choice mailed directly to the recipient of your choice. I use my account to send money to relatives in the UK and to pay deposits at B&Bs that don't accept credit cards. For security purposes it takes a little time and effort to set up an account, but everything goes swiftly and smoothly after that.