Hi, everyone. I read through an older post about ordering Euros online. Here's my question: My 17-year-old daughter is traveling to Germany thissummer, and will spend a month there - one week in Berlin, and three weeks in Lindau (a small city on the Bodensee). Her teacher suggests that she will need about 50 E per week for spending money. How would you go about sending this with her? Should I order some Euros ahead of time? Send a prepaid Visa with her? Both? And, if any of those answers seem best, how would you advise me to get the best exchange rates - in short, how should I purchase the currency or cards you would recommend? Thanks!
Posted by
victoria, Canada
11507 posts
I personally would send DD with about 50-75 euros in cash, plus a prepaid card. There are way too many places that will not take a card,, like when she just wants to buy an ice cream or chocolate bar.
Posted by
Bloomington, IL, USA
9369 posts
I agree with James. Just a regular checking account and debit card will work great (make sure you tell the bank that she will be traveling out of the country so that they will expect foreign withdrawals). It's simple enough to hit the ATM at the airport so she will have cash for those incidentals. She may or may not be able to make purchases with the debit card, but she could always withdraw cash at an ATM.
Posted by
Colorado Springs
54 posts
My daughter and I are going to Europe this summer and this is what we have done: She got a debit card (allowed at age 15 and up) off her checking account. She has been putting some of her allowance and any extra money she has been earning into the account to save up for the trip. She will wear a money belt with 50 Euros cash (for incidentals and small things like bottled water or a snack). If you go to a major bank, you can get Euros pretty easily prior to your daughter's trip. Then while we are on our trip she will make purchases with her debit card or go to an ATM if she is running low on cash. Prepaid Visa's charge a fee to purchase and then another fee when used in some countries (from what I have been told, I may be wrong).
If I were you I would find out where the ATM machines would be located in Lindau to make sure that they are easily accessible by your daughter and she has a way to get to one. May have to talk to the teacher as well. If she is at the mercy of the teachers schedule, it may be difficult to get to an ATM when she needs more cash. If that is the case, then I would send two weeks worth of spending money for her to keep in her money belt. Sounds like a once in a lifetime trip for her!
Posted by
Redding, CA, USA
1568 posts
It is very important to notify you bank of her departure and return date and the countries she intends to visit.
Otherwise, she may not be able to pull money from the ATM.
Posted by
Atlanta, GA, USA
2776 posts
And please... teach your kids how to use an ATM before they get to Euorpe. I had to walk all of my teens through the process because while they had debit cards or prepaid cards, NONE of them had ever used the things!
Posted by
Weeki Wachee, FL, USA
75 posts
My son did a two week EF tour last summer. We opened a checking account and got him an ATM card. I put money in the account, and he used it at ATM's to get cash. I monitored his spending online, and added money when he needed it. Twice!