Money, Credit Cards, Phones, Internet -- Ireland and England

How you did it in '04 will work fine today. Check internet availability with your hotels. But TC's have fallen out favor with the advent of ATM's which are ubiquitous. You'll get a better rate of exchange at the machines, but be sure to understand any fees associated with your card. And let the issuer know you'll be out of the country so your transactions won't be blocked. Take more than one card which you can use to get cash as machines have been known to "eat" a card for whatever reason.

Wayne,

As the previous reply indicated, ATM's are the preferred method for obtaining cash in Europe, and will provide the best exchange rates. It's a really good idea to take two ATM cards, in case of problems with one (that DOES happen). Note that travel funds must usually be in a chequing account with a four-number PIN.

Traveller's Cheques are NOT a good idea, as it will either be hard to find places that will cash them, or the rates will be horrendous. Exchanges are also not a good idea, as their rates are usually BAD.

At least one credit card is also recommended, preferably Visa or MasterCard (AmEx is not widely accepted).

I can't offer much information on the topic of pre-paid phone cards, as I always travel with a Cell phone.

Internet access will depend on where you'll be staying. Wi-Fi is becoming increasingly common, and many people these days travel with either a Laptop / Netbook or an iPod Touch. Many of the smaller Hotels offer free Wi-Fi and some provide one computer in the Lobby. Internet facilities are normally shown on the Hotel websites. The Hotel that I stayed at in Dingle didn't offer Internet, however there was a Net Café very close to the Hotel.

Happy travels!

Are you taking your computer? If so, Skype is a free way to "call" home.

I think I'll do without my laptop. I'm sure I'll find various places to use one. In another post, someone mentioned Google voice. Two cents a minute between the USA and United Kingdom. google.com/voice. I'm signing up for it.

Just returned from a two week trip to Rome-Florence-Venice and I'm really glad I took my netbook. I consider it to be indispensable. I used it every night in my hotel rooms. Never carried it with me during the day and never missed it during the day. I stayed in three-star hotels and never had free wi-fi, however. And most airport wi-fi cost money as well. At JFK airport in New York the only working wi-fi tried to get me to sign up for a recurring monthly charge of about $12 per month. I only wanted a one-time use to send email and was afraid if I signed up for the wi-fi I'd have a heck of a time disencumbering myself of the charges at a later time. So I said nuts to that and didn't send my email. There was free wi-fi at JFK but it was useless because the signal wasn't strong enough to actually work.

Just use the ATM's for money, just get out what you need, if you have any left, either buy something at the airport before you leave or save it for the next time you go. That way you'll have an excuse to go back! GBPs are harder, you have to use those in England, the euros you can use on the continent if you go there on your next trip.

Back again, as I go into the final phase over the next several days for my trip. I think the poster above about troubling aspects of traveler checks is probably right. I'm going to check with AAA tomorrow about it, and my bank about an ATM. It presently looks like a credit card or ATM are about equivalent for withdrawing money. However, in the case of a credit card, a quick payment within say a month is important, or interest will mount quickly.

I would never use a credit card to get cash -- too many fees and interest starts immediately. A debit card is much smarter especially if you have one that charges min or no fees.

You should NEVER use a credit card at an ATM for cash, unless it is an extreme emergency. It is treated as a "cash advance" and it starts accruing interest right away. When you make purchases with a credit card, you normally have a grace period during which you can pay it off without any finance charge. If you withdraw money there will be an instant finance charge at a higher rate. ATM cards and credit cards are NOT equivalent for withdrawing cash.

I do not know how much phone cards cost in Ireland, but it will be Euros, not Pounds!

I will reply about the internet: We just got back from a 12 day trip in the Wessex region, and every single B & B had free internet for our use. Some had to give me a password (some quite long) I just took my iPhone and used that for checking email and surfing the web. Small and easy to use. My kids sent text messages if they needed something important (and I text them to let them know we arrived safely) My other indispensable item is now my NOOK. I love to read on vacation, and this has been a lifesaver - I won't run out of reading material ever again! As far as exchanging your money back...don't do it! Use all your cash. Use an ATM and take what you need for a few days, then go visit again. I used all my last British Pounds at the airport buying gifts for family - just to use up that cash. I didn't have enough and the store was happy to put the remainder on my credit card ($5 or so) I keep my Euros from trip to trip as we travel there more often, British Pounds, don't need, this will be the last trip there for a long time.

Nancy, our, wife and I, calculations show credit card charge is tolerable if you repay quickly, within a month. It depends upon the next billing cycle. In my case, I'll start the last 20 or my 30 day trip in Europe with USD money, and then need pounds for 5-6 days at the end for England (London primarily). There's a 7 day period before returning to London where I'll be in the UAE, and likely will have minimal needs for cash there. In any case, we need to go to our bank today, and see if it operates in Europe for ATM considerations.