Leftover Euro

Save it for your next trip!

I save my leftovers for my next trip! edit to add...haha, Angie-same time posting

Thanks guys! I hope we will go back next year!

If you plan to go again then just save it. I tend to go somewhere in the euro zone every year, give or take, so I try to keep 50 or so. Saves me hassle not having to get to an ATM immediately on landing.

If not...monitor your amounts in the few days before leaving and avoid big withdrawals at the end. If it’s a reasonably small amount left, just plan to spend it in the airport. Snacks, a book, anything useful for your flight.

Sometimes airlines collect donations for charity of leftover money in any currency. I’ve done that with coins because they are heavy and I don’t really feel the need to have a pile of 1 and 10 cent coins sitting around my house for a year.

Left-over Euro...what is this thing of which you speak?! Seriously, I do a great job of spending mine down to about 10-20 at most, and keep it for my next trip. Even if I'm going to Hungary, Poland etc where they have their own currency still, I usually fly through Germany.

You can also mail them to my house, if you really need to get rid of them.
I’ll give you Italian Lire in exchange.

You have several options. First, don't take out a huge amount from the ATM unless you need it as many places will accept a credit card. Of course if your credit card charges transaction fees when you use it outside your home country, cash might be the better option.

1. Keep the cash for a future trip. Euros are good forever. They can be used in any part of France including several Caribbean islands, for example.

2. Sell them to a friend who might be going to Europe and wants some Euros in pocket on arrival. Use the rate from Google to find out how much they would owe you.

3. Spend them for last minute stuff at the airport before leaving Europe. Not hard to spend a lot in the airports with their jacked up prices.

4. Exchange them at the exchange booth at the airport. You will never get the actual rate when you use an exchange booth, it is always off in the direction that benefits the exchange company more than you.

5. Exchange them at your bank after you arrive home. Also not a good rate, but probably better than the company advertising online. If they will even do this as not every bank does.

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Send them to me, I'll add them to my collection!

Seriously - this is a no-brainer: just hang on to them for the next trip. In fact, I try not to spend them down as my trip nears its end. I make a point of deliberately trying to bring some home with me, as it saves me the trouble of stopping at the airport ATM upon arrival next time.

I use it for next visit or I’ve also given some to friends/family traveling overseas. Coins I tend to put into tjevUNICEF envelopes on the airplane coming home.

Thanks all, very good advice. We will certainly use it.

Yep, what David said. It comes in really handy to have some euros on hand for your next trip.

hey aclement4
like others, save for your next trip. there will be one.
wouldn't expect anything less from roberto, love it haha
aloha

You are absolutely correct!

There’s no such thing as leftover Euros. They are simply Euros that are ready for the next trip, either yours or a friend’s or family member’s.

On my recent trip to Europe, I used the leftover euros from a previous trip and still had euro left. I always use a credit card as much as possible. You can go to the bank or exchange at the airport, and exchange the paper bills, but typical not coinage. I have always just saved it because you lose so much money in the exchange, its not worth it. I still have Icelandic, Czech, Hungarian and Swiss money, not in huge amounts. I may just have to go back just to spend it!

Your issue is just another reason why my no foreign transaction nor other fee, fees rebated debit/ATM card is so useful. throughout the world. When approaching the end of a trip, I can meter withdrawals and if euro or other local currency seems to be in abundance, then split my last accommodation bill between cash and credit card, while leaving enough for last expenses. Small amounts are easy to use for drinks and snacks at the airport.

As Bruce noted, the trick to unloading extra currency is to pay cash for your final accomodation.
I burn down whatever I have left and hold just enough to get to the airport. If I have any left I hold it for my next trip.
I hate spending the last of my cash at airports because the prices are usually ridiculous. There is nothing worse than buying up a bunch of crap just to get rid of cash....my Tiger Balm collection is proof of that.

And remember you can always pay something with the rest of your cash and then top it up with your credit card.

Leftover Euros -- that's like leftover chocolates. On a few trips I have consciously taken out an extra ATM withdrawal to make sure I had €100 as available cash on day one of my next trip.

Coins, however, get spent down to a manageable weight -- or given to young relatives or donated at the airport.
If you're near any of the monthly travel group meetings, there's probably somebody there who will be travelling soon and would buy Euros at the current intetnet rate.