cell phone in Ireland

Yes, if you're calling locally and that is your main concern, buy a prepaid cell when you get there. There are lots of places to get them. When I replied to the same question about this time last year, I searched and found about 20 Carphone Warehouses in Dublin. I've bought several phones from these stores in the U.K. Get euros from any ATM using your ATM/debit card. The big thing is whether your bank charges extra for using your card outside the U.S. Let your bank know the days you are going to be overseas so they won't block your card.

Thanks so much for your help. We are new to international travel and have lots to learn. What better source than fellow travelers.

Paul is right on with his ATM advice. For overseas ATM transactions most U.S. banks charge a service fee of about 3% plus $5.00 per transaction as well as a withdrawal limit of from $200.00 to $300.00 per transaction. To have euros when you arrive, consider going to your local bank in advance of your trip and order euros. The euros will take 2-3 business days to arrive at your local branch. Be sure to ask for smaller (5 and 10) euro bills. If you are taking a taxi as soon as you arrive, be aware that most taxi drivers in Europe will claim not to have change, so buy something small (a bottle of water?) in the airport to get change, i.e. 1 and 2 euro coins. Have a great trip!

My credit union charges a 1% transaction fee and no additional charges when I use its DEBIT card tied to a CHECKING ACCOUNT in an ATM machine. I go to Europe every summer and always wait until I land at my destination airport to get any foreign currency from any number of ATMs that are found at any airport I have ever flown into. Be sure to notify the financial institution whose plastic you are taking of when and where you will be traveling. Not a bad idea to ask the person you notify to repeat it back to you and then ask for their name. Saved us once.

After reading your posts, I called our bank and it charges 3% plus a fee for everywithdrawal (after the conversion rate which wasn't very good). A call to our credit union revealed a 1% fee and better conversion rate, so that's the card we'll use. A little knowledge can add up in big savings! Thank you so much!

It might be Don's experience that it costs that much to make an ATM withdrawal from his bank, but it's not "most US banks". I use a local credit union who charges nothing at all. And my online bank (backup account) charges only one percent. In both cases, my withdrawal limit was already $500 a day, not $200-300, and I could have had it increased. I did buy a very small amount of euros through Wells Fargo before my trip this month, but I came home with enough to put back for next time so I won't need to do that again. ATM once you get there (provided you have done your homework and are using the right bank or credit union) is always the best, cheapest, easiest way to get foreign currency.

Thanks for all the information. I think we're all set. Unless I forget to pack something..... :-).

If you do forget something you can probably buy it there.