Travel to Scotland Question: Money Exchange

**Father Bill** · 14th June 16, 09:46 AM

Originally Posted by drctl

Bring at least one CC with a chip in it. Europe uses the chip more than North America. Restaurants will bring the chip reader hand-held over to your table after dining, and process it in front of you. Some that I've traveled with find this odd, but I like it, my card is never out of my sight and reduces the chances for fraud. I've made that mistake too.

Maybe in the U.S., but in this part of Canada at least, that's the norm.

**ThistleDown** · 14th June 16, 10:14 AM

Originally Posted by Father Bill

Maybe in the U.S., but in this part of Canada at least, that's the norm.

That's the norm in all of Canada.

**Father Bill** · 14th June 16, 10:16 AM

Originally Posted by ThistleDown

That's the norm in all of Canada.

Aye. I thought so from my travels (all ten provinces), but didn't want to be quite that absolute.

**drctl** · 14th June 16, 11:47 AM

Originally Posted by Father Bill

Maybe in the U.S., but in this part of Canada at least, that's the norm.

Sorry I was trying to be inclusive and overstepped it a bit. Maybe we will catch up soon. I see more and more chip readers installed, none of them seem to work however.

**Father Bill** · 14th June 16, 12:02 PM

Yes; Canada is much, much more British / European than most Americans realize. A lot of subtle differences.

**marypenny** · 14th June 16, 12:12 PM

Our bank Eastwest Bank here in CA is not charging a fee for foreign currency exchange this year, and we've been exchanging funds for a friend and for our trip to Ireland. Are you close to a CA branch?
Our Quicksilver Visa does not have foreign currency exchange transactions charges. Ask your credit card company! Get it in writing. Or make a copy of the page on their website that gives that information. Not that I don't trust them, yeah right, but just be careful.
We take pounds to the UK because small businesses get hammered with credit card fees. And I like to support small local businesses. On the High Street? Yeah, I use my Quicksilver card.
Have a great time.
Pickpockets abound. BE VIGILANT.
Mary

**cessna152towser** · 14th June 16, 12:50 PM

Pickpockets abound. BE VIGILANT.

One should always be vigilant especially in busy city centres but pickpocketing is not a major problem here in Scotland where we have a relatively low crime rate. I have lived in Scotland all my life and never been pickpocketed here. I stopped holidaying in Spain after being pickpocketed there three times.

**ctbuchanan** · 14th June 16, 02:51 PM

I haven't trusted a Spaniard since the Armada.

**bdkilted** · 14th June 16, 03:57 PM

all the above is good advise. When I travel, I check with all the banks/credit unions I do business with to see who has the best exchange rate. They can vary ALOT. Most banks that aren't in very large cities, do not keep foreign money on hand, so they have to order it for you. I bought several hundred British pounds before the trip and it took my bank about a week to get them. Same for when we went to Ireland. So give your bank of choice a heads up and they can get it for you. Also, Capital One doesn't charge an exchange rate, and you still get your travel points for what you spend out of the country. So it is a good card to use if you have it.

**Knight** · 15th June 16, 06:51 PM

Thank you for the bountiful advice. Some of those strategies I've tried, some I simply can't. There are no real currency exchangers in my city--SYRACUSE, NY--the two operational ones are seasonal and closed for several months. The banks, too, are hapless. They wanted to deliver the exchanged cash to my door, but only when I was at work (unhelpful, since I teach, so I can't even have them deliver it to work; I can't leave a class with kids and don't feel comfortable having someone sign for it at the main office). By bank policy they can't deliver it to the local branch, which almost made me apopleptic.

It sounds like our best bet is to stick to ATM and debit whenever possible. We have PIN and Chip cards, and, thanks to some family in the banking business, atm-charge-free accounts. In the US all fees are returned, and I think Internationals are too. Still, the Big Deposit idea probably makes sense. The hotels, planes and trsins are prepaid, so that's already set and settled. And, of course, we let the bank know where we would be and when.

Thanks for your help. I'll try to take pictures to share; I know its a bit kitsche but I'm planning to wear my Angus on at least one hike.