What is the best way (cash or Credit card) to purchase in london and paris?

Question

Is it good paying with creadit card or cash when you make any purchase in europe? Where you exchange your american dollars into the local currency (london-paris)

Answer 1

Traveller's checks are actually the best way. They have a fairly good exchange rate, not to mention replacement insurance.

Credit cards and ATMs levy heavy fees for overseas use and/or conversion fees, when they work right. (Fifteen years ago I got $20 Canadian out of an ATM in Canada only to come back home and see I was charged $20 US plus a lot of ATM fees. Surely that's been fixed, but I still would be very leery.)

Answer 2

Well Depends on your bank for the service charges. If you are at Wells Fargo I can promise u whatever the exchange rate, Plus what the ATM charges, and an extra $5. But Im with a Local Credit union and they just charged whatever the exchange rate was so wasn't to bad. Im also going to london and paris in 17 days. so I was lookin to see what people were going to leave on your page. Im going to just get out some cash before i leave and then if I go above and beyond that I'll take out from cash machines on my way. Or even use my Credit Card /Cash Card as often as possible. call your bank and see what kind of fee;s they will charge before you deceide on doing that route though! Good Luck and have fun in london n paris :D

Answer 3

a) generally the banks get a better rate on credit cards/ ATM then you will see at the 'tourist' cash exchanges, but---

b) check with your bank/credit card to see if they add a foreign transaction fee. This can really be steep on some cards. Credit Unions are good at not charging this.

c) You are going to need cash for little things, say <$20 / 20 euros or £20. But for other things, your credit card will probably get a better rate than cash.

d) if you are going to pay in cash, the ATM is probably a better option that taking over a bunch of cash and converting it when you get there.

Good luck.

Answer 4

I wouldn't exchange your US , I would take money out of the ATM, then pay.