Originally Posted by
southlondonphil
Key points
- Always Decline Dynamic Currency Conversion, whether at ATMs, Restaurants, Stores or elsehwere. Always choose to 'Pay in Local Currency' never in Dollars - your card network's conversion rate will always be better than the merchant's terminal is using.
- Avoid ATMs at airports if you can as these are mostly operated by currency exchange companies whose RoE is usually worse and may also include flat fees on top.
- Never, EVER, on pain of banishment to Hell (or Florida) use a Euronet-branded ATM,ever! These are distressingly prevalent all over the streets of popular tourist locations (also seen at airports, see 2. above) and utilise both an unfavourable exchange rate and egregious flat fees of up to €5 per withdrawal (patriotic US citizens may take comfort from the fact that this abhorrent rip-off is being perpetrated by, despite the name, a company based in Leawood, KS
)
Absolutely spot on. Though sometimes it can be tricky to figure out how to get around the dreaded Dynamic Currency Conversion.