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-   -   Recommendations for currency exchanges (USD and GBP) (https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/travelbuzz/1960696-recommendations-currency-exchanges-usd-gbp.html)

ft101 Mar 18, 2019 5:31 am


Originally Posted by EuropeanPete (Post 30898117)
Outside of the US, I've found credit cards and bank that offer no-FX transfer fees are relatively rare . . . .

Add the UK to your list. There are several accounts here with no overseas/foreign currency withdrawal or spending fees (not transfer as you mention but I don't think that is what the OP is looking for).

What I miss most is an account offering to refund ATM fees, which the US has but the UK still doesn't AFAIK.

pinniped Mar 18, 2019 11:27 am

Currency exchange places in the U.S. are almost always a huge ripoff.

The amount of cash you'll need in most U.S. cities is pretty low. One ATM withdrawal once you're in a city should be enough to handle what you need. I wouldn't overthink it.

Only time I even think about carrying cash anymore is if I know I'm going to be riding public transit. While most of our transit systems technically accept credit cards, it's often only through *some* ticket machines, and then those machines are sometimes broken, have long queues, or have slow, crappy user interfaces. It seems like there are always more machines available if you have cash. With most systems, you can use cash to get the local reloadable transit card and then cash to keep it topped up later.

Occasionally you run into a food truck that doesn't take cards, but even those are becoming rare. They all seem to have Square now.

teddybear99 Mar 18, 2019 1:24 pm


Originally Posted by TWA884 (Post 30886568)
More than once, when I didn't have singles to tip a shuttle driver or a bellhop, I asked them if they could break a large bill into smaller denominations. They have always obliged.

When I used to drive for Super Shuttle, I did this all the time for any customer who asked. Many would say to me all I have is a $$, can you give me $ back or Can you break this $$ bill, so I can tip you and also the Porter at the airport.

I wasn't the type of person who asked for tips, as it is impolite. However, many drivers would have signs in their vans that specifically said gratuities not included in multiple languages. I found those that did had more service complaints to the company.

pinniped Mar 18, 2019 2:37 pm


Originally Posted by teddybear99 (Post 30901971)
I wasn't the type of person who asked for tips, as it is impolite. However, many drivers would have signs in their vans that specifically said gratuities not included in multiple languages. I found those that did had more service complaints to the company.

I can see why. That kind of thing would simply cause me to tip less on a "normal" ride and make me irritated enough to lower the threshold for little things I'd actually take the time to complain about.

(Thank you for doing the polite thing. :))


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