The differences between NH and Southern Hemispheres: there are few bank branches in NZ and some banks have no branches at all. My bank does not allow purchases of foreign currency! Instead, they have a discount code at the exchange booth at the airport and that booth is where you get your cash. Common currencies like the USD, Euro and AUD are in currency ATMs at the airport.
I'm here for military reasons but we have access to banks civilians usually don't like Navy Federal Credit Union, and USAA. Reason it's important is said in this video. If you withdraw from one of these two banks when you have an account with them, they should be on any and every permanent military base, will let you avoid the invisible tax for withdrawing your money from ATM. In some countries the exchange stations outside of military gates give great rates if the bank itself doesn't offer it. They want your money and business, they won't risk scamming you usually as they want your business as these shop locations close to gates are competitive.
I haven’t traveled internationally very often but we always got money from an ATM at the airport simply so we would have cash to pay the cab driver. I am going to Switzerland next month and am curious how to get around this problem.
Hi there Nora, this video sounds like a great resource for anyone planning an international trip! It's always important to make sure you're getting the best deal when it comes to currency exchange, and these tips could be super helpful. Whether you're a seasoned traveler or a newbie, it never hurts to brush up on your international travel money knowledge.
Do bank ATMs at airports function the same as those in the city? Just trying to make the best decision possible. Thx. PS. Love your videos. I’m more confident now than I was a few weeks ago about my upcoming trip.
I disagree with you on some points. When in Rome, I visited the exchange houses around the plazas and received the best rates. In Peru, we actually searched for exchangers that carry their currency all the time and we bargain the exchange rate. They are called “cambistas”. So it really depends on which country you are visiting.
I don't believe you recommended a few good cards to use at the ATMs. Geeee,, I can't believe I even need to mention this. Thankyou for the information you did send out but that card info is super important wouldn't you say? 😮
Wonder if you have heard of the Wise international debit card? You can load up to 50 currencies on the one card and they offer the mid market rate at the time you convert …I find it fantastic for Europe, Australia , Bali etc
Good video. I usually just get a chunk of my US Dollars exchanged as soon as I come out of customs. Not the best rate but 1. there are no crooks around, and everything is above board. 2. It's done and dusted I walk out that door able to pay, buy, eat, tip. In my trip to Hong Kong at the very beginning of COVID I did a currency exchange adventure. Every single one of them flat out refused to give me the rate posted right there on the board. Instead they offered me 'the special rate' that was worse than at the airport. The place the Filipino housekeeper said she and her friends used? They were the worst. I know that all the ladies around me were getting 'the posted rate,' but there was no way they'd give it to me. And watch out for 'oh that's the old currency.' I had 15 minutes to visit Monte Alban in Oaxaca. There was a bunch of short ladies having a squabble in front of the ticket booth. I finally reached over them to get a ticket. They stopped and watched. I got my ticket and my change. They didn't go back to arguing as I sprinted away. When I got back to the car Guillermo saw me fussing with my change. "Where did you get that?" "This is my change." "That's the old currency. It's worthless." I think I'd solved the issue the ladies were having. Cost me about $20US. Which I didn't mind paying. Got a story out of it and monte Alban was worth it. If there's old currency floating around, someone will always try to off load it on tourists. (Got hit later in Beijing at the Thieves Market (now closed) in Beijing. I went back and took over the guy's booth while he hid. Made a little noise. The woman who's booth was across was not happy. I was annoying, but it wasn't me who she was going to unload on.) So I bring cash, change it at the airport, re~fill at the ATM, preferably in the lobby of a bank or at a 7Eleven (in Japan. Bank of America was charging me $15 per transaction. 2016 about 7.5% rate) I wrote a letter and raised a stink when I got home and they refunded it. It was my money, I got it from 7Eleven ($1.50 charge), but BofA charged $15. (I still changed banks.) Related tip. I had a fight with a crooked car rental business in the UK in 2018 (There name rhymes with: Green Motion). I had used my Debit Card (most Europeans at the time were using Debits instead of credit cards). Visa wasn't going to force them to refund my deposit. Reason? It was my money. Had I used a credit card, it would've been their money. Now I use AmEx. I finally got my money back, they'd said I was a no show, I had a photo I happened to take inside the office proving I had been there. Here's the article the Guardian ran that summer. https://www.theguardian.com/money/2018/jun/09/green-motion-car-hire-bills I'd written to the Guardian about it and thought maybe it was me… but my tale is nowhere in the article. Enterprise in Belfast, Northern Ireland were absolutely wonderful, and Hertz in the UK and Scotland were straight up. (They all knew about Green Motion, Hertz in Scotland said the manager I'd argued with was notorious.) But I'm way off topic. Can you tell I've got the pre trip fidgets?
Cannot emphasize how important your tip is about not leaving your destination with lots of foreign currency. More than 20 years ago, I ended up having to drive 5 hours to an AIRPORT because it was the closest place that could exchange my thousand Euros for Dollars in under a month. The insult of the horrific exchange rate plus the drive convinced me – never again.
Hey Nora, My wife and I are going to Portugal & Madera in a month. (We are only stay 10 days.) We’re debating on which method to use. Exchange before we go or ATM, Or a combination
Thanks Nora, I have been watching your video's for a few weeks now, in prep for my upcoming trip to England. My bank was gracious enough to tell me the various charges my bank would charge on credit/debit cards, but didn't tell me about a fx-fee-free card – I'm going to look into it now!
![[Bombshell News] Consultants say we’re DANGEROUSLY near a recession 🚨](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/DvnKvkjdsMc/maxresdefault.jpg "[Bombshell News] Consultants say we’re DANGEROUSLY near a recession 🚨")
The differences between NH and Southern Hemispheres: there are few bank branches in NZ and some banks have no branches at all. My bank does not allow purchases of foreign currency! Instead, they have a discount code at the exchange booth at the airport and that booth is where you get your cash. Common currencies like the USD, Euro and AUD are in currency ATMs at the airport.
I'm here for military reasons but we have access to banks civilians usually don't like Navy Federal Credit Union, and USAA. Reason it's important is said in this video. If you withdraw from one of these two banks when you have an account with them, they should be on any and every permanent military base, will let you avoid the invisible tax for withdrawing your money from ATM. In some countries the exchange stations outside of military gates give great rates if the bank itself doesn't offer it. They want your money and business, they won't risk scamming you usually as they want your business as these shop locations close to gates are competitive.
I'm Cdn as well. Can you suggest a good CC for no FX transaction fees?
Nora, do you have a video on good Hotels to visit when going to Florida (or USA in general)?
Help…I'm ignorant ….Am I accepting the local business exchange rate when I use an American Debit card abroad?
I haven’t traveled internationally very often but we always got money from an ATM at the airport simply so we would have cash to pay the cab driver. I am going to Switzerland next month and am curious how to get around this problem.
Hi there Nora, this video sounds like a great resource for anyone planning an international trip! It's always important to make sure you're getting the best deal when it comes to currency exchange, and these tips could be super helpful. Whether you're a seasoned traveler or a newbie, it never hurts to brush up on your international travel money knowledge.
Do bank ATMs at airports function the same as those in the city? Just trying to make the best decision possible. Thx.
PS. Love your videos. I’m more confident now than I was a few weeks ago about my upcoming trip.
I disagree with you on some points. When in Rome, I visited the exchange houses around the plazas and received the best rates. In Peru, we actually searched for exchangers that carry their currency all the time and we bargain the exchange rate. They are called “cambistas”. So it really depends on which country you are visiting.
Good tips. I once exchanged many USA dollars under a stairwell in a mall in Russia 1996. A big guy in a black leather coat who had many, many rubles.
Ok sweetheart that info ‘‘twas TIGHT🫶👏👏👏
i subscribed because of that cheeky wink in the intro
Your VLOG on ATM machines is the best video I have ever seen on this subject. Job well done !
I don't believe you recommended a few good cards to use at the ATMs. Geeee,, I can't believe I even need to mention this. Thankyou for the information you did send out but that card info is super important wouldn't you say? 😮
Wonder if you have heard of the Wise international debit card? You can load up to 50 currencies on the one card and they offer the mid market rate at the time you convert …I find it fantastic for Europe, Australia , Bali etc
Good video.
I usually just get a chunk of my US Dollars exchanged as soon as I come out of customs. Not the best rate but 1. there are no crooks around, and everything is above board. 2. It's done and dusted I walk out that door able to pay, buy, eat, tip. In my trip to Hong Kong at the very beginning of COVID I did a currency exchange adventure. Every single one of them flat out refused to give me the rate posted right there on the board. Instead they offered me 'the special rate' that was worse than at the airport. The place the Filipino housekeeper said she and her friends used? They were the worst. I know that all the ladies around me were getting 'the posted rate,' but there was no way they'd give it to me.
And watch out for 'oh that's the old currency.' I had 15 minutes to visit Monte Alban in Oaxaca. There was a bunch of short ladies having a squabble in front of the ticket booth. I finally reached over them to get a ticket. They stopped and watched. I got my ticket and my change. They didn't go back to arguing as I sprinted away. When I got back to the car Guillermo saw me fussing with my change. "Where did you get that?" "This is my change." "That's the old currency. It's worthless." I think I'd solved the issue the ladies were having. Cost me about $20US. Which I didn't mind paying. Got a story out of it and monte Alban was worth it. If there's old currency floating around, someone will always try to off load it on tourists. (Got hit later in Beijing at the Thieves Market (now closed) in Beijing. I went back and took over the guy's booth while he hid. Made a little noise. The woman who's booth was across was not happy. I was annoying, but it wasn't me who she was going to unload on.)
So I bring cash, change it at the airport, re~fill at the ATM, preferably in the lobby of a bank or at a 7Eleven (in Japan. Bank of America was charging me $15 per transaction. 2016 about 7.5% rate) I wrote a letter and raised a stink when I got home and they refunded it. It was my money, I got it from 7Eleven ($1.50 charge), but BofA charged $15. (I still changed banks.)
Related tip. I had a fight with a crooked car rental business in the UK in 2018 (There name rhymes with: Green Motion). I had used my Debit Card (most Europeans at the time were using Debits instead of credit cards). Visa wasn't going to force them to refund my deposit. Reason? It was my money. Had I used a credit card, it would've been their money. Now I use AmEx. I finally got my money back, they'd said I was a no show, I had a photo I happened to take inside the office proving I had been there. Here's the article the Guardian ran that summer. https://www.theguardian.com/money/2018/jun/09/green-motion-car-hire-bills I'd written to the Guardian about it and thought maybe it was me… but my tale is nowhere in the article. Enterprise in Belfast, Northern Ireland were absolutely wonderful, and Hertz in the UK and Scotland were straight up. (They all knew about Green Motion, Hertz in Scotland said the manager I'd argued with was notorious.) But I'm way off topic. Can you tell I've got the pre trip fidgets?
they call it an international credit card too
Cannot emphasize how important your tip is about not leaving your destination with lots of foreign currency. More than 20 years ago, I ended up having to drive 5 hours to an AIRPORT because it was the closest place that could exchange my thousand Euros for Dollars in under a month. The insult of the horrific exchange rate plus the drive convinced me – never again.
Love your necklace! Where did you get it? Great video!
Thank you very much for this very informative video!
What type of credit card do you use to travel? I am Canadian also.
Can you recommend some good no fx credit cards? Especially those accessible to Canadians?
Hey Nora,
My wife and I are going to Portugal & Madera in a month. (We are only stay 10 days.)
We’re debating on which method to use. Exchange before we go or ATM, Or a combination
How do you know ahead of time if your CC charges a foreign exchange rate? And if your bank hides it, how do you know? Thanks.
Thanks Nora! Any advice on how much cash I’d need for a 10-day tour to Italy?
Thanks Nora, I have been watching your video's for a few weeks now, in prep for my upcoming trip to England. My bank was gracious enough to tell me the various charges my bank would charge on credit/debit cards, but didn't tell me about a fx-fee-free card – I'm going to look into it now!
Good advice. I didn't realize getting currency at my US bank made so much sense. Thanks