Author Archives: Xchange Of America

Where is the best place to buy foreign currency?

When you are planning a trip to another country, the last thing to do is to get some local currency before you go. This is something that a lot of us forget about until we are at the airport. The usual packing list for travel will just include the physical items you need to bring and foreign currency is always an afterthought.

You probably think that having a wallet full of US Dollars and some credit cards will be all you need in the new country. This is not always the case.

Not all countries are that sophisticated to be able to accept US dollars or take credit cards for payment for services like a taxi. To be safe, you really should carry at least a small sum in the local currency to pay for incidentals like taxi fares and tips. Ideally, the best place to buy foreign currency is online from a trusted provider like Xchange of America.

Options for buying foreign currency

Your local bank usually has a foreign exchange but you need to find out what fees they charge as this differs from bank to bank. Some of them even have a commission free return for any foreign currency you bring back unspent. If you left it to the last minute to buy foreign currency and the banks are closed, you don’t really have many choices.

Your best bet is at the airport. Unfortunately, airport currency exchanges are not the best places to buy foreign currency. You probably don’t have a lot of choices and will have to use their service but the rates are not great and they sometimes charge very high commission rates too. You will get a lot less for your dollar if you change your money there.

If you were already on the plane when you remembered that you needed to buy some foreign currency, there is also the option at the destination airport. If you fly into one of the larger international airports, there will probably be a currency exchange there. Again, the rates are probably not that great either. Most smaller airports don’t have this facility.

Another alternative is to use a local ATM to take cash out in the local currency when you arrive. The downside to this is that you have no idea what rates you will get in US Dollar terms. Most cards also charge a fee per transaction when you use an ATM machine overseas.

In some third world countries, the chances of getting your card cloned at an ATM is quite high. For your security, check the ATM machine carefully before using your card and getting a nasty expensive shock.

Where to buy currency at the best rates

A bit of early planning before you travel will certainly save you some money. You can choose to use a service that doesn’t charge you high transaction fees and gives you a good exchange rate.

You will get more foreign currency for your dollars by using a currency service like the one at Xchange of America. If you are too busy to get to a store or a bank to buy your currency, they offer a great service where they will deliver your currency to your door. They don’t charge hefty fees and you can get your cash quite quickly and still get a better deal than buying your foreign currency at the airport.

Why It’s So Much Easier to Buy Currency Online

Leave a reply

When you plan on visiting any other country, it is a good idea to buy currency online before you head out, even if you have a limited amount of time left before your departure date. Online providers like Xchange of America have both numerous physical locations as well as constant online availability so that you can make a purchase whenever it’s convenient for you.

The ease of making a currency purchase online can’t be matched by any other method, especially buying at a local currency exchange, buying currency at an airport or abroad. You will get some of the best exchange rates anywhere and you’ll avoid airport currency exchanges which can often charge huge fees.

Purchase from home anytime you want

When you buy currency online you can purchase it right from your home at any time, allowing you to take care of all of your other travel obligations. You won’t have to scramble at the last second to find a currency exchange service, which can be very inconvenient when you only have a limited amount of time.

You’ll be able to make a purchase in just a few minutes with a wide variety of different payment options. Choose whichever payment option is the easiest for your particular needs. You won’t have to drive around and take time out of your schedule just to purchase the currency that you need ahead of your travels.

Call ahead of time or email for advice

You can email or call Xchange of America ahead of your purchase to get advice on the quantity that you’ll need and other tips to ensure that your upcoming trip goes smoothly. Also, if you happen to live in one of the states where the company has a physical location, you can stop in and request more information and make your currency purchase right then and there.

However, for the majority of people in the U.S., the easiest thing to do is to simply buy currency online before their next trip. Once you’ve determined how much currency that you’ll need, you can simply make your purchase and choose a standard shipping option, or you can also arrange an expedited shipping option if your time is limited.

Benefit from some of the lowest costs anywhere

Leading currency exchange providers like Xchange of America offer you some of the best exchange rates that you’ll find anywhere, ensuring that you can save as much money as possible on your travel costs. You won’t get stuck with what can often be very high service fees, as many other currency exchange services will charge you.

Purchase from one of the widest selection of currencies that you can find online, and buy as much currency as you want. You’ll find that the website is easy to use and that it will completely protect your personal information. The time that you can save can easily add up to several hours when you use Xchange of America, so try it out today for your next currency purchase!

Top 5 Reasons to Buy Currency From Home

Leave a reply

Before you travel, it’s a really good idea to buy currency from home before you leave.

1. Financial transactions are safer at home

At home, you know the financial institutions that you deal with. There are lots of check and balances to ensure that all your money transactions are done with legitimate businesses. You can buy your foreign currency online with confidence that your identity will not be stolen. You don’t really know this when you are abroad. You don’t want to risk your credit card details being stolen and cloned.

2. Get the best exchange rates and locked in rates

Usually most banks and online currency exchanges offer the best exchange rates for foreign currency. You will get more cash to spend on drinks and have more fun while you travel. Don’t forget that an exchange bureau states that there are no fees or commissions, look closer at the exchange rates. This is to catch those people who are not too good at math. They load the fees into the exchange rate so you end up getting less foreign currency than if you bought online. At Xchange of America, you can see what rates you are getting before you transact. The fees will be fully disclosed so there are no surprises.

3. Convenience

You really should have some local currency in your pocket when you arrive at your destination. It is not always easy or convenient to find a currency exchange where you are going. When you are at home, you can do your own research and find the right place to buy your foreign currency. Buying foreign currency online helps you save time too as the currency is delivered to you, at a time convenient for you. Just check the rates online and order the amount of foreign currency you need.

4. Unexpected fees and minimum charges

As you are not familiar with foreign banks or their currency exchanges, you won’t know about unexpected fees and minimum charges.

At banks you might find a board with the current exchange rate and you can work out if you are getting a good deal. So far, all that is all quite transparent.

What is unsaid and not clear is the transaction fee. They charge a fixed fee regardless of how much money you are changing. The fee is the same whether you are changing USD $10 or $10,000. If you are only changing a small sum, this makes the transaction a really bad deal. The little bit of foreign currency you are getting has been greatly reduced by this unexpected fee. You need to check before you transact.

5. Can help you budget and don’t have to carry extra US dollars or take money out of a local ATM.

When you take some time to research and have enough time to buy your foreign currency at home before you travel, you know that you have got the best exchange rate possible. This will help you budget for your trip as you have locked in your costs.

If you worked out your daily spend, you won’t have to worry about running out of money and carry an emergency stash of dollars. The amount of money you need is now fixed before you travel. You don’t want to be caught out when you have to change currency after a major economic event. You might lose a lot more on exchange rates if they move against you.

Why XChange of America is More Convenient Then a Local Currency Exchange

Leave a reply

If you have never used a service online to change money, now might be the time to start.

Xchange of America is an online currency exchange that will deliver any foreign currency you buy straight to your door. It is designed to be super convenient for today’s lifestyle.

They offer a “Point and click, currency to your door” service and are aiming to be the top currency exchange in America. Besides being an online business, they have several physical locations too. You can see their list of stores on their website.

Why is it more Convenient Than a Local Currency Exchange

Have you ever thought to buy currency online? It makes sense, as you can do some research, compare rates and place your order. All of this can be done in minutes in front of your computer. There is no need to go out of your way to find a local currency exchange, find parking, stand in a line, wasting time. When you buy currency online, it is a simple and straightforward transaction. You know exactly how much cash you are getting.

They will even send it to you. You don’t have to drive anywhere to pick up your foreign currency. This saves a lot of time and headaches. If you are in a hurry, you can book the currency you want online and pick it up at one of their outlets. When you buy foreign currency online at XChange of America, you never have to worry that they don’t have enough of the currency you want.

If your local currency exchange didn’t have stock of that currency, you don’t have many other options. You can use their secure service to buy foreign currency with a debit or credit card. They use a state of the art identity verification and authentication for your security.

They also don’t have a minimum amount you can exchange and there isn’t a fixed fee. When you buy foreign currency from XChange of America, you can use their currency converter calculator to work out how much in the equivalent foreign currency you will get. You can compare this to what the going exchange rate is. The great thing is that all this information is available freely online.

Lock in rates

The foreign exchange markets are notoriously fickle. Rates can fluctuate greatly in just a few hours. When you buy your currency online, you would have bought the currency at a fixed rate and is not subject to any strange economic situations that can cause big changes in the exchange rates.

Specialist providers like XChange of America are one of the largest providers. Usually the larger the provider, the higher their volumes and the more they can offer better exchange rates. Banks might not do a lot of currency transactions and due to this, charge a higher fee. Xchange of America deals with very high volumes of transactions and will be able to buy and sell currencies at close to wholesale rates. These are usually better than retail rates. There are saving to be made with regard to costs and this can be passed over to the customer.

Xchange of America deals with many different currencies and more likely to have stock of the obscure foreign currency you need for your next trip.

Reasons Why You Should Buy Foreign Currency Online

Leave a reply

Buying foreign currency has always been something that we do in person, across a counter at a currency exchange or in a bank. We hand over our US dollars and in return, we get the Euros or pounds or Singapore dollars.

The only problem with that is that we are never near a currency exchange shop or a bank. Some banks won’t let you change money with them unless you have an account. So that doesn’t leave you with very many choices.

Today, with online currency exchange companies like Xchange of America, they have made buying foreign currency really simple. You can buy online, any time of day or night. You can then choose to get it sent to you or arrange to pick it up at your nearest shop. You do have to remember to do this a few days ahead of traveling.

Don’t get caught without any foreign currency. When you arrive at a new country, having a few dollars in cash help you feel a bit secure. If you get stuck or lost, you can hail a cab and be confident that you have the means to pay.

Having cash in the local currency is great for incidentals like tipping the bell boy or buying a coffee at the local coffee shop. If you only have US dollars when you arrive, you have to waste time finding a currency exchange. This might not be easy, depending on which country you are visiting.

Best exchange rates

When you have time to do some research at home before you leave, you can ensure that you get the best deal. You can compare rates and commissions that different providers offer.

The convenience of doing everything online

Nowadays, we don’t have a lot of time and we are so used to the convenience of online banking. Buying foreign currency online helps you save time as the currency is delivered to you, at a time that is convenient for you.

You don’t have to stand in line and waste a whole lunch break just to buy some currency. Some places like Xchange of America let you order online and pick it up in person too. In those cases, you can decide on the type of denominations received and make sure that you get some small notes that you can spend on small things like tips.

You don’t have to incur high commission rates and exchange rates in airports

When you don’t have time to order currency online, you are left with just a few options, one of which is to buy currency at the airport. The problem with this is that you normally get the worst exchange rates. They usually charge a high commission fee too. You will end up with a lot less currency for your dollars. So plan ahead.

Helps you budget your travels

When you know ahead of time how much your next trip is going to cost, this helps you budget. You can safely predict the expenditures that you need to incur. This way, you won’t be caught out in the middle of a trip.

4 Benefits of Traveling to the Philippines

Leave a reply

The Philippines is a very interesting country with over 7000 islands, that is still relatively undiscovered, even among the backpackers and travel bloggers.

Low-cost travel to the Philipines is very possible as the USD to Philippine Pesos (PHP) currency exchange rate is very favorable for US dollar now. For every USD $10 you get several hundred PHP. It is not the cheapest country to visit for travelers from the US but it is still a low-cost country to visit. You get a lot for your money compared to the states.

For the next year, the Philippines Tourism authority is actually doing a project called “It’s more fun in the Philippines”. Expect to see a spate of travel bloggers covering all those as yet undiscovered places on your nearest blogs soon.

1. Experience Philippines on a low budget

As the exchange rate favors those with US Dollars, you can afford a lot of adventures in the Philippines. As a country with thousands of islands, you can choose cast away on a deserted island, you just need to rent a boat to get you there. When in Manila, you can take a ride in one of the many colorful jeepneys. Eating locally is very cheap. Opt for a national favorite, chicken adobo or a seafood bbq.

2. Get Certified for Scuba Diving for cheap

The Philippines has thousands of islands and thousands of miles of coastline. The most famous destination for scuba divers is Boracay. It’s an island with unspoiled white sandy beaches but the treasures lie below the waves. It has the highest density of coral species in the world. It has been a favorite for Asian visitors for years but the rest of the world has yet to discover it.

Imagine swimming, snorkeling, and scuba diving in the warm tropical waters and taking a dive boat out to one of the many dives sites. If you have not been diving before, you can get a license at diving training centers found in diving spots on several of the more popular islands. If you are an experienced diver, some of other dive sites that you should check out are the UNESCO World Heritage Site Tubbataha Reef.

Getting your scuba diving license here is a great idea as you are paying for the lessons in Philippine pesos and is almost always more affordable than getting certified in the states. Besides, you get to do your test in the beautiful clear blue waters of the Philippines.

3. A good base for a digital nomad

The average monthly rent for an apartment in Manila is about $300 a month. For this, you will get a nice place that is popular with the expatriates. As the cost of living in this South East Asian country is quite low, your monthly outgoings will not be too much. That’s especially true if you are getting paid in US dollars.

4. Retiring in the Philippines

If you are looking for a new place to retire that is cheap to live, great climate, affordable healthcare, where you can have a high-quality lifestyle for not a lot of money. As an expatriate, you are allowed to work and have unlimited entries into the country. If you are over 60, the Philippines government gives you special discounts on living and health-care costs. You will also be exempt from airport taxes, great if you intend to travel around the region a lot.

If you get your pension of income in US dollars, the equivalent in PHP will allow you to afford a very decent lifestyle. The Philippines is definitely one country you can consider.

4 Benefits of Traveling to Mexico

Leave a reply

Holidays in Mexico are such fun. Think about the sun, sea, and sombreros and you can enjoy all that because the USD to Mexican Pesos exchange rate is so favorable. Mexico’s cheap peso has made the country so much more attractive to foreign visitors. It’s a good time to take advantage of the exchange rate and enjoy a vacation in Mexico.

The Mexican peso is trading at around the level of 1 USD to well over 10 pesos. It will likely stay at this level for the foreseeable future as the fears of trade restrictions are looming over the Mexican economy. This economic uncertainty is not likely to be going away anytime soon. Lock in your spending money now as you can buy foreign currency online at Xchange of America.

1. What you can do in Mexico for cheap

Take a vacation at a luxury beach resort. Taking advantage of the low rates now is the time to indulge yourself and book into a luxury beach resort. Tourism numbers have affected the hotel industry and there are some amazing deals to be had. Compare the prices for a long weekend getaway to Cancun against a long weekend somewhere stateside. You’ll find that it’s probably cheaper to fly off to Mexico.

Here is a top tip. The hotels along the coast from Cancun to Tulum are seeing very low occupancy rates of about 27%. If you want to book at a particular hotel for a week, email them directly and make them a deal. It is possible to bargain, especially if you book direct. At the minimum, you might get a spa credit or some free cocktails. The hotel doesn’t have to pay booking fees and it’s a win win.

2. You can buy lots of amazing Quality Artisan Tequilla or Mezcal to bring home

To the Mexican people, Tequilla is like a religion. Everyone has their own favorite and their idea of the best. There are so many small artisan producers that make an amazing product but can only be bought locally. These are not the cheap bottles with the worm at the bottom, drunk by kids on their spring break. These are smooth, mellow, artisan drinks made to be savored like a fine brandy.

With all those Mexican pesos in your pocket, make sure you get a few of the good bottles as you can’t get them back in the states.

3. The best service at hotels and resorts

Due to the low exchange rate and the low occupancy, Mexican hotels and resorts are rolling out the red carpet to give you the best service.

Some visitors have been given free upgrades at the resort with lots of extras thrown in. A lot of resorts are spending a lot of money on social media campaigns to promote their destination. Now is the time to indulge yourself while the USD MXN exchange rate is so low.

4. Upgrade your experience

With the benefit of the stronger dollar, your spending power is now much higher. Time to upgrade your experience. You can now book into the best restaurants and bars and the costs in USD has dropped a lot too. Previously, when times were good down there, it would have been impossible to get a table. And when you did, it would have cost a bomb. Now with all that Mexican pesos sloshing around in your wallet, it can go towards paying for that fine dining meal followed by a romantic cocktail at the trendiest roof top bar. Party away!

4 Benefits of Traveling to Brazil

Leave a reply

What’s on your travel bucket list? Is going to the carnival in Rio de Janeiro? Learn to samba? Did you want to walk on Ipanema beach? If you thought that these vacations were beyond your budget, look again. Now that the US Dollar is so strong and the Brazilian Real is so weak, these trips might be quite affordable after all.

1. How to take advantage of the strong dollar when traveling to Brazil

Now is a good time to visit Brazil when the dollar is so strong. Foreign visitors will benefit from the fall of the Brazilian Real. Your US Dollars will go a long way after you touch down at Rio de Janeiro airport. When you buy Brazilian Real, you currently get a little under 3 Real to 1 USD.

2 Afford to see Rio de Janeiro in luxury. With more Brazilian reals to the dollar, your holiday budget can stretch a bit further. So instead of roughing it, you can afford to see Rio de Janeiro in comfort and luxury.

You don’t want to risk not having cash on you when you arrive in Rio. Make sure you buy foreign currency at home before you leave.

*Instead of hiking up to the Cristo via a jungle path, the 125 ft Christ the Redeemer statue, you can take the cog train up. *Next, take the glassed-in cable car up to Sugarloaf, where you get the most iconic view in town. Bring your cameras and be prepared to be awed. *You can afford to take taxis instead of risking the local buses. *You don’t have to risk food poisoning by eating at the cheap street vendors, although their espetinhos grilled meat skewers are quite tasty.

*Catch a game of beach volleyball on Copacabana beach.*Learn to surf in Arpoador*And if plastic surgery is your thing, that nose job will now be even more affordable.*Now, renting a car can be quite reasonable, plan a road trip from Rio to São Paulo via Costa Verde. You can choose to follow one of the luxury tour operator’s itineraries which take in the island of Ilha Grande and pretty Paraty. Along the way, you can stay in some of the new eco resorts and posh beach hotels.

3. Dont’ pay in USD with your card on vacation Make sure you buy foreign currency before you travel. This way you can lock in the best exchange rate before your trip. Use the cash to pay for your hotels and incidentals. If you have to pay by card, make sure you do in in local currency and not in USD as the rates will always be bad.

4. You don’t have to rough it in a cheap hostel. With more BRL in your pocket, you can upgrade your hotel stay. You will get more for your money if you don’t book through the big online sites. Those rates are always in USD. If you find somewhere you would really like to stay, contact them directly and offer to pay them cash or local currency. You will find that this is a trick a lot of seasoned traveler use. You will almost always get a better rate. If you made friends with a local travel agent, they sometimes have local rates for holiday resorts too, instead of the internationally quoted USD rates. (This tip works in Asia too).

There’s no time like the present to book that trip to Brazil. Book soon to grab the best deals.

Why You Need Cash When You Travel

Leave a reply

On almost everyone’s packing list are the essentials, clothes, shoes, toiletries, camera equipment and battery chargers. One thing we almost never have on our list is cash or foreign currency.

Do you really need to carry cash with you when you travel?

Today, we are so used to just using plastic for everything. This doesn’t work so well in some countries where business can’t take card payments. If you end up in a small town and where there is no working ATM machine, you could be in trouble. Having some cash on your will tide you over until you find a way to get money from an ATM.

In cases like this, you really need to have some cash on hand. It will get you out of a sticky situation as cash talks.

On arriving at a new country, taking a cab or bus from the airport will be your first purchase. These services may be able to take payments by card but they most certainly will take cash. If you are a bit jet lagged after getting off the train, it’s not a good idea to do mental arithmetic to work out of your taxi fare was fair or not. Ask at the information desk at the airport and get the cash ready. How to safely carry cash when you travel?

It can feel unsafe to carry cash around with you when you travel in a strange country. There are ways to carry your cash that makes it safer.

You can split the cash into different bundles. Make sure that you carry some in your pockets and some in your bag. So that if the worst should happen, you have not lost all your money.

If you are staying somewhere that has a safe, leave some cash in the hotel and carry around just enough for the day.

When you buy foreign currency online from Xchange of America, it’s a good idea request an amount in small notes. Nothing is more attractive to crooks than an unsuspecting tourist waving around big notes. Be inconspicuous and use the small notes.

Most developed countries are used to taking payments with plastic. Even so, you really need to have an amount in emergency cash with you for your peace of mind.

If you run out of cash when you are traveling, you can always take more out at a local ATM. Depending on your bank, you usually get quite a good exchange rate doing this. However, you don’t always know if the cash machine is taking a fee or if your bank or card will charge you a foreign transaction fee. All these costs add up. Better if you had some dollars on you from home.

Alternatively, you can also buy foreign currency at a local bank or exchange with a credit card. With these transactions, you don’t normally get the best exchange rates.

You will almost always get charged a transaction fee for using a card while you’re abroad. Make sure you find out what the fee is and it might make it worth your while to take out cash and buy your currency with that instead.

Save Time By Purchasing Currency Ahead of Your Trip

Leave a reply

Among the most inconvenient parts of any international travel is the process for currency conversion. In many cases, a traveler is left with very limited options for cash withdrawal the moment they arrive in their destination.

While your credit card or savings ATM card will always be handy, it is always advisable to buy currency ahead of your trip to save you from all the unnecessary and unexpected inconvenience that may arise from withdrawing funds through any of your cards.

To spare yourself from having to spoil your well-planned and much awaited travel abroad, you should consider the option to purchase currency of the country you are traveling to a week or a few days before your flight schedule. Doing so will help you save time so you can have a hassle-free vacation or business trip in your destination.

Having cash ready when you need to spend on anything upon arrival

No one can guarantee that you can withdraw cash from your ATM or credit card the moment you arrive at the airport of your travel destination. For unexpected reasons, there might be no available ATMs that will accept your card or your bank/credit card company might not allow you to instantly make international transactions.

Upon arrival at the airport, you might already need cash to buy a meal or hire a cab going to your hotel. Just imagine the possible setbacks and tediousness of going in and around the air terminal just trying to find a working ATM or a reliable currency exchange teller. If you are already carrying usable cash in your pocket, you can just immediately buy a quick meal after getting your luggage or instantly ride a cab to your booked accommodations.

Shopping around for best currency exchange rates

Chances are greater that you would not be able to buy currency at a reasonable cost if you opt to do so when you arrive at your country of destination. First, you may not be too familiar of the options you have in the area. Second, currency exchange establishments there could be charging too much to take advantage of the usual desperation of foreigners who urgently need cash.

Buying currency ahead of your trip would also save you more time if you do it online. Currency exchange companies like Xchange of America (www.xchangeofamerica.com) would offer you real-time competitive rates to help you make sure that you are maximizing your dollars’ worth. There is a readily accessible currency converter so you could instantly determine how much cash you could comfortably purchase.

If you buy currency before you travel online, you would not experience the pressure and stress that travelers usually give in to when doing last-minute transactions for currency purchasing and exchange. There is no need to drop by the bank and fall in long queues just to be served by the teller (besides, the bank could also require too much documentations before proceeding with such transactions especially if you are buying a huge amount of another country’s currency).