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Avoid Last Minute Headaches By Purchasing Currency Before Traveling
Your vacation is just around the corner. You’ve booked the flights, the hotels and the rented a car.
Before you embark on a trip, you usually have a long list of things to do to get you ready. You’d probably stop the newspaper delivery, get a house sitter, put the dogs in a kennel and set up some timed lights to go on while you are away.
Then there is the packing. If you are super efficient, you have a packing list that you use regularly to make sure that you have included everything you need to take with you on your travels. You don’t want to bring everything including the kitchen sink but forget to bring your charging cables.
Don’t leave it until the last minute
Plan to do this a few days ahead of your trip. You will then have some time to research the best rates to convert your US dollars. Start with finding out what the market rate is, which you can find on Yahoo finance or other financial sites. Check whether these currency outlets have minimum cash order amounts. Look out for hidden handling and delivery fees. Work out the total cost of your transaction, including all fees. Some places will charge an extra fee if you are buying currency with a credit card. The simple comparison is how much foreign currency you will get for the dollar you are exchanging.
Once you have done some research, book your currency with an online exchange service like Xchange of America. They will send you the cash to your home or office and you can save some time and avoid any last minute headaches.
Avoid the rip-off exchange rates and fees in the airport. Make sure you plan ahead and buy currency online before you travel. Give yourself enough time for the foreign currency to be sent to you. If it is really last minute, you can order online and collect the cash from the nearest outlet.
The best tip to save money on your travels is to never change money at the airport. They are notoriously bad for giving the worst exchange rates and charge high fees. They know that travelers have no choice so they can take advantage of that.
By buying your foreign currency online a few days before your trip, you know that you have secured a good exchange rate and got the most for your US dollars. It will give you peace of mind that your holiday spending budget is now fixed. You won’t be subject to high fees and terrible rates that you would most definitely experience if you had to change your money after you arrive.
By making sure that you have some local currency to hand when you arrive at your destination, you can feel a bit more confident that your arrival will be smooth and comfortable. You won’t need to scramble around to find a currency exchange to change your money. In some countries, you will need to buy an entry visa at the airport with cash so be prepared. You don’t want to get caught out or get stranded with no money to pay for a cab.