The Best Locations for Foreign Currency Exchange

One of the best ways to obtain local currency when traveling may be to use an ATM with a Visa or MasterCard debit card that doesn’t charge foreign transaction fees. To be sure your card will function in the country where you are traveling, you should check with your financial institution. Keep in mind that your bank and the owner of the ATM abroad may charge you ATM fees, which can mount up quickly. Additionally, make sure to inform your bank of your vacation plans to prevent your card from being suspended due to possible fraud. Like Xoom and Remitly, these services provide competitive rates and money pickup locations all around the world. Online registration and transfer requests are both possible. Then, you make a bank transfer, credit card, or debit card purchase of the foreign currency. You can use PayPal to pay on Xoom as well. The foreign currency can be collected after payment at a local cash pickup point at your destination (you cannot pick it up in the U.S.). It’s crucial to remember that the fees can change based on the mode of payment you select. When using a credit card to make a purchase, Remitly charges 3 percent. Using your bank account or PayPal to pay on Xoom is free, but using a debit or credit card will cost you $17.99.

The Places You Should Not Exchange Money

Avoid using exchange kiosks at airports as much as possible because their rates are typically the highest. The fees for ICE in the aforementioned example decreased the net amount of cash you would receive by 14%, making it the most expensive choice. Additionally, obtaining a cash advance on a credit card may incur a number of fees and interest charges if you don’t pay off the sum (either at an ATM or at a bank in your destination country). Your hotel might offer currency exchange, but it’s usually a pricey option no matter where you’re staying.

How to Reduce Exchange Rate Costs

Whether you’re using a card to pay for something or exchanging currency for cash, there are a few ways to minimize the cost of exchanging money when you’re in another nation.

The first is to avoid using credit and debit cards that levy fees for processing transactions in other currencies, as was noted above. These costs, which average around 3 percent each transaction, can pile up rapidly if you often use your cards to make purchases and/or cash withdrawals. Choose a credit or debit card with no international transaction fees if you intend to use it overseas. Next, avoid accepting transactions made in U.S. dollar buy sell when using your credit or debit card abroad. If you do, the business may handle the currency exchange on its own and charge you more than if you had paid in the local currency. Dynamic currency conversion is what this is. Accepting the transaction in the foreign currency will allow you to take advantage of the favorable exchange rates offered by Visa and Mastercard.

Finally, don’t let inexpensive transfer fees be your only attraction. The story doesn’t end with them. Find out the most recent exchange rate for the foreign currency you’ll be using instead of US dollars. To determine your overall expenses, evaluate the currency rates provided by companies.

Conclusion

Using an ATM with a Visa or MasterCard debit card that doesn’t charge international transaction fees may be one of the best methods to get local currency while traveling.

Then, you buy the foreign currency with a bank transfer, credit card, or debit card.

Remitly charges 3 percent when paying with a credit card.

As much as possible, refrain from using currency kiosks at airports because their rates are frequently the highest.

The first is to refrain from using credit and debit cards that, as was mentioned before, charge fees for processing transactions in other currencies. Find out what exchange rate is currently in effect for the foreign currency you plan to use in place of US dollars.