Foreign currency and where to get it is often a case of simply shopping around the high street. But that’s not the smart way to get the best value travel money. If you’re smart, you’ll have a look online to see which companies are offering the best deals on the Euro, Dollar and other currencies.
It’s often the smaller, local bureaus which offer the best rates on foreign travel money if you’re looking to collect in person. Big high street companies don’t appear to be giving as good a deal, perhaps because they don’t think they have to. They know they will get enough custom from people – unlike yourself – who haven’t bothered to check out the different rates.
For example, Covent Garden FX offers a better rate on the Euro than any of the high street chains, including the Post Office. This holds true for a lot of other small Bureau de Change outlets, which offer more competitive rates than their bigger rivals.
But if you’re not in a rush and you’re planning on getting a lot of currency, ordering online is always the best option. You can even get it delivered the next day for free if you order before a certain time the previous day. A lot of places offer free delivery on orders above a certain value. Most sites like Travelex also offer a price match guarantee, so they’ll refund the difference if you can find it cheaper elsewhere.
With offers such as this, you’re best off choosing the vendor with the best delivery options, and then asking them to match the cheapest price. Then you’ll be quids in.