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Local exchange rate as of today

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Jimbo:
Things are not quite that simple.

I bought 10 cartons of cigarettes at Maria's, using my Clarity card. The cost was €312.

If I had used cash at the rate I bought it, this would have cost £250.60 - but Maria charges 3.5% for credit cards, so the actual cost on my statement was £255.83.

Without the additional interest I would have paid £247.60 - in which case Clarity would have won. So, clearly, next time I will pay in cash!

benson:
It's cash for me every time, can't be bothered with pay up front cards or best rate credit cards.

Last week I bought 3,000 euros at Thomas Cook (order on-line first) and paid £2,420 in cash (just in case my bank charged me for buying foreign currency on my debit card) 1.237 ish - best rate in years.

Then I FORGET about the rate, don't start paying for a wonderful meal at Nafsika and beating myself up because I could have saved x pence/cents by paying for it in a different way.

We get free safety deposit boxes at Margaritas so I put 600 euros in my wallet then put 300 euros in 8 envelopes and number them 1 to 8. So when we've spent the first 600 I go to my saftey deposit box and take out envelope number 8 (and so on). This way its easy to keep a check on what you are spending.

if I run out I'll just take some out on my Nationwide debit card, not the cheapest way but I dont think I'll need much more than 3,000 - I hope !!

Teamnickos:
Agree, we only take cash, but people should be aware that travel insurance will have a very low limit on cash.

Hope the cigs last the rest of your holiday Jimbo ;D 

Waspman:

--- Quote from: Jimbo on July 29, 2014, 11:41:57 AM ---Things are not quite that simple.

I bought 10 cartons of cigarettes at Maria's, using my Clarity card. The cost was €312.

If I had used cash at the rate I bought it, this would have cost £250.60 - but Maria charges 3.5% for credit cards, so the actual cost on my statement was £255.83.

Without the additional interest I would have paid £247.60 - in which case Clarity would have won. So, clearly, next time I will pay in cash!

--- End quote ---

Yes, I know Maria charges commission on credit cards but it is 2% not 3.5%.

Even with a 2% commission I still got a reasonable exchange rate in Peli & Maria's shop (I also bought tobacco, not for me), couldn't resist her smile.

My purchase at Peli & Maria's was 1.26 minus 2% = 1.23 (which is better than the exchange rate in Ag Stef, after they've taken 2% commission)

As you probably know I was getting 1.26 on the majority of my purchases (tavernas mainly) using "no commission credit cards"

Revise your sums again Jimbo, using the correct commission of 2% I think you'll find that the Halifax Clarity Card was still better than paying cash at the rate you bought it in the UK (1.21 as I remember)

I suspect you didn't use the Clarity card much as you were staying at the Nafsika on half board but if ever go b&b it will serve you well when you eat out.

I've always found that it's best to use these cards only in places that do not charge commission and never in an ATM. Of course we all know that a few tavernas don't accept credit cards.

The other alternative for you Jimbo is to give up the "weed" then you can save shed loads, no, let's not start that one again!

Jimbo:
Sorry George. It was 3.5%

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