I need money suggestion

hi, everyone

first time to paris, bringing a tot in tow.

we are leaving in 5 days, and I still haven%26#39;t figured out what%26#39;s the best way to carry spending money.

my husband suggested me to bring US dollars and exchange at the Paris airport so to save the hassles to convert our US dollars into Euro in Canada.( we only have sufficient fund in US dollars now..)

I have thought about the traveller%26#39;s cheque, but wonder if it%26#39;s a good option since not many people in the forum prefers it.

and ATMs.my husband said what if it didn%26#39;t work and I don%26#39;t have enough cash to bring us home safely..

what would you suggest?

and how much for a day should I put into budget?( only 1 adult and 1 kid travel)

thanks so much in advance.

|||

No one uses traveller%26#39;s checks anymore. Bring you ATM card and you will be fine, they are all over the place and usually there are two next to each other. I discovered that many places do not take American Express so make sure you have a Visa or Mastercard. I have traveled to Europe many times and all I ever bring is my Visa and I have no problem. Also your bank card will usually give you the best exchange rate.

|||

The reason nobody uses travelers cheques anymore is that nobody wants to cash them. There is a fee to cash them, and the rate of exchange is always lousy, if you can find somebody who will accept them.

I have found, doing the numbers every year, that your ATM card will get you the most money for your dollars - folks get all uptight about the fees, but the rate of exchange is so much higher that I always do better with an ATM than using a foreign exchange desk to change currency - whether USD or CAD.

I carry two ATM cards - one from a bank on the Plus system and one on the Cirrus system. Those are the two largest international ATM systems. Almost every ATM I come across is on one system or the other, and sometimes, both.

Remember, you must have a 4 digit PIN code, and your money has to be accessible in your chequing account. I have heard that some ATMs in Italy are now allowing the choice of an alternate account, but I haven%26#39;t used any of them - so I can%26#39;t comment.

I always have my daily transaction limit raised before I go overseas - to about the equivalent of 1,500€, unless I need a larger amount to pay the rent on an apartment, for instance. If the ATM I%26#39;m using has a smaller transaction limit than what I need, I just make several transactions.

I also carry my Amex card - it does work in larger hotels, and in transportation services - trenitalia, airlines, etc., a Visa and a Mastercard. I have found the Visa to be the most useful one, but my Amex gets a better exchange rate, so I use it when I can.

|||

Please, go to your bank, and talk to them. YOu are leaving in 5 days so you must go now and tell the bank you will be out of the country, or they may freeze your accounts, and your credit card.

Use your ATM card to get money in Paris. Take a little cash ( less then 200 ) just to have as a safety net if you are a nervous person.. Why worry about not getting home , you have a return airline ticket right?

I use my credit card to pay for hotel and train tickets, and I use my ATM card to get cash out every three or four days. I have never had a problem yet. I also bring another ATM card to another bank , but I only use it if I have to.

I bring 100 euros in cash from home so when I arrive I have money in my pocket.

I have no trouble getting euros from our banks here, Toronto Dominion or Royal Bank, just ask. Sometimes I have to go to different branches to get enough.

|||

Yes your bank should know that you will be traveling abroad or they may freeze your account if they see unusual transactions.

Best fastest way to get money in Paris is at ATM.

Amount you will be able to get out is also to be decided with your bank. There is a daily/weekly limit set as protection for fraud.

|||

Thank you all very much for the help

I rushed to the bank this afternoon, and get everything done.

My bank card has plus system, and I hope it%26#39;s easy to find ATMs.

|||

I agree with all on the advantages and ease of using bank cards- BUT, I always take some traveler%26#39;s checks. If there is a crisis (my money/cards/checks are lost/stolen,) the unused checks are replaced by the issuer.

We have never had a problem cashing trav cks at a bank or exchange service. We took some cash and $1000 in checks (for 4 of us.) Once there, we used the cards as much as possible- and came home with the cash/checks we had not used.

Here%26#39;s my big point- if it is one adult and a tot- cover yourself with some trav cks. One of my banks does not charge for them; the other charges 3%.

Also, do inform you bank card co. of your dates in France, including your return date. And, ask them if your husband can use the same card at home, while you are away. For some systems, both of you using the card (in Canada, in Paris) will trigger their fraud alerts.

|||

lovingfish, honest-go-God, there is an ATM on almost every street corner in Paris. You will have absolutely NO problem finding them, every five minutes if you want to :)

|||

My husband and I each have ATM cards on the same account, and if we want more money than our bank allows us to take, we use both cards one after the other without problem.

Also, different banks have different limits of how much you can take out at a time. Crédit Agricole gives us more money than other banks. Our American bank lets us take $600 dollars a day and some banks, (I think that Caisse d%26#39;Epargne was one of them) that we have tried while traveling have told us we can only take the an amount of euros equal to $300.

I think it is also important to know, with the weak dollar, that if the ATM screen tells you to take back your card and call your bank......do not panic. Simply take back your card, wait for the screen to reset, and then start all over again, this time asking for less money. It only means that the exchange rate has changed, and you are not able to get as much money as the last time that you visited an ATM. Drop the amount requested by 20 euros and try again.

Slowpoke

|||

An other thing to keep in mind is that you PIN should be 4 digit and I heard that you can only access your chequing account. But I%26#39;m sure if you talk to your bank they can give you more information.

I%26#39;ve noticed that you are from Canada. Some of the banks have arrangements with European banks and in some case you can avoid some of the ATM fees.

Scotia bank has arrangement with a bank in France, not sure about the other banks. It maybe worth asking your bank.

Bon Voyage!

|||

thank you for all the tips.

Looks like I need to call the bank customer service again.

When I talked to the branch staff, he said no need to remark that I am going abroad. Even I told him what if my card gets deactivated, he seemed to care less.

also they don%26#39;t know how much fee of a transaction would be taken if I get cash from Paris ATMs.

anyone banks with CIBC?