Cheapest Way To Use Money Abroad?

Hey all,

Just wondering what methods you find the best/cheapest whilst abroad?

Do you just use ATM machines, or do you use your Credit Card, or do you top up your Credit Card before you go and use it that way?

Trying to keep costs down when I'm on holidays next week, so would love to hear which methods of withdrawl/transactions give the best rates outside the Eurozone.

Thanks!

It depends on where you're going, really. If it's a country where ATMs abound and credit cards are widely accepted, then I would go with a little cash and my bank account or credit card well topped up. Otherwise, US dollars seem to be the preferred currency in pretty much every country in the world. When withdrawing money from a foreign ATM, you will pay a fee - usually a small percentage (3-5%) of the amount withdrawn. I usually withdraw a couple of hundred at a time, keeping the number of withdrawals fairly low. Loading your credit card account with funds before you go is a good idea. Bear in mind that most credit card companies start charging a high rate of interest as soon as you withdraw cash, so it's worth having the funds in place beforehand, rather than running up a bill that will have to be cleared later.