tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4640470443420164863.post5525624950244464266..comments2024-03-26T10:26:51.288-04:00Comments on Jim Leff's Slog: International Travel TipsJim Leffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00007232702717055047noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4640470443420164863.post-2291128724380328692017-11-26T09:00:09.004-05:002017-11-26T09:00:09.004-05:00I'll get there one day! Thanks!I'll get there one day! Thanks!Jim Leffhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00007232702717055047noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4640470443420164863.post-19957599933372089162017-11-26T05:45:26.483-05:002017-11-26T05:45:26.483-05:00Hey man, don't do it for me! Do it because pr...Hey man, don't do it for me! Do it because precise use of language is important (unless you're the US President, that is).<br /><br />Mr TasterUnknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09856562420596988577noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4640470443420164863.post-10486428454564855542017-11-25T18:17:17.929-05:002017-11-25T18:17:17.929-05:00Ok, you'd like a word changed. Done.Ok, you'd like a word changed. Done.Jim Leffhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00007232702717055047noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4640470443420164863.post-36440004606837366332017-11-25T15:46:52.926-05:002017-11-25T15:46:52.926-05:00Where we disagree is when you say that ATMs provid...Where we disagree is when you say that ATMs provide "awful exchange rates". If better rates are available, I'd love to know where, as I haven't found any (aside from isolated circumstances in black market situations where the "official" government rate is an extortionary scam and the free market rate is much better.)Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09856562420596988577noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4640470443420164863.post-67260536469332641932017-11-25T08:49:37.463-05:002017-11-25T08:49:37.463-05:00I'm not sure where we disagree. As I said, you...I'm not sure where we disagree. As I said, you face some combo of fees and bad rates wherever you turn, no alternative is best (bough some credit cards offer certain deals, per comment above), so your best bet is ATM. And since there's a steep international charge for every ATM transaction, you're best off doing as few withdrawals as possible (though, as I said, it's not worth going nuts over). Jim Leffhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00007232702717055047noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4640470443420164863.post-2692278405224592462017-11-25T04:10:10.319-05:002017-11-25T04:10:10.319-05:00Jim, I also follow this philosophy of infrequent l...Jim, I also follow this philosophy of infrequent large withdrawals while traveling abroad, but I'm a bit confused by your assertion that foreign ATM withdrawals are expensive. Relative to what, exactly? TravelEx? I don't think so.<br /><br />When I started traveling in earnest in the early naughts, I believe it was Rick Steves who trained me to always use foreign ATMs, for the simple reason that ATMs use the bank to bank conversion rate, which is among the most favorable exchanges available. Yes the "transaction fee" is the bank putting their thumb on the scale, but unless you're exchanging on the black market, everyone is charging a few bucks per transaction. That means when considering how to exchange your funds, you can effectively cancel out the transaction fee and pay attention instead to the main variable, the exchange rate itself.<br /><br />If you know of methods where you'll get a more favorable international exchange rate than the bank to bank rate offered by ATMs, I'd like to know.<br /><br />Mr TasterUnknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09856562420596988577noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4640470443420164863.post-64935216452557034962017-11-24T09:31:39.424-05:002017-11-24T09:31:39.424-05:00Yup, there are other ones as well. But you do pay ... Yup, there are other ones as well. But you do pay in the end. You're not getting frequent flyer points, cash back… etc. <br /><br />It's like you get to choose which minuscule payback category they bribe you with. Me, I prefer cash back of frequent flyer, because they accrue with every type of transaction. But mileage literally varies....Jim Leffhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00007232702717055047noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4640470443420164863.post-90306673973911556232017-11-24T00:21:33.039-05:002017-11-24T00:21:33.039-05:00If interested in such: I have 2 cards I travel wit...If interested in such: I have 2 cards I travel with that charge no international transaction fees: Capital One Visa and Amazon VisaUnknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05535337051569362223noreply@blogger.com