I'm going round Europe from May to July this year with a friend and we were wondering what would be the better way to finance ourselves as we travel round, a credit card or a debit card?
Also, what would be the best credit / debit card to get when we do so?
Thanks.
As usual, the answer is a bit complicated. first, when you use a card (either credit or debit) you get the best possible exchange rate. Otherwise you end up giving a hefty percentage to a currency exchange. ATM's work just fine (and are safe) for getting fast cash. That makes it easy to get the local currency when you need it. However, a debit card is much more susceptible to fraud. if you get ripped off, especially overseas, don't expect your bank to bail you out. Credit cards are much safer for that reason. what I do is take my debit card and only use it at an ATM. I use my credit card for all other purchases. That way it is both safe and convenient. I hope this helps! Dr. Jon
Debit, hands down. the bank will automatically calculate the difference in transaction rates. (and I'd say go VISA for a Debit/Check Card... it's everywhere you want to be... man that's corny)
When it comes to credit cards, try not to use them. in todays day and age your goal should be to pay them off.
What is a better card to get for travelling round Europe, a credit card or a debit card?

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Wachovia didn't launder anything. They failed to monitor the large transaction rates. You guys act like this is the same thing as being caught selling or transporting drugs.
Use gold and silver instead of us dollars as a means of currency exchange.
That literally cant happen. Its going to be funny when everyone realizes how dumb they were for thinking a country that is a monopoly issuer of its own non convertible floating exchange rate fiat currency can ever go bankrupt. There can be no solvency crisis in the US under the current monetary system.
The Exchange Rate Environment Reviews: The Exchange Rate Environment List Price: $ 85.00 Price: $ 85.00 R... #forex
What I also see is again a steady decline of the USD against the Euro, Yen, Swiss Franc. So even if I buy US Treasuries at 3.5% interest, I am still losing out on exchange rate losses. The S&P warning will make the exchange rate suffer further. This will make the market for US Treasuries for foreigners even less attractive.
However, the change in the exchange rate does help to ease the burden on households in New Zealand – and that is a useful thing. Furthermore, in the long-run resources move about based on the changes in “relative prices” in the economy … as a result, it is likely that the majority of households in New Zealand will end up better off.
Earn them! I wrote two applets that display the current bitcoin/dollar exchange rate for windows and linux, and while I haven't earned a fortune, it has been a lot of fun
Regarding APIs. I think we're in agreement. If your customers want a REST interface then that's what you should implement. If you're building a particular service with very high transaction rates or very low latency requirements then perhaps a JSLEE or OneAPI approach would be better. Horses for courses as always.
1. Go to bank 2. Go to airport currency exchange 3. Go to local currency exchange/loan office (if available) 4. Donate to the poor Choose any of the above options
Seems like whenever the USA chains we love in the states come to Canada we get all excited but then are disappointed when they get here. The prices are never as good as in the USA. (Hate to be a pessimist but I'm sure Target will be the same). I also found restaurants to be this way too...like Macaroni Grill. Guess I'll still be doing my stateside shopping in the states for now...especially with our great exchange rate we do even better now!
Perhaps one additional fact should be also mentioned. About 10 years ago, the Euro/Dollar exchange rate was about 80 Euro cents to 1 dollar. Today, according to Reuters, it is 1.4517 (US dollar) cents to 1 Euro. Nobody in the official media has the courage to talk about it much, but the “crash of the dollar” already happened and as long as Democrats and/or Republicans have monopoly on power, I don’t see things getting better, only worse.
It isn't so great for those selling and producing the oil either. In Alberta we like seeing that $111/barrel perhaps but less so when we convert it to $CND. On the flip-side, $75/barrel was not so bad when the exchange rate was 1.4 or so. It really all tends to even out. Then again, it might spur Canada to continue looking at selling more oil to Europe and Asia instead. That's probably not a good thing for the North American economy as a whole in the short to medium term.
Folks must love National’s currency exchange.
Fixed comment to say "most." They'd probably get higher transaction rates and the like though.
No, market pressures would have decreased the value of the irish pound or the greek drachme, until a new equilibrium was found. This happens quite often in a floating exchange rate system. No central bank needed, and completely unrelated to your hyperinflation examples.
Yeah it's a tough call and I deal with the same issue. I don't want to leave my a/c on all day just to cool my graphics cards when I'm at work, but I don't want to have to downclock my cards or leave my case open or anything. I think I might just leave my a/c on an energy saver setting at like 78 degrees or something to help bring down temps just enough without totally raping my power bill. At the current exchange rate it's probably still a hefty profit.
Currency exchange rates - interesting
Yeah, but at least the currency exchange for fiat currency is more liquid and lower transaction cost.
Argentina's high inflation is mostly a consequence of a dirty float, in which the central bank purchases US dollars with freshly-created pesos. This holds the exchange rate down. But as theory predicts, domestic inflation soon erodes the export pricing advantage.
Why else you think they are leaving all of the eastern European countries in to the EU? No currency exchange!