How to compare travel money rates

It’s a good idea to shop around when buying travel money. Comparing exchange rates and buying your travel money in advance could save you money.

Save money by buying your holiday money before you fly

The convenience of exchanging your money at the airport or using your bank card abroad can be costly.
Typically, the exchange rates on offer at the airport kiosk are much less favourable than our high street travel money provider.

If using your bank card abroad, be aware that most banks charge a 2.99% non-sterling transaction fee, and these charges can easily add up. Exchanging your money before you fly can save you money.

Below we share some tips to help you secure a great deal on your currency.

How to compare currency exchange rates?

You can quickly compare our euro exchange rates against other high street providers, by checking our “compare our rates” section on our homepage. At a glance, you’ll be able to see how much money you could save when purchasing £450 worth of euros from us.

If you want, you can use travel money comparison sites like: moneysupermarket.com and compareholiday money.com to compare travel money providers. We’ve compiled some tips to help you save money.

Our travel money comparison tips

Some tips on what to look for when comparing travel money deals:

1. Check the overall cost, not just the rate

Using a travel money comparison site makes it easy to compare rates. But remember you mustn’t consider rates alone. Before deciding where to purchase your currency, you should work out the total cost of your transaction including delivery fees and transaction handling fees.

2. Monitor exchange rates

A frequently asked question is “When is the best time to buy currency?” The short answer is that there’s no way of knowing. Our advice is to start monitoring the exchange rates before your trip. Pretty soon you’ll have a better idea of how much the pound can buy of your desired currency. Then you’ll be much better equipped to identify a good time to buy your travel money.

3. Minimum currency exchange rate rule

When using travel money comparison sites, be aware that some travel money providers require a minimum purchase value.

For example:

• For Click & Collect orders: some providers require a minimum purchase of £100 and may ask you to pay online. If you’re placing a Click & Collect order with No1 Currency, there’s no minimum order value and you only pay in-store on collection.
  
• For Home delivery orders: all travel money providers have a minimum sum in order to qualify for free delivery. We offer free delivery on all orders of £800 or more.

4. Maximum order value

If you need a large amount of travel money you should be aware of order limits. Most travel money providers have a maximum online Click & Collect purchase value of £2,500.

If you place a Click & Collect order with us, the maximum online order value is £3,000. For orders over £3,000, please call us on 0331 630 3200 (Monday to Saturday 9am to 5.30pm)

5. Payment method

We recommend paying for your travel money order with cash or a debit card. If you plan on paying with a bank card, check with your bank provider for hidden charges like a cash advance fee. 

Some banks treat foreign currency transactions similarly to withdrawing cash on your credit card. As a result, paying for foreign currency can incur a charge known as a cash advance fee. We do not charge for using credit cards, but your bank may charge a cash advance fee of 3% or more.

To get great deal on your travel money order with Click & Collect, to lock-in our best rate with 0% commission. When your order is ready, avoid the cash advance fee by paying in-store with cash or your debit card.

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