Travel Money

What is travel money?

Travel money is the currency you use to pay for things abroad, instead of pound sterling (if you’re from the UK). You can use this currency in the form of cash, cards or travellers’ cheques.

How does buying travel money work?

You can either buy your travel money online or in branch at a bank, building society, travel agent, bureau de change or participating supermarket, or from the Post Office.

Exchange rates are constantly changing, and travel money providers often offer different exchange rates – some better than others. Some will also charge commission for changing your money – always check and factor it into your calculations.

It’s wise to compare travel money deals to get the most for your holiday spending money. MoneySuperMarket’s travel money listing tool helps you find great deals.

Why buy travel money online?

Buying your travel money online typically means better exchange rates than in-branch because of the reduced overhead costs involved, while there is usually a broader range of currencies are available.

How does buying travel money online work?

You can either choose to enter how much cash you have in GBP, or how much cash you need in the foreign currency. The site will then calculate how much of the opposite currency you’ll receive, and apply any charges or commission, giving you a final price.

You can then pick whether you want your travel money delivered to your home (you may be charged a fee), or whether you want to pick it up from a local branch.

How do you pay?

Use your debit card to pay for the foreign currency you want at the exchange rate the provider is offering for that day.

Is it safe to buy travel money online?

Yes, when you compare travel money deals with MoneySuperMarket and pick from one of our providers, you can rest assured that your money is safe. We have a strict vetting process when it comes to who we work with and all our travel money providers have passed several rigorous security checks.

How does commission work?

Companies often charge a commission to exchange sterling into a foreign currency. The commission might be a percentage of the transaction or a flat fee, but it should always be included in your cost comparisons.

Commission-free

Some travel money providers won’t charge a commission fee (a commission-free exchange). This can mean that the exchange rate they offer isn’t as competitive as other deals. So, it’s a good idea to compare the total cost you’d need to pay and the foreign currency value you would get if you exchanged with one deal over another.

Buy-back guarantee

If you’re worried about having leftover currency at the end of your holiday, some providers offer a buy-back guarantee. This means they will buy back your leftover currency from you at the same exchange rate that you bought it for and won’t charge a commission.

How to get the best travel money deals?

Different places will offer different exchange rates so it’s important to compare travel money deals to get the most for your holiday spending money. Here are our top tips:

1. Consider the overall cost: Don’t just look for the highest exchange rate, take commission and delivery charges into consideration too
2. Pay with your debit card: Try not to use your credit card as you may incur extra fees
3. Organise your travel money in advance: Shop around for travel money well before your trip so you can compare deals and make the most of free delivery options which take longer to arrive

You can compare the ordering and delivery options, foreign currency commissions and whether or not the travel money provider offers commission-free buy-back when you use MoneySuperMarket’s travel money listing tool.

Compare the ‘Great For’ and ‘Be Aware’ points for each travel money deal to compare the benefits offered by each provider and any fees or limitations.

You can then visit the provider’s site to see how much they are offering for your money and compare the rate against other providers.

How much money do I need?

The amount of money you need to take on holiday depends on several factors, including where you’re travelling to and what things cost, what you plan to do and how long you intend to visit.

Some things to consider when planning your travel money include:

• Drinks and eating out
• Travelling around (taxi, train, bus)
• Daytime activities
• Shopping

How much money can I travel with?

Each travel money company has their own minimum and maximum amount they will let you order, so it’s something to consider when you are comparing deals.

Rules on how much money you can take in and out of a country vary across the globe. You should check before you travel as you might need to declare it at customs.

If you take more than the equivalent of €10,000 from the UK to a non-EU country, you have to declare it to customs or risk your cash being seized. Find out more on the GOV.uk website.

Taking cash abroad

No matter how you want to pay for things while you’re abroad, it’s always a good idea to take some cash in the local currency to pay for essentials like food and drink, tips and taxis. Taking large amounts can be risky though, so here are the pros and cons of cash:

Pros:

• It’s accepted everywhere
• You won’t face any card transaction fees
• It may help you stick to a budget if you only have a limited amount of cash to spend, instead of mindlessly swiping a card

Cons:

• Travelling with large amounts of cash can be inconvenient and may cause stress if you have nowhere safe to keep it
• If your cash is lost or stolen, travel insurance only covers you up to a certain amount (typically between £200 and £500). Check your travel insurance policy so you know what you’ll be covered for

What are the alternatives?

If you don’t want to carry around large amounts of cash, there are other ways of paying for things on holiday:

• Pre-paid cards: Lots of travel money companies offer prepaid travel money cards online and in store. You just top up the card with pounds sterling and withdraw foreign currency from an ATM abroad
• Travellers’ cheques: Travellers’ cheques are pre-printed cheques with a designated balance which travellers can use worldwide across a range of currencies
• Credit cards: A travel credit card can help you avoid overseas charges you might have to pay when using a debit or credit card, as well as giving you more competitive currency exchange rates
• Digital banks: Digital banks like Monzo and Starling have all the same functionality as high street current accounts, but also usually offer free transactions and withdrawals abroad.