Currency advice required
Sep 5th 2009, 3:16 pm
#1
2 months until the move
Thread Starter
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 24
Currency advice required
Hi,
Finally got our perm res visa. Off to Queensland in October for 2 weeks (from the UK) and was just wondering if anyone out there has found a good way to save money with converting currency/paying for things on cards.
I suppose we can get travellers cheques, but i'm sure i've read something in this forum that you still have to pay a charge for the cash in an Australian bank. We could use Visa/Switch/Maestro cards all the time to withdraw cash from ATMs but our UK bank will charge us for that as well.
I'm aware of cards that you can get that you pre-load with a foreign currency before you go and then this effectively you use as a debit card and simply the amount reduces off your card as you spend/withdraw. This is done without charge as the currency is foreign, BUT i can't find out if these are available in Australia.
Has anyone got any good cash converting tips for our 2 week holiday? Taking a large number of OZ dollar notes out with us is not really a practical solution i think.
Ta
Finally got our perm res visa. Off to Queensland in October for 2 weeks (from the UK) and was just wondering if anyone out there has found a good way to save money with converting currency/paying for things on cards.
I suppose we can get travellers cheques, but i'm sure i've read something in this forum that you still have to pay a charge for the cash in an Australian bank. We could use Visa/Switch/Maestro cards all the time to withdraw cash from ATMs but our UK bank will charge us for that as well.
I'm aware of cards that you can get that you pre-load with a foreign currency before you go and then this effectively you use as a debit card and simply the amount reduces off your card as you spend/withdraw. This is done without charge as the currency is foreign, BUT i can't find out if these are available in Australia.
Has anyone got any good cash converting tips for our 2 week holiday? Taking a large number of OZ dollar notes out with us is not really a practical solution i think.
Ta
Sep 5th 2009, 3:20 pm
#2
Devil's Advocate
Joined: Feb 2008
Location: Mandurah
Posts: 2,269
Re: Currency advice required
Hi and welcome
I assume you're validating the visa? If so why not open an Aus account now, transfer funds into the Aus account using OzTranzfers to the like, then when you;re over here pick your cards and away you go?
Credit cards are typically always the best way (rate-wise) to get at funds but withdrawing cash can be lumpy. But I think Visa debt its not as you aren't drawing against credit.
I assume you're validating the visa? If so why not open an Aus account now, transfer funds into the Aus account using OzTranzfers to the like, then when you;re over here pick your cards and away you go?
Credit cards are typically always the best way (rate-wise) to get at funds but withdrawing cash can be lumpy. But I think Visa debt its not as you aren't drawing against credit.
