Euro Chat

In one week, I shall be traveling again. I don't really, truly believe in jinxing my chances, but I do believe in not getting my hopes up too high.

Regardless, I'm going to do this post. Just a couple notes in case anyone wants to know about traveling abroad, because they've never done it or haven't done it in a while (like my Mom).

Money while traveling:

The euro is worth more than the US dollar. According to my mother, in the 1980s it was the opposite. You have been forewarned. When you go to exchange currency, you're going to be paying more to get less and it may hurt your financially stable hearts. (Or your in-debt hearts...whichever the case may be. I'm not here to judge.)

A couple asked me in the past year or so why I can't just use travelers' checks instead of a credit card. I hate to be the one to tell you all this...or, actually, I'm not...Travelers' checks are not a thing anymore. Use the real currency, use plastic, or stay home. 

My co-worker recently asked me why I even want to get euros instead of using credit/debit cards. She made the point that if you lose euros/cash there, it's gone forever. True, but:

    First: there are instances where you cannot use the handy plastic card(s). 

• Tips are the first thing that comes to mind. Now, it's true that other countries do not tip like American's do (which, I don't agree with the US system anyway, but that is an entire discussion that I don't have time, energy, or room for on this blog post), HOWEVER, tips are still a thing. If you have wonderful service, it is good to show appreciation by leaving a bit of change for the staff.
• Machines: as in vending machines, ticket machines for buses, trams, and the like, etc. I have noticed that more vending machines are accepting credit cards, but I'm not going to take any chances. When I need a bottled water, I need a bottled water. I'm not dying of thirst just because the machine doesn't accept plastic payment. 
• Shuttles: Now, I'm not 100% certain, but I'm pretty sure the driver who got me back to the airport to come home in 2017 only took cold hard cash. Can't swear by it, but I gave him Euros anyway.
  

Second: Plastic is more expensive. Everyone I talk to understands the foreign currency exchange rate fact: if euros are worth more, we have to pay more US dollars. But I find myself having to explain to many that there's this little thing called "Foreign transaction fees": our banks/credit unions/credit card companies charge us for using our cards in foreign countries. That means we aren't only paying for the meal we just bought, but we're paying our bank back home too! To make it even more confusing, I have been told that there are other hidden fees banks/credit unions/credit card companies/etc. charge for using the plastic money in foreign countries. 

Third: sometimes the plastic is not the safest. There's always that scary thought of identity theft in a foreign country...while you aren't at home...when you are trying to save money by NOT using your phone because data plans are ridiculous and you can just survive on Wi-Fi calls and instant messaging. Because OF COURSE we want to have more stress added on to the anxiety of being in a foreign country. And we all check our accounts daily when we are in a foreign country. OF course we do. If you can't read the sarcasm, you aren't ready to travel. Stay home. 

I guess I haven't addressed the main argument, though: euros are stolen, you can't get them back. Plastic cards are stolen, you can call someone and cancel the card, and get a new one. But I feel like if your going to go down that route, you have a lot of other problems too. If your euros are stolen, most likely your cards are stolen too...unless people actually have more than one wallet? Unless people are now carrying around more than one purse. "Excusez-moi? Please steal this purse instead. It has my credit card. Yes, take this one. The other one has my passport and euros in it."

WHICH brings me to a good topic: I was told while studying abroad in 2017 that it is good practice to make paper copies of my passport, driver's license, and other important documents and keep them in a separate place than the actual papers just in case they got stolen. Sorry, Mr/Miss thief. I love visiting your country, but I love living in my own.

On the same note, it's good to try to have money scattered around you: different pockets, different purses (if you are the type to take more than one), different hiding places (like I'm going to list out my own on here on the internet). But, again, if my money is going to get stolen, I feel the chances are my papers are going to be stolen too. I figure my family back home can always send me money. They can't send me a new passport. That's a "one per customer & non-transferable" deal.

Now, after addressing the bad points about them, I'm going to admit to taking my plastic money with me. It is a good safety net: what if I don't take enough euros with me...and I have this feeling that I'm not going to...I mean, I'm not going to take thousands of euros so I can eat, shop, travel, etc. for two and a half weeks. Talk about anxiety attacks. I'd be spending all of my time abroad recounting my money to make sure it is all there. No, thank you.

Also: keep in mind that while you are in the other country, you're going to be charged at the ATM if you withdraw euros (called a withdrawal fee). It's better to just do it at home before you get there.

One more topic about the pieces of paper that runs our lives (also known as currency): When and where to get euros.

1. Please, please, PLEASE do NOT get your euros/US dollars from the airport. I'm begging you. I recently had a conversation with someone who has traveled and does travel often: I was saying that I was worried about how long it would take the bank to get me my euros. He stated that I should just get them from the airport. It may be fast and easy, but it is expensive! It's kind of like buying airport food or movie theater snacks. It'll work in a bind, but do you really want to buy a bottle of water for $7? Really? (If you answered 'yes', you need serious money help.)
2. Look up your bank/credit union/etc.'s time table for getting your euros. When I went in 2017, I got my euros from a bank and it took over three weeks for them to arrive at my house. This time, I went with a different bank/credit union/etc. and it arrived there in less than 3 days and I had the option to pick it up in person and avoid the extra mailing fee.
3. Look up your bank/credit union/etc.'s fees for foreign exchange. Mine had a smaller fee if I withdrew more than the minimum amount. This made me very happy, but I would have been frustrated if I didn't plan to withdraw more than the minimum...it would have felt like I was being punished for not spending a lot of euros.
   

Wow. I was planning on writing on more than just money, but I think this post is long enough. I'll probably write again before I leave.

Signing off, mes amis.