exchange

[gaye]

Who can give advice on the best and most money-saving way to buy currency, given that it is not that easy to reach a cash point when in Arillas? Feed back on whether to buy euro T cheques or sterling or recommendations of any kind would be appreciated!

[TONYNEW]

Hi Gaye try money saving expert site here's the link
http://travelmoney.moneysavingexpert.com/holiday-money/#results

[Eggy]

The exchange today, here in Arillas, is e1.23.

The safest option is to bring T/C's but it is in your favour if you get them, in the UK, commission free. Some UK current accounts, I think, still offer this on special current accounts. Some places in Arillas will still change a UK cheque into euros and still at their 2% commision usual charge.
(But they may only change £200 at a time)

The "Fair FX" account looks a good option but the nearest place to use a card is Sidari. Personally, if you can deal with it stress free, is to bring loadsa sterling and play the market here. Sometimes it goes up a deci point and sometimes it goes down. We expect to be looking at e1.24 next week.
We have just moved a lump sum from our UK account direct to our Greek account and our broker gave us e1.242. That is a sign that the exchange rate is on the way up, albeit slightly.

Cheers
Negg

[Eileen]

Negg...does that mean the ATM outside the Thomas Bay in San Stef is no longer there?

Drats, I was a frequent visitor to that one!!! xxx

[Eggy]

Eileen
I'm still being told that the Thomas Bay cashpoint empties very quickly due to the high demand/usage.

Fancy walking there, from Arillas, to find an empty cashpoint!

Cheers
Negg

[BBB]

I've used the Thomas Bay ATM twice recently and it's been working okay. The ATM in Avliotes has been fine too, if you have a car to drive there.

[Eileen]

Thanks Negg & BBB.

I've been lucky not to have been caught by an empty Thomas Bay ATM...so far.  Mind you, I do have memories of a long period a couple of years ago when it wasn't working at all...leaving me with the impression it's not always reliable.

Eileen.

[Eggy]

I've used the Thomas Bay ATM twice recently and it's been working okay. The ATM in Avliotes has been fine too, if you have a car to drive there.

So now we've found the culprit who keeps emptying it.
Negg

[TerryW]

Warning

Last week I used the cash machine at Thomas Bay and it seemed to take ages to complete the transaction. The machine was also very noisy and I was starting to think that it was empty again. Eventually the receipt came out at the same time as the money. I took the receipt and went to get the money and just as I was going to take it the machine "sucked" it back in. So there I was with a receipt for €450.00 and no money.

I then tried again for €150 and the machine still took a long time but my hand was ready to grab the notes as soon as they appeared.

Luckily, I was able to phone Probank, quite quickly, and they advised me to contact my bank to get the money bank. I was using a Travelex Cash Passport and I must say that the customer support was excellent. They emailed me a form and things are now in motion to get the money back.

I have never known a cash machine that retracts money but I think there are known problems with this machine.

So please be warned. If you use it, get your hand ready to grab the money as soon as it appears. I used the machine a few days later and filmed everything that took place, including the messages on the screen.

When I go back next week I am going to take plenty of Euros so that I don't have to use a machine. I have a feeling that due to cut backs the ATM's are not being serviced as often as they should be.

[justphil]

Thanks for the warning Terry. Might give that one a wide berth if we need a top up before the end of our stay. Hope you had a great time. See you soon....

Phil

[Eggy]

Sorry Terry

That's actually not a cashpoint machine! - It's a box I made and painted and I was sitting inside it. I spend 4 hours a day there and make a fortune.
If you don't grab those euros quickly they end up in my back pocket!
(Look at it on the bright side - I did return yer card!)

Cheers
Negg

[Eileen]

Sorry Terry

That's actually not a cashpoint machine! - It's a box I made and painted and I was sitting inside it. I spend 4 hours a day there and make a fortune.
If you don't grab those euros quickly they end up in my back pocket!
(Look at it on the bright side - I did return yer card!)

Cheers
Negg

Eggy....you're a proper nutcase....and that's why we luv yer!  xxxxxxxxxx

[TerryW]

So that's what happened to the Egg credit cards?

[justphil]

Ha ha Terry! We had an Egg card for years. Once on a French ferry they laughed when we used it - "I'l a la carte oeuff!!!!"

If there's a prediction in this, our Egg (the card) went all Establishment and got swallowed up by Barclays.... But it didn't become a "Diamond." Nor did it get a 20 million pay off.

all the best
Phil

[Val n Bill]

Phil, I have news for you...... "Our" Egg(y) is still a card!
Makes me laugh anyway

             Val x