Cheapest place to buy dollars?

[Wowbagger]

Something I've never done. Daughter's off to Peru on Tues and wants to take £100 in dollars with her.

Where is normally the best place to go?

[αdαmsκι]

Post office.

PS: I have a vague memory that I could withdraw either US Dollars or Peruvian Sols from Peruvian ATMs.

[Notsototalnewbie]

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Find out the cheapest place in the UK with the above fab linky.

[bobb]

Everywhere will rip you off and for only 100 squids worth, the savings of one place over another are only likely to be pence... Just my two penneth.. Or should that be cents?!

[rafletcher]

Everywhere will rip you off and for only 100 squids worth, the savings of one place over another are only likely to be pence... Just my two penneth.. Or should that be cents?!

AFAIk PO has no commission sales....

[mark]

If she's stopping in the US (changing planes, whatever) she could find an ATM in the airport.

[hellymedic]

ATMs are poor VFM IME.

I think there's a transaction charge as well as commission (charged by your own bank    )
I think this adds up to almost 5% with my bank.

Convenient yes, cheap not.

[tiermat]

ATMs are poor VFM IME.

I think there's a transaction charge as well as commission (charged by your own bank    )
I think this adds up to almost 5% with my bank.

Convenient yes, cheap not.

When using ATMs you can, depending on which ATM provider you use, get close to wholesale rate for currency, which works out better for you.  HOWEVER the ones you tend to find in airports etc are more expensive, as we found out when we went to Baracelona.  The Euros we bought in the UK were obtained at around 1.50/£, but in the airport we only got 1.20/£.

[αdαmsκι]

The Nationwide Flex account does not charge you for using ATMs when you are aboard.

[border-rider]

ATMs are poor VFM IME.

I think there's a transaction charge as well as commission (charged by your own bank    )
I think this adds up to almost 5% with my bank.

Convenient yes, cheap not.

As others have said, it depends on the bank and on the ATM

I use a Nationwide debit card (no charges, as adamski said), and if you avoid the ATMs that charge, and also avoid the ones that do the exchange for you so that you withdraw a stirling-equivalent, the exchange rate is good and you don't get charges

I use ATMs to get cash all over the world - the only time I use a currency exchange is if I am going somewhere where there may not be an ATM

[orienteer]

Foreign exchange desks in M&S offer the best rates.

[ian]

Perhaps the obvious and cheap solution has been overlooked. Simply rob an American tourist.