[Idyllchat] T-Checks

[Bob Bestor]

Today on the Amex website, one can purchase a 
maximum of $1000 (why the limit? security reasons 
says Amex) in Travelers Checks in euros at an 
exchange rate of 1.516. With an ATM card in 
Europe, however, you'll get pretty close to the 
daily rate quoted at www.xe.com, which today is 
1.4216. Thus with the Amex checks you get .66 
euro for each dollar. With your ATM card-and 
let's assume you get a 1.43 exchange rate-you get 
.70 euro for each dollar. If you spend $500 out 
of pocket in Europe, the difference is only $20. 
But if you spend $1000, the difference is $40. At 
$2000 it's $80...and so on. (Of course most, 
though not all, ATM cards charge a small 
transaction fee, but you may also have to pay a 
bank fee to cash the T-Checks.)

In addition, I'm told that Travelers Checks-even 
in euros-are rarely accepted in hotels, 
restaurants and stores. That leaves banks, which 
have a nasty habit of being closed when you're 
out of cash.

Bob Bestor


>
>
>_______________________________________________
>This message was sent by IdyllChat.
>To reply or send a new message, email to:
>IdyllChat at lists.untours.com
>
>Visit the IdyllChat archives:
>http://mailman.dca.net/pipermail/idyllchat/
>
>Search Idyllchat Archives for any subject at: 
>http://search.dca.net/sites/untours/main.html
>>
>>Read real Untourists' candid accounts of their Untours:
>>http://www.untours.com/triplogs.html To 
>>unsubscribe, change to digest delivery, or
>temporarily pause delivery, visit:
>http://mailman.dca.net/mailman/listinfo/idyllchat


--