where to exchange? - TravelPUNK Backpacker College Student Budget Travel Message Boards!

**juliagulia** · 03-30-2010, 05:45 AM

So, I am studying abroad in England and am traveling to Portugal tomorrow to visit some family. However, I'm not sure what to do about money. I have 70 GBP in cash now and already have everything bought that I need to buy. However, I'm wondering if I should still wait to exchange my money. It's money that I got as a refund from the program, so I never lost money exchanging it from dollars or anything, but I'm wondering if it would be better to exchange GBP to EUR here in the UK or wait until I'm in Lisbon. I'm buying my bus ticket online, so I won't need cash on hand until I'm actually at my aunt's place.

Also, I need to bring my laptop to get some coursework done, and I know my UK converter/adaptor/what ever the fuck it's called won't work in Europe. But someone was telling me that all of Europe doesn't use the same prong thing and that I should buy it there, not buy the European converter/adaptor/whatever, here. My laptop and battery charger are both okay in terms of the power (110~260), but do you think I should just wait to but a converter/adaptor/whatever there?

Thanks TPunks!

**Marcus Nappy** · 03-30-2010, 07:08 AM

I would say it depends more on where within the country you exchange over the actual country you exchange it in. Most exchange rates are highest in airports, bus stations, train stations, etc. Closer to the city centre the exchange rates tend to be more favorable.

When I was traveling I used a universal adaptor. One the one side it has a flat surface with every possible opening for world wide plugs, and on the other end every possible prong configuration. It was very handy as I was bouncing around from the Uk and the rest of Europe a lot. A trick I used(well I don't know if I would call it a trick but I did lol) was to bring an extension cord from home so that I could plug then into the adaptor and then into the wall and plug all my electronics into the cord, saves you from needing more then one adaptor.

**Elizabeth** · 03-30-2010, 08:16 AM

I would exchange at least some today at a bank. You will want to have some euros just in case. You can buy the 2 rounded prong European adapter in the UK. All continental Europe uses the same plugs (never been to Portugal but looked on Wikipedia)

**travelpunk** · 03-30-2010, 02:06 PM

I always like to enter the city with some cash, but that's just me. If you go there and pull out money form an atm, you'll face fees anyways. Whether you pull out 20€ or 200€, it'll cost you the same (for me it' $8 US dollars each and every time regardless of amount withdrawn).

Might as well take the 70 bones, cash it in, and go to town

.

Agreed with the others on the power adapter.

Quote:

A trick I used(well I don't know if I would call it a trick but I did lol) was to bring an extension cord from home so that I could plug then into the adaptor and then into the wall and plug all my electronics into the cord, saves you from needing more then one adaptor.

Good tip

!

**Dig** · 03-30-2010, 04:51 PM

What he said ^ except for the

, I would have used the

.

Have fun!

**juliagulia** · 03-31-2010, 11:30 AM

Thanks tpunks! Got the money exchanged and bought an converter today. However, have a bit of a problem. Obviously, I needed one that accommodated a US plug, but the only one they had was for a UK plug. But a couple of people have been telling me to just use the one I bought for Europe AND the one I bought for UK. Is that... safe? I mean, both my laptop and camera charger have their own adapters (110-260 v or whatever), so there's no electrical conversion but still... Has anyone done that before?

Thanks!

**juliagulia** · 03-31-2010, 11:30 AM

Thanks tpunks! Got the money exchanged and bought an converter today. However, have a bit of a problem. Obviously, I needed one that accommodated a US plug, but the only one they had was for a UK plug. But a couple of people have been telling me to just use the one I bought for Europe AND the one I bought for UK. Is that... safe? I mean, both my laptop and camera charger have their own adapters (110-260 v or whatever), so there's no electrical conversion but still... Has anyone done that before?

Thanks!

**Marcus Nappy** · 03-31-2010, 11:43 AM

ya that wont/shouldn't cause you a probem

**Elizabeth** · 03-31-2010, 05:22 PM

Yeah as long as its an adapter not a converter. Adapter is just physical, you just stick it on the end of the plug, no electricity involved. But converter changes the voltage. Dunno what problems you might have if any with two converters.

**juliagulia** · 04-02-2010, 04:44 AM

Yep! Thanks everyone! Using an adapter, not a converter. I just suck and can never remember which is which. Laptop still hasnºt fried, so everything looks a-okay. Iºm just still not used to the keyboard, especially since I tend to touch type, but Iºm just going to ignore the mistakes Iºm making and continue on looking dumb with «º» instead of apostrophes (which I still havenºt found).

Thanks for all your help! (Portugal is beautiful, btw.)