"Mike Roebuck" wrote in
ups.com:


Paul Ebbens wrote:

Not entirely sure what the rule is on UK debit/credit cards being
used in Europe and being charged £1-3 or so for a simple ATM or
purchase...

£1 - £3 ?

My bank (RBS) charge me £10 to withdraw €300 from ATM's on the
Continent, so I've stopped doing it. I take Sterling with me and
change it at a bank in whichever €-land country I visit first. This
always works out cheaper than buying the currency here. I also keep a
small stock of Euro at home, so I'm never out of pocket when I arrive.



Jeesus! Change your bank, then! I have never been charged more than £1.50
to withdraw money from an ATM, and I've travelled all over Europe (perhaps
15 countries), Turkey, southern Africa....

All using my Switch-Maestro and First Direct, and I've been with them since
1997.

I never ever ever take Sterling with me (I don't carry money with me as a
general rule, just take out what I need for a couple of days).