The Interbank rate was up to €1.23 a couple of days ago so the tourist rate is likely to be around 3c less at the best you will get.

As to whether to buy now or later, anyone who knew that could very rich indeed. Without a crystal ball it's impossible to say.

if you have one locally look at cash exchange they beat everyone in Bedford hands down

Not sure about that Wizard, i'll google it now cheers.

hi marlou...I use thomascook online....handy as you can watch for a good rate... ( can change according to the day of the week..I find its usually a thu for best rate that week)....you then order it on line ...and you pay for it when you pick it up from a local thomascook travel agents...another tip is that the rates change online about dinner time...12/1....so I keep a check on the euro /pound rates on the TV red button....if they are going up that day or are higher than at lunch the previous day ...I wait till after the lunch time change to order my euros....you then have till 5pm that day to collect and pay for them....tweetie

Now that Hollande has won in France I may hang on in case I need to get Francs!

I'm a little worried about Greece going twice this year already have the Euro for next week.... hoping it will take a month before they get chucked out of the common currency and who knows next trip may be Drachma again

hi wizard....do you think we will get better value for our money with the drachma......or prices will be a lot higher....due to imports being more expensive.....because of the financial mess they could be in ...I'm booked for july and looking for a september deal....tweetie

Wiz, hubby and I were having this discussion this morning. The exchange rate is better now than it was when we went to Spain at Easter so I asked him if we should get our Euros ready for August. We've decided to wait to see what happens to the Euro in Greece. Hubby's no expert but he knows more about how things work than me and says that if the Euro collapses the pound will be much stronger and will get us more currency for our money

double edged sword that shirley....if the euro just looses market confidence...because its struggling to maintain its stability....then there is a case to think the pound would become stronger against the euro on the world currency markets ...( thats whats been going on lately.....and why the rate is better at the moment )...and so we would get more euros for our pounds...

But if the euro actualy colapses and fails...it could be a different story....the pound is linked to the euro via our commitments within the european union ....and the trade links ...and it could cause a back lash that whips the UK as well...as our future financial prospects are reliant on a strong europe to buy our goods....so things will be thrown skyward...and your guess is as good as mine which way and where they will land.....tweetie

I'm such a ditherer but as it is 1.20 at the moment, I might get some now & then some closer to our holiday. Especially if tesco do a zero commission regardless of how small an amount you change up like they did recently when I got some US dollars. Talk about hedging your bets.

Cant see Germany and France letting the Euro collapse, they are the main players and it's in their interests to keep it proped up, they need to trade with the other non-strong (is that a word ?) economys as much as anyone does, more so really.

1.20 at the moment, hopefully we might even see 1.25 or greater by july, would help alot, especially after the poor euro rates for the last 2 years

Eurozone debt crisis is only really coming to a head now. Don't be surprised if you see the rate rising to around the 1.29 - 1.30 euro mark as we approach the summer months.

Current rates

Spot Exchange rate 1.2385

Thomsons 1.1905
Thomas Cook 1.2080
ICE Travel 1.2125

hi madoc....can go along with you on that....this is an old post of mine in 2009...when the pound was struggling against the euro...
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we were discussing exchange rates on a HT thread earlier this year...and I said the UK pound was suffering because we had come clean about most of the bad debt...I said the euro zone was still keeping things close to its chest , but its own debt problems would come to light in the end and things would once again be better balanced between the pound and the euro...I thought it would be at the end of this holiday season as UK people spending less when in the eurozone or going else where....but this is worse than I thought it would be and a bit sooner.....tweetie

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Chickens coming home to roost comes to mind....and I think a much more acceptable and realistic balance between the pound and the euro is on the way....

Last year I spent all my euros save some odd change...was careful not to buy more than was needed ....and brought travelers cheques home ...and saved them instead for this year....so at the moment I am quids in...as my cheques will buy a lot more euros now.... tweetie

1.1923 in M&S today.

My local Cash generator €1.2125 which beats the four tavel shops in the centre, thomas cook/thomsons/ airtours/First choice

Only one shop will price match, and thats barrhead travel, the other 4 wont

It's up to 1.21 in Tesco today so i'm going to order my Euro's this evening. Thanks everyone.

I just loaded £30 on to my thomas cook cashcard, and was given this rate....€1.2140

So from yesterday its gone from €1.2080 to €1.2140 up by €0.0060

Anybody bought currency from Travel fx? They have a rate of 1.22 at the moment, are they a trustworthy company please. I've not heard of them.