Tourist Money + Foreign Exchange Rates Clarified
Know Your Foreign Exchange Rates
It goes without saying that you need to actually know the exchange rates. Exchange companies will, of course, charge a premium in order to exchange the money, but you need to know that you're actually getting a good rate, and that you're getting every last Yen, Peso or Pound your dollar is worth. Simply look at a financial news site, check how your currency is doing against the currency where you're going, and you should be fine. You don't need to be an economics expert, but you do need to be at least a little bit savvy so you know you're not getting ripped off.
Shop Around
When you're just exchanging a few bucks, you don't need to shop around to, say, get the best price on a can of soda. When it comes to the hundreds or thousands of dollars you're moving in a money exchange, a difference of two or three percent can seriously add up, and a difference of two or three percent isn't unheard of between one exchange company and another. Look at every company available and see what the industry average is, and how low you can get the exchange. They should be competitive if they want to earn your business.
Get Online!
It's a competitive market, and it's most competitive online. This is the age of the internet, and the web has really dropped the price on things. If you just want to wait until you get to the airport in Thailand or Mexico and use whatever services they have there, go ahead, and spend more than you would probably like to since it's your only option. If you want choices, and you do, then you'll want to shop around online, compare the different exchange companies, and go with the best one you can find.

