No commission cash conversion con

Having just received my VISA bill I’ve compared its Euro exchange rate with the one we got when converting some cash before we left for France (I have nothing better to do whilst waiting for a free bathroom).

The ‘commission free’ cash deal in England got us 1.4111 Euros per pound. The worst rate on the VISA card was 1.4376 and the best 1.4457. Even a 70c road toll didn’t incur a penalty rate or charge and cost us 48p.

So the ‘commission free’ rate (the best I could find in town) for cash actually contains a charge of 2% or more (still much better than the rate on the ferry). So the cheapest way to live is via a credit card as long as you can afford to repay the balance.

And the quickest way to get through a pay station on a motorway is to go down the credit card lane. But then you don’t get to have une petite conversation avec l’homme ou la femme qui travaille là. How do they stay so cheerful?

More alliterative travel tips soon......