Buying currency before you leave the U.S
Sometimes, being a dyed-in-the-wool procrastinator has actually worked to my advantage, at least when it comes to business trips. I've gotten some great Internet fares that way, buying "distressed" inventory two or three days before a trip. Those deep discounts certainly beat feeling distressed when it’s too late to snag an advance-purchase fare.
Still, planning ahead does have certain advantages. Besides avoiding the angst that comes from frantic rushing (and knowing that you aren’t getting scalped on full coach fares), you can save yourself a lot of time and aggravation by doing some simple errands before you leave -- especially if you’re headed overseas. By ordering some of the items you’ll need -- cell phones, foreign currency, even quotidian things like telephone cards and subway/bus passes -- for home or office delivery, you’ll save time (looking for vendors, waiting in line), effort (finding vendors in the first place, navigating the language barrier), anxiety, and even some money while you’re at it.
For travelers to Europe, a Manhattan-based outfit called Marketing Challenges International offers, through its Tickets To... subsidiary, the ability to order everything from Paris Metro and London Underground passes to the prepaid phone cards that all France Telecom public phones require. You can also order rail tickets, including Eurostar and Thalys, and various rail passes online there as well.
For U.S. travelers crossing any border, it’s possible to buy foreign currency before you go, too. Why bother? For out-of-pocket expenses that require local currency, from a cup of coffee or bottle of water to a rail or taxi fare to a tip for the bellman. Why not just wait until you get to the airport to exchange money? Or bring your ATM card and pull out cash whenever you need it? Or, for that matter, go to a local bank and exchange small amounts as you need them? The answer again is accessibility, even safety.
At big airports, there’s likely to be a foreign-exchange kiosk or two, but they may not be convenient, and you may end up paying fairly steep service charges besides not getting a competitive exchange rate. As for ATM cards at “partner” networks, I’ve found they work phenomenally well most of the time. But I’ve had two separate unnerving experience with them. The first time was when the ATM didn’t recognize my password -- it was five digits, not the expected four. The second was when a big check I had deposited right before I left hadn’t cleared, so I had to call my bank to transfer funds before I could pull out enough forints to buy the painting I wanted. (Calling Citibank directly took half an hour and cost a ghastly sum on my phone card.) As for changing small amounts as you need cash, remember that minimum service charges add up to big service charges. You may be playing it safe, but you won’t be playing it frugal—and you won’t be playing it smart if the banks are closed
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