To support this site, please buy your goods at:
The Amazon Store
Shop in your shorts!
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Shopping easy at
Wear a money belt under your shirt to protect your passport and valuables, especially if you are staying in hostels or dorms.
Victorinox Deluxe Concealed Security Belt
An RFID blocking wallet protects your passport and credit cards from identity theft in public places.
Travelon RFID Blocking Passport Case
If you are short in the mental arithmetic department one of these will come in handy.
Casio SL-300 Wallet Style Pocket Calculator
Shopping easy at
The
links in this green field take you directly to a page at Amazon.com.
That page details the item, and in some cases includes candid and critical comments
from others who have bought the item.
Amazon.com pays my site a
small commission when you click and order an item, if you put it in your shopping
cart within 24 hours based on the cookie they set on your computer. If you don't
want to make a quick decision just put it in your shopping cart, think it over,
and come back later. You benefit when buying here because Amazon.com
has a 20% to 30% discount on many items plus a free shipping
deal. The third bonus is that there is no sales tax on internet purchases in
most states. Delivery is fast
even when it is free, and returns are easy if you are not happy with the product.
You win we win. Thanks for your support!!
Have a good trip in life,
John Bermont
Note: Italicized notations by the author.
You will need one or more of these plug adapters for your appliances and chargers.
For details on electricity in Europe see chapter 11,
Electricity in Europe: Travel Voltage Fundamentals
Plug Adapter (doubler)
Universal to Continental Europe "Europlug."
4.0 mm prongs
SIMRAN PLUG ADAPTER
Adapts grounded USA plugs to European "Shucko" plug.
4.8 mm prongs
This is a universal plug adapter for the UK and Ireland.
Grounded Adaptor Plug for Britain and Ireland
The holes of many Italian outlets are too small for the Schucko plug. One of these will probably fit.
If you have the Europlug (above) you do not need this plug.
Italy Adapter Plug B
Ungrounded
4.0 mm prongs
Plug Adapter for Italy
Universal to Grounded 3 pin
To use this with American plugs you'll also need the USA to Continental Europe adapter.
Grounded Adapter
Europe to Switzerland
For charging the batteries of more than one gizmo at a time use this 250 volt universal
power strip. It comes with a grounded Continental plug.
Surge Protector
Power Strip
6 Universal Outlets
220/240 Volt 50/60Hz
To use the surge strip in Britain and Ireland you will need one of these plug adapters.
Grounded Adapter
Europe to
Britain and Ireland
To use the surge strip in Italy you will probably need this plug adapter.
Grounded Adapter
Europe to Italy
Here is a smaller power surge strip with three universal outlets. It is wired with an American grounded plug so it needs a plug adapter for the countries you are visiting.
SM-60 Universal 3 Outlet Power Strip / Surge Protector for Worldwide Travel. 110V-250V with Overload Protection.
This ungrounded plug adapter will get you plugged in just about anywhere.
All-in-One Travel Power Plug Adapter for US, UK, EU, AU.
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The euro went into circulation on January 1, 2002 as the
currency of 12 central European nations, now up to 17. Here's what it looks like,
a €20 bank note compared to an American $20 bill. Both images are defaced with
the word "specimen." As of March 2011 the euro is worth about $1.42 so
€20 is about $28.40. One dollar will buy only €0.70, minus fees and
commissions which can easily cost you 10% at some money changers. You will be doing good to get
€13.00 for your $20 bill.
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The Euro Zone
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Official
Austria
Belgium
Cyprus
Estonia
Finland
France
Germany
Greece
Ireland
Italy
Luxembourg
Malta
Netherlands
Portugal
Slovakia
Slovenia
Spain
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Unofficial
Andora
Kosovo
Monaco
Montenegro
San Marino
Vatican City
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Definitely Not
Britain
Denmark
Iceland
Liechtenstein
Norway
Sweden
Switzerland
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Possibly open to negotiation in other countries which have their own currencies. In fact, hotel rates
are often posted in euros and/or dollars in eastern Europe and Turkey. Some local businessmen do
not like the local wampum.
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Money exchange rates are in constant flux, sort of like the waves on the beach. But as far as you are concerned,
the only rate is the amount of foreign currency you receive, after the
exchange rate is calculated and the commissions and/or fees have been deducted. This varies
from money changer to money changer. It is a rip-off racket throughout Europe.
Before giving your money to anybody behind a bullet-proof
window ask them to write down the total amount of local currency that you will receive for the cash in your hand,
AFTER their commissions and/or fees have been deducted. Be very wary of any exchange office
which advertises "No Commission" in big bold print. These agents give a very low exchange rate in
order to make a profit. Any agent can exchange money at whatever rate he wants. It is a free market,
like apples.
In virtually every country of Europe ATMs accept most American bank cards. Credit cards usually don't work
for cash advances. These machines are usually attached to banks but are sometimes free standing
machines in train stations, airports, and shopping areas. They are not called ATMs but
look almost the same as native ATMs in the USA. Use these machines with your PIN to withdraw
local cash, usually at the best exchange rates and usually with no fee, except for the fee at your
home town bank. Home town bank fees can be as high as $5.00 per transaction or a few percent of the amount
withdrawn. Ask your bank for their fee before using your ATM card in Europe. They don't
nickel and dime you to death — they take a basket load. My credit
union has no fee for foreign withdrawals.
Call or visit your home town bank before going to Europe to let them know that you'll be over there,
and trying to get local cash out of local machines in the European countries you will be visiting. This will
help ensure that you can use your ATM card there, but no guarantee, absolutely no guarantee.
It is wise to always have at least a few days supply of cash in your pocket. Do not wait until
you are out of money before getting some more. Having a backup ATM card and backup credit card
from another bank or credit union is also a sound strategy. There is a difference
in the performance, if you will, between regular ATM cards and debit cards. The banks have been
trying to get everybody to use debit cards for the past decade. These are linked with VISA
or MasterCard. Unfortunately, these debit cards do not work as universally as a straight ATM card.
This may be because of the credit card link since some banks in Europe do not allow cash advances
on credit cards.
Another unfortunate feature of debit cards compared to credit cards is that there may be
no limit on liability in case your card is lost or stolen. Your liability for a lost or
stolen credit card is $50 up to the time you notify the card issuer. With a debit card a
finder can clean out your bank account before you notice that the card is missing. True, a PIN is needed
to withdraw cash at an ATM but a PIN is usually not needed at a gas station. If your debit
card is used as a credit card, all it takes is a forged signature to clean out your account.
You might also ask your bank for its ATM maintenance schedule. Bank systems are shut down for software
and/or hardware maintenance for a few hours per week
or month. They usually do this when most everybody is sleeping — on the west side of the Atlantic.
You're on the other side when you are in Europe and cruising along at 5 to 12 hours ahead of your home town.
The down-time maintenance hours may inconvenience you and throw a severe crimp into your day's activities if you
immediately need a fresh batch of cash while the system is doing its hiccup.
Most ATMs in Europe only accept four digit PINs and most of them only have numbers
on the keypad, i.e. no A, B, C. So change your PIN to four easy to remember numbers
before you go to Europe. For example,
use the year you were born. Do it in reverse for greater security. Or turn 'cash' into 2274 or 'john' into
5646. Be original to be safe.
For much more about money in Europe see chapter 8,
Cash, ATMs, Credit Cards.
Here are links to exchange rate web sites and more information about money.
The Euro
XE.com
NOTE TO READERS
I welcome questions and comments. If you have any concerns about your trip to
Europe that have not been covered well enough in this chapter do not hesitate to write and ask.
My email address is
johnbermont@enjoy-europe.com.
When you write please include as much detail as possible. There are about 50 countries in Europe.
It will help me answer if you mention the countries and/or cities you plan to visit, and
the time period. I will reply in a day or two.
Don't forget to scroll through the Table of Contents below. All 30 chapters of
HOW TO EUROPE
are available free to read on line. That includes the Last Call check list, handiest
checklist you'll ever find. In addition, the Google search box below can locate specific subjects
in any chapter or page on site.
For the Last Call check-off punchlist of everything, go to The Finale,
Packing List and Last Call: For
Travel in Europe.
If you know of someone else who would appreciate reading this web page please send
the URL link to him or her. To easily do that, click your "File" tab in the tool bar and scroll down to
"Send" or "Send Link." Your friend will thank you, and I thank you.
To bookmark this page type Ctrl D.
Europe probably has as many ATM machines as the USA. Here is a bilingual cash machine on Boulevard St. Germain in Paris, France. It accepts nine kinds of plastic. [P1020069-ParisATM.jpg]
Stores like this were common throughout Europe before the euro came. Now you only see them in countries where the euro is not the official currency. This merchant in Riga, Latvia sells Kodak products and buys nine kinds of currency. You are probably better off dealing with a bank or using an ATM. [P1160045-RigaMoneyStore.jpg]
The Forex company specializes in foreign currency exchange. Their offices are located in countries which do not accept the euro. This bureau is in the Oslo, Norway train station.[P1120226-OsloForex.jpg]
Here are miniature views of some of the currencies afloat in Europe.
From upper left are 20 Swedish kronor, 50 Norwegian kroner, 50 Danish kroner, 2 Estonian krooni (Estonia now uses the euro),
50 Lithuanian litu, 10 Polish zlotych, 50 Czech korun, and 10 Swiss francs/franchi/Franken/francs.
There are four official languages in Switzerland.
Most ATM machines have only numeric keypads, but this one in Nova Milanese, Italy is also alpha. It accepts a dozen types of plastic. However, Italian cash machines are notorious for not giving out money. You often need to visit two or three before you find a cooperative dispenser of euros.[P1080406-MilanATM.jpg]
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