Anybody over there drawing cash from the UK via a Nationwide card at the moment? We are due to leave in a week for Halkidiki and need to pay our rent on arrival. However the rates in the UK are dire at the moment, 1.28 is the best we can get which makes our yearly rent much more expensive than if we could get 1.4 like last year.

If not Nationwide, then what rate are the banks offering please.

Jane,

You can check FX rates here (National Bank of Greece)

www.nbg.gr/encurrency.asp

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Nikos
Forum Admin
nikos at halkidiki.com

I use Nationwide in Greece and found it the best,no comition charge also best rate of exchange. This is for both credit and debit cards. Used them both in France last weekend and got up to 1.32 euro.

Thanks to both answers.

Alan, yes I do know the Nationwide card is brilliant abroad, I used one last year. My problem this year is that we arrive 14 March and really our rent is due for the whole year by beginning of April, which does not give us much time at maximum of 300 euros a day withdrawal to pay it. However, the rate in the UK at the moment is just so low I think we are just going to risk it and start drawing it out daily on our drive over. 1.32 in France is better than 1.28 in UK. It doesnt sound much, but when you are paying a large amount of rental out it makes a few hundred pounds difference.

Anyone else who has used their card in Greece lately, what rate did you get?

Cheers

Hello Jane, If you are staying for a while it may be worth opening a Greek bank account with the National Bank of Greece in Kassandria (you just need your passport and a deposit for the opening balance.) Then use a company like moneycorp who can transfer larger amounts direct from the UK to the Greek account at very good rates. I have used them recently and they were very good.

Thanks Metaxa. We did that when we lived here before, but to be honest it was a load of hassle as if we forgot our passport we could not draw the money out even though we had our book, the banks go on strike (as now !) and all in all we found the nationwide card to be a good option. Anyway, we are now here. Strike is on, but cashpoints, at the moment anyway, have money in them. The rate in UK was 1.20 - 1.24 when we left and so far we have got approx 1.34 on the way over and in Greece. So hopefully it can only get better. Last year we were getting 1.48 over here.

Hi Jane and family
hope alls ok now your back in your second home

Metaxa are you suezanes Mum from scotland ?????
if so hope you are also doing ok

im the biker Jeff that was in Fourka with the wee scots lass

exchange rates rubbish just now but should pick up later

yamas
JEFF

Hi going to Halkidiki this month(may) does anyone know what the euro rate is out there., I have tried the address for national bank of greece www.nbg.gr/encurrency.asp given out by Nikos but it goes nowhere. Thanks

Nationwide rate is about 1.26 to 1.27. Does not seem to be going up. Heard today local rates are about 1.18 !

Not very good I am afraid. Bring a bit more than you originally planned to!

Terry,

try this link
[www.alphabank.gr]

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Nikos
Forum Admin
nikos at halkidiki.com