first time help needed

[broadies]

hi going to icmeler end of june with partner and 2 teenagers i have been to dalyan a few times for 1 weeks holiday on my own so just took english money and changed to lira when needed but this year there are four of us going for 2 weeks self catering so obv a lot more money will be going was wondering the best way to go about this am i better taking english notes and changing when needed in resort and keeping it in safe in my room or better taking say £400 sterling and having the rest on my bank cards i have 2 and withdrawing at atms when needed any help would be nice thanks

[jmelia128]

Hi Broadies, I always take just enough lira for when we first arrive,then I use my cash card to withdraw English money and get it changed where I see the best rate.

[fifegirl]

Hi Broadies. I take some lira.Try to get a good rate at home, and also take English tenners and change them when the rate is good.

[noodles1609]

Factor in what a cash withdrawl will cost you extra against the difference in the rate between the uk and in resort - most banks charge something like £2.50 per withdrawl but you'll often get more than that in the difference in rates. I checked at Sainsburys last week, usually one of the best for cash and they were 2.73, last posted by Barnie on 24th April it was 2.83 in Icmeler. If you are withdrawing cash, doing it in sterling and do it to the max you can each time as the charges for most seem to be a fixed charge for the withdrawl rather than a percentage. You also get a better commission free rate in shops and restaurants, so ask about when you are there, some have the rate displayed.

If you choose to take cash, factor in the cost of secure storage - if you get a safety deposit box anyway then it's not going to cost you more than you planned, but if you would carry your cards and passports with you, then it's a risk carrying all your cash or leaving in your hotel room, so secure storage would probably be wise. There is a vast difference in what you'll pay for these too, so check with your accomodation, I've stayed at places that charge £10 a week, and others charging £5 a day!!

Personally, I wouldn't take much in lira from the UK as the rate is much better in Icmeler, I just take enough for a couple of efes at the stop off point to get the holiday started. I also wouldn't withdraw in lira using your cashcard as the rate is weighted against you AND you'll get a cash withdrawl charge too. I generally take a bit of sterling cash, then withdraw in sterling and change in the shops.

[stevew]

Hi broadies,
We take enough Lira for a couple of days, the bulk in Sterling Travellers cheques, because they are insured against theft and you get the same exchange rate as Cash, then we take some Sterling, we use this for what we call, Barter bargains..... But we only take enough Sterling that we can afford to lose, should we be unfortunate, to be a victim of theft...then for emergencies a cash card. That way we do not have to pay to get our cash. Remember to add the price of your Aircon to your Sterling amount, as most apartments prefer Sterling cash for aircon and safe.
Hope this makes sense.
Steve

[daisysun]

I've just read through your post as was really interested in what people would advise as i myself am wondering what would be the best thing to do. I have been to Turkey before and to be honest never give it much thought and always just changed all of my money at home into lira and took that with me, but, having read this post im now thinking of doing what everyone seems to be suggesting - taking a small amount of lira and the rest sterling/travelers cheques to then change in Icmeler.
My only question is - how likely is it that you wont get a better rate in Icmeler?? i know it will always be a chance you take but do you think it is pretty much certain that the rate will be better in Icmeler?
Oh and do they change travelers cheques at the same rate as cash and without charging interest?

thanks

[stevew]

You get the same rate for Travellers cheques as you do for cash, Lira rate can change daily and always nearly always stays the same over a week end. You find that if you were to get 2.74 at m&s today, you will get around 2.83 in Icmeler, but shop around. As I said before Travellers cheques are Insured and and normally replaced within 24/48 hours. Also with some Bank accounts Sterling Cheques are free, No Commission, so you are saving again.
Do Not use exchange offices as they charge commission.....
Steve

[daisysun]

You get the same rate for Travellers cheques as you do for cash, Lira rate can change daily and always nearly always stays the same over a week end. You find that if you were to get 2.74 at m&s today, you will get around 2.83 in Icmeler, but shop around. As I said before Travellers cheques are Insured and and normally replaced within 24/48 hours. Also with some Bank accounts Sterling Cheques are free, No Commission, so you are saving again.
Do Not use exchange offices as they charge commission.....
Steve

Thanks, will the supermarkets and bars change travellers cheques as well

[stevew]

Yes no problem, we change ours at a Supermarket, just a little discretion is needed.
Steve

[lesleyr]

I agree with the above, we just take enough for first day then change money in Icmeler, theres a good guy in one of the shops but he was having to be a bit more careful last year. The rate has always been better over there, my husband always takes sterling to change and a debit card to use in the ATM in case we get carried away, which is usually every year!!

[mansy]

We always take "left over" lira from our previous visit for the first day and the rest in GBP, and our card for ATM if we should ever need it ( not used it yet in aprox 10 / 12 years ) Keep all cash / valuables in safety deposit box, just take out what you need for the day or night. You can change money anywhere for a better rate than at home quite easily. Nothing is to much trouble for anyone in Icmeler. There again June and September.

[toonarmybarmy]

I have been to Turkey before and to be honest never give it much thought and always just changed all of my money at home into lira and took that with me
My only question is - how likely is it that you wont get a better rate in Icmeler??
thanks

Look at it this way, if the rate in UK is 2.74 and the rate in Icmeler is 2.81 you will get an extra 13TL or nearly £5 for every £100 changed. This may not sound much, but depends on how much you are going to spend!

And in answer to your question. It is not possible to say it would never happen. But I have never seen the rate in Icmeler not be significantly better than in UK!

Tim

[dj_sploits]

Now I usually do as everyone above has done (take a few lira with me and change everything over there) but I'm a little different this year. This is because of what the exchange rate is now and what will happen in the future. I got £500 changed a few weeks ago at a rate of 2.78, obviously that was April. I don't go out until July and what if the rate has dropped? Last year i was lucky if I got a rate of 2.5 in resort and it could happen again this year (albiet it wasn't as high of a rate this time last year).
I guess its something to possibly think about

[toonarmybarmy]

Now I usually do as everyone above has done (take a few lira with me and change everything over there) but I'm a little different this year. This is because of what the exchange rate is now and what will happen in the future. I got £500 changed a few weeks ago at a rate of 2.78, obviously that was April. I don't go out until July and what if the rate has dropped? Last year i was lucky if I got a rate of 2.5 in resort and it could happen again this year (albiet it wasn't as high of a rate this time last year).
I guess its something to possibly think about

You make a good point as, in my experience, the rate is always better (in the UK & in Turkey) at the start of the season than at peak (July/August).
So, if you have the spare cash and are not travelling for some time, it may be worth getting TL now, even at UK rates.

Tim

[Chris221273]

We took enough lira for our first couple of days, and the rest travellers cheques, as sometimes at the hotels they take your passport to be photocopied, so you might not get it back till the next day.
Also, with regards to taking "English money" to use for bartering, do read the signs outside the shops.
We went to one shop last year and the price for using English pounds was more expensive than using Turkish lira, but unless you have a phone with a calculator on, you might think the English price is cheaper, which isn't always the case!
Chris & Anita