Pound notes or debit card

[deananna]

Hello everyone.

we are a family of 4 going to icmeler for the first time this year,I would appreciate any advice on what type of money to take, do we take bank notes or take a debit card,obviously the debit card sounds the safest, but is there a big difference over a 2 week period. We have never been to turkey before and really looking forward to it.

[reesy1959]

Hi, we usually take about £50 in lira with us just, and then we just use our Nationwide Flexi Account card to withdraw as there are no charges in Turkey for withdrawing with this account, but if I didnt have a flexi account, I would just take all cash in sterling and change in the resort when needed. Dont use the exchange offices though, just go into the small supermarkets or bars and you will get a better exchange rate.

Hope you have a great time in Icmeler, I am sure you will be hooked on the place, just like we all are.

I usually take all mine in cash and change it as and when. Or what you could do is use your bank card to withdraw from the cash machines in the centre, a couple of them let you withdraw GBP then change the money in a supermarket as unless you have a nationwide account and you withdraw Lira you will get a rubbish rate.

Steve

[Chris]

I just take cash now,I pay for a safe deposit box to put it in.Like reesy said,just take a small amount of Turkish lira with you for the first day.then change over there,much better exchange rate,most mini markets change your money.Welcome back reesy,nice to see you back on the forum.

[reesy1959]

I just take cash now,I pay for a safe deposit box to put it in.Like reesy said,just take a small amount of Turkish lira with you for the first day.then change over there,much better exchange rate,most mini markets change your money.Welcome back reesy,nice to see you back on the forum.

Thanks Chris, work has been keeping me busy lately, just not fair.

[bill atkinson]

hi speaking from experience,[a bad one] don,t use a cash point unless its outside a bank ,or theres a security guard on duty outside. my wife had her card scammed in the square. we take 50 % lira 50% english the use debit card if needed second week. enjoy your hols! you will go back again. bii A

[deananna]

Thanks everyone for your replies i think i will take cash, are 50 pound notes ok?

[edinburger]

Thanks everyone for your replies i think i will take cash, are 50 pound notes ok?

I take mostly £50 notes and change them as and when needed, usually at the local supermarket.

Worth taking some £10 & £20 notes for "shopping" and markets,when it is sometimes easier for haggling as they sometimes prefer English money.

[dksbbs]

Some places may refuse to change £50 notes except for the banks, I take £20 notes and never have a problem, also take some £10 notes for the market.

Dave

[Dannii_89]

I take about 50tl in cash incase i want to buy anything in the airport ect. and then I always take the rest in travellers cheques, safest way to go then if you lose any or have any stolen they are insured and can be replaced!

[Katiehutchinson_1991]

we always take a little lira with us normally what we have left over from the previous holiday
but just enough incase we want to buy anything on the way to the resort or to tip the transfer driver
then we go to the little supermarket underneath ICR and change £20 pound notes
sometimes we use £50 and never had a problem with them
xxxxxx

[rachel06]

When we were there in June last year i took £20 in lira which i changed before hand to keep us going initially about £100 in cash then all i had was my bank card. I found drawing money out every day fine, it meant that i didn't have a lot of money in the hotel room or on me at any one time.
I used a cash machine near to the prince hotel, i drew out £40 a day in lira and i found that when i got home i got a much better exchange rate than family who had taken cash to change at the supermarket.
I have a nationwide bank account which is still free to make withdrawals in turkey.

[geordiespurs]

its pound notes for me every time, the worry id have taken a card is if the machine eats it then you are stuck without money for a day or two

[tinkerbelle]

Having seen a couple deeply distressed because the ATM retained their card, we would never rely on them. The couple were AI which was just as well as it took four days to sort out. We always take a mix of travellers cheques, lira and sterling.