Cash or Credit/Debit Card

[Robin B'stard]

Leaving for Morocco on 23rd April from Pompey to Bilboa
Just giving some thought to the best method of getting MDir. I would prefer to take sterling but I'm not sure where to change cash. Is it easy to find exchange shops or change money inside the banks? ATM's appear to be common but our banks apply a charge per transaction and sometime a % of what you withdraw.

Nationwide appear to offer the best deal on foreign ATM transactions both inside and outside the eurozone.

So what do you regular travelers to Morocco do?

 

[oblertone]

Take ...

... Euro's, in relatively small denominations i.e. 50 max. Some places take cards, some don't, very few don't take Euro's; there are cash machines but they are relatively few & far between but you can change money almost anywhere. Calculating exchange rates will give you a headache and you'll pay top rate because you're rich, but then you'll find out that the top rate isn't really very much at all.

 

[barneydinosaur]

The Post Office do a credit card that doesn't charge for foreign currency transactions. It does make a charge for csh advances though which is what happens when you withdraw money using an ATM ...BUT... if you pre-load the card then there's no cash advance and so no cash advance fee.

Mrs D and I have an account each and have each other as the 2nd card holder. We tend to make an estimate of how much cash we're going to need plus a bit and pop that amount on one of the accounts before we go away.

We then use one acount for purchases (gets the wholesale exchange rate which is often much better than the tourist rate) and use the other pre-loaded account for cash withdrawals at ATMs (also at the wholesale rate).

We use the two card system because once the pre-payment is gone then you get charged for cash advances.

 

[AberdeenAngus]

Take cards for ATM's, Euro's in cash and, of course, a back up credit card or two.
You can get Dirhams in the UK but you have to hunt round for them.

 

[MrIFan]

no need for loads of euro, anywhere that will change euro will change sterling so why loose twice on the exchange rate
if going via ceuta a few euro for early purchases is not a bad idea, just untill you get to the first stop and change sterling/hit the cash point. via tanger there are several good exchange booths and a cash point in the port, straight after customs

 

[STUBBS]

post office credit card and a small amount of cash in small notes not all carried in the same wallet

 

[Robin B'stard]

Cash or Credit /Debit Card

no need for loads of euro, anywhere that will change euro will change sterling so why loose twice on the exchange rate
if going via ceuta a few euro for early purchases is not a bad idea, just untill you get to the first stop and change sterling/hit the cash point. via tanger there are several good exchange booths and a cash point in the port, straight after customs

Lots of good advice for a Morocco virgin. I will be going via Ceuta with the first overnight stop at Azrou. Tim mentioned an ATM at Tetouan. I've got euros from last summers tour to France that will be handy for over night stop in Spain. I like the idea of a preload credit card form P.O.

Thanks Guys

 

[Timolgra]

You'll get a good exchange rate on the black market in Ceuta before crossing the border into Morocco.
Fill up with fuel in Ceuta too, it's cheaper

I prefer not to rely on plastic in case the card gets eaten by an ATM, but most Moroccan large towns have at least one ATM and they do appear reliable.

 

[Robin B'stard]

You'll get a good exchange rate on the black market in Ceuta before crossing the border into Morocco.
Fill up with fuel in Ceuta too, it's cheaper

Thanks, I think i'll do that. Cheap fuel and Black market rates, sounds great.