The Independent Republic of Colin Butler

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Cheaper Money from Gatwick ATMs

On my recent trip through London Gatwick Airport, I noticed many changes from my last visit.

One of these changes is that all the ATMs are now run by the money exchange companies.

My requested withdrawal of £250 from my Euro account was offered to me at €322 if I took the machines rate.

Even a little sleepy from an early morning flight, and with my stomach rumbling from lack of food, this seemed expensive.

So I declined the offer, allowing my bank to make the charges they apply for a foreign transaction.

Couple of days later, I check my account, and even with my banks charges, my £250 cash machine withdrawal cost me €303 - A €19 saving for me.

So, if you want to save around 5% when taking your money out of a London Gatwick Airport ATM, let your bank process the currency conversion, not the Cash Machine.