From: "Michael T Payne" <Michael_T_Payne @ firstplus.com>
Date: Thu, 21 Jan 1999 12:34:20 -0600
Subject: [ILF] CURRENCY CONFUSION

Hello ALL,

Cliff was right when he said that the rates he read were lower than what I
posted, but you also have to add in when you buy currency is that per unit
meaning 100=1 of whatever currency, you have to add between USD 0.10 and
USD 0.15 per unit. In simple terms for every (1) pound sterling you buy at
USD 1.65 add USD 0.10 per unit which gives you the reaL RATE at USD 1.75,
remembering to add in that, you got it, service charge of USD 5.00-15.00.
The actual trading rates are always lower that what you actually recieve
when you purchase, WAIT UNTIL YOU TRY TO SELL THE OLD CURRENCY BACK INTO US
DOLLARS, THEY GRAB YOU BUY THE BULLOCKS AGAIN AS IF ONCE WASN'T ENOUGH-

My BEST advice:

Get as much POUND STERLING as you think you might need, but use your ATM
card over in the UK if you can.  Per what Carl Muller said, if your PIN
number has 5 digits, you might not be able to use it there.  Also, make
sure that the network that your banking institution uses is worldwide, like
Cirrus, Plus, and so on.  You get a better exchange rate when you use your
ATM/Debit Cards.  Although Credit Cards are not as widely accepted as they
are here in the USA.  Also, when you come back to exchange your GBP into
USD they will ONLY accept notes, and NO coins, so use those GBP 1.00 coins
at the pub at the airport before you leave, or for a gift, and perhaps even
a souvineer for someone's coin collection.  Is it correct that since my
visit last May that there is a GBP 2.00 coin?  YIKES!!!!!!  Any more coins
and our trousers will fall down from the weighty coins! :)

Current exchange as of 01/21/99 at 12.23 PM:

Actual Exchange Rate:    GBP 1.00 = USD 1.6525

But if you want to BUY or SELL here is the rates:

GBP 1.00 = USD 1.777 Buying GBP from USD (When you leave)
GBP 1.00 = USD 1.528  Buying USD from GBP (When you come back)
Service Charge: USD 5.00
Source:  Thomas Cooke Ltd.   1-800-CURRENCY

I hope this clears the air, or your wallets and purses as the case seems to
be!

Mikey