Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
3 Money
CURRENCY
The Republic of Ireland has adopted the single European currency
known as the
euro.
In this volume, the
sign symbolizes the euro.
In converting prices to U.S. dollars, we used the rate
€
€
1 = $1.20.
Euro notes come in denominations of
€
5,
€
10,
€
20,
€
50,
€
500. The euro is divided into 100 cents; coins
come in denominations of
100,
€
200, and
€
1, 50¢, 20¢, 10¢, 5¢, 2¢, and 1¢.
It may seem awkward, particularly for Americans, but the terms
“euro” and “cent” are never pluralized. That is,
€
2,
€
€
50.25 is spoken as
“50 euro, 25 cent.”
Note:
The value of the euro fluctuates daily, so it is best to begin
checking exchange rates well in advance of your visit to gain a sense
of their recent range.
CREDIT CARDS
Leading international credit cards such as Visa, MasterCard (also
known as Access or Eurocard), American Express, and Diners Club
are readily accepted throughout all 32 counties. Most establish-
ments display on their windows the logos of the credit cards they
accept. Note that MasterCard and Visa are far more widely accepted
than American Express, and Diners Club is accepted at only very
upscale restaurants and hotels.
However handy it is to make purchases with credit, note that
many banks add a “currency conversion fee” (sometimes as high as
3%) to all transactions made in a foreign currency; check with your
card's issuer before you leave to avoid a nasty surprise when you get
your bill.
ATMs
Repeat this until it sticks: The best way to get cash is with your bank
card in an automated teller machine (ATM). Any town large
enough to have a bank branch (all but the smallest villages) will have
an ATM linked to a network that includes your home bank.
Cirrus
(
&
800/424-7787;
www.mastercard.com) and
PLUS
(
&
800/
843-7587
in the U.S. or 1800/558002 toll-free in Ireland; www.
visa.com) are the two most popular networks. Using ATMs gets you
the best possible exchange rate because Cirrus and PLUS let you
take advantage of their high-volume wholesale exchange rate, which
leaves all other players—traveler's checks, exchange bureaus, and
credit cards—in the dust. Use the toll-free numbers to locate ATMs
in your destination.
