Currency exchange

[VinZ]

Hi
Going to SA soon and I wondered what’s the best way of exchanging some £ into rands. Any tips? Just to have some cash, not much as I’ll mainly use my Amex or revolut.
Thanks

[Rob]

If you only want £100 or so, don’t waste your time. Just get it at the next convenient opportunity. How much will you save by going out of your way – £5?

[harley]

https://travelmoney.moneysavingexpert.com/ is what i use but as rob says if its a small amount might be worth waiting till arrival

[VinZ]

Right. Wasn’t thinking that way. Will get from a cash machine in CT or Amex currency exchange at Gatwick. Thank you

[WaynedP]

I used to pre-order online for same-day collection at one of the many, competitive Thomas Exchange or ICE outlets in central London, specifying small denominations as far as possible in the notes/requests box, and usually achieving that on actual collection.

But fewer than half have survived Covid.

I once used Sainsbury’s Forex home delivery service when there was a special offer and was impressed by the delivery of smaller denominations.

Ideally you want majority R50 and R20, with a few R100. The disadvantage of using SA ATM is a surfeit of R200 notes which can be unwieldy.

Most purchases are best done with chip & pin (not contactless) card, which I always put a small UK airport purchase on (also using chip & pin not contactless to verify it’s actually you transacting) before the flight rather than faffing around trying to pre-advise my bank of foreign travel.

I only use cash in SA for gratuities and informal economy purchases like market stalls and equivalent of £200 for a two week stay would easily suffice, so Rob’s point about not busting a gut to save a few quid is spot on.

I always travel with a “dummy wallet” containing a few hundred rand and a couple of shiny but long expired credit cards to look authentic. Hand that over co-operatively in the unlikely event you’re mugged and you’ve lost next to nothing.

Keep any real cash and proper cards in a body belt or well concealed in inner pockets or the like and be discreet and vigilant when accessing it in public.

I also always wear a cheap, gaudy neon coloured football whistle visibly around my neck when I’m a tourist anywhere in Europe or Africa, as much as a visible deterrent than anything else. Any opportunist criminal will notice and should realise that you’re better prepared than the average mark and move on to easier targets.

I’ve not experienced any trouble or personal threat in six trips of 10-14 days each to South Africa in the course of the last three and a half years, so I feel that the risk is small. My last mugging was actually in Europe, albeit Romania (Constanta).