At Woodland Travel we deal with AFEX (Associated Foreign Exchange, Inc.) the market leader in the field of worldwide payment services for companies, individuals and institutions conducting business internationally. Or simply to buy foreign Currency exchange.

We advise our clients that one of the most convenient ways to obtain foreign currency such as Euros is to use ATMs once you are there. Although not necessarily the best exchange rate due to bank fees, ATMs are located most everywhere and you can check under our Great Travel Tools to find a location near where you'll be. And they are almost always at airports just outside of customs.

The best rates are when you are buying a million dollars worth, (which are the rates you'll see in the newspaper) but if you are not Donald Trump and want just a few hundred, yet want a better rate than obtainable through ATMs, you might have good luck by taking your cash or traveler's checks into a bank at your destination. Unfortunately this method is not always the most convenient; with language sometimes a problem and I've been in situations where after standing in long lines the teller has no idea what to do. In some countries the people standing in line behind you get really irritated at you when this happens.

Another way of exchanging currency is at the front desk of your hotel. Very very convenient, but generally you'll get the worst rate. I use this method only for small amounts. Kind of like having to buy gas at a high priced location when you know it's cheaper elsewhere, but you need some.

         Here's a couple of easy sites you can click on to get an approximate of conversion rates.

We can obtain currency for you in advance of your trip, usually by the next day in Woodland. It will be at a good rate, not always as low as at some banks in foreign countries, but usually better than ATMs and certainly better than foreign hotel desks. And you'll have the money in your pocket when you arrive. Just call or come by our office so we can get a quote, and we'll do the rest. There will be a charge for over-night Fed Ex, usually about $20-$25.

To our knowledge, none of the banks in Woodland or Davis are able to exchange currency for you, and several refer their depositors to us. Avoid buying more foreign currency than you'll use because if you have some left over when returning, you'll loose quite a bit changing them back into dollars. Unlike US dollars that always have value no matter how old they are, some countries periodically change their bills so that old ones become valueless. So don't just save them for your next trip, you might be surprised. And coins brought home may only be good as souvenirs since they are nearly un-exchangable once here.