Travel question of the day: Simon Calder on the best time to change your money

Have a travel question that needs answering? Ask our expert Simon Calder

Lanzarote's Puerto del Carmen beach (Getty)

Q I am going to Lanzarote next week. Do you think I would be best to exchange my British pounds to euros over there and convert back before leaving?

Ron Butters

A It’s a fair question. At a time when the pound is so puny, perhaps financial institutions abroad might prove more generous than those in Britain? Well, they might – and in cases such as the Croatian kuna, the Bulgarian lev or the Turkish lira, you would be proved correct. But with the huge currency flows between euros and pounds, a highly competitive market has developed in the UK. So while there may be isolated cases when a bureau de change abroad offers a better deal than the best rate obtainable in Britain, my firm advice is to change before you go.

Compare rates available on the high street with what you can find online. Consider paying in advance for euros and picking up at the airport, or ordering by post. You might choose to err on the side of frugality, and, if necessary, top up by changing sterling in Lanzarote; on the island, ask around for the best place to change money.

Every day, our travel correspondent, Simon Calder, tackles a reader’s question. Just email yours to s@hols.tv or tweet @simoncalder