Withdrawing money from US bank account.

[teddybear1873]

Out of curiosity, does anyone know which is one better.

Swiping my credit and debit card in the UK or withdrawing cash from a UK bank.

As far as I'm aware of It's not worth the transfer rate to get GBP while I'm in the USA, the rate is terrible.

Thanks orgers.

[canuck]

I have to do the same kind of economic gymnastics when I travel to Canada from Scotland.
You will probably find that the transfer rate is just as terrible here as in the States.
Because of the exchange rates and outside the country charges on credit and debit cards, they are often a very expensive way to go. You are likely limited to the daily amount of money you can get from using your card if you get cash from a UK bank with an US card.

[George Brims]

I've found withdrawing from a US card in the UK gives a better exchange rate than exchanging at the banks. You're basically getting the rate banks charge each other, where there is less margin between buy and sell. On the down side, there's a transfer fee. I think the best thing is to use your card to make purchases rather than to get cash.
Best advice I can give you is to take more than one card that can give you cash. One night driving from Wick to Inverness, we got hungry and decided to get fish and chips in Golspie. However we were low on cash so we went to the machine in the lobby of the Bank of Scotland. The machine crashed in the middle of the transaction and wouldn't give me my card back. Not only did we not get our fish & chips, when I called the bank the next day, the lassie informed me in a tone of "Why wouldn't we do that, it makes total sense to me" that the machine had SHREDDED MY CARD!

[teddybear1873]

Thanks for the info Canuck and George. I did call my bank (First Federal) they told me there would be a $2 charge for every withdrawal I take compared to 2% for every time I swipe my debit card. They couldn't tell me what conversion rate I would get as they are a small local bank.