Paris Travel: Three Overlooked Money Saving Tips for Travel to Paris, France

Travel by the metro, not by cab. At restaurants, order from the fixed price menu. Visit museums on the first Sunday of the month when admissions are free. These are a few common money saving travel tips that you'll find in popular Paris Guidebooks. You can save a few euros here and there by following these tips. But, one of the most overlooked ways to save serious cash when you visit Paris, France is not dependent on what you spend your money on, but how you pay for it.

Follow our three tips below to save large sums of cash. These tips aren't glamorous, but if followed, they do result is significant savings.

1. Don't Purchase Euros Before Arriving in Paris - Don't go to your bank and procure euros before arriving in Paris. Save 8-9% over what you'll pay an American bank for the privilege of traveling with a few euros in your pocket by using the ATMs that are everywhere in French airports and train stations. You'll get a good exchange rate, and pay the same ATM fee that you do at home.

Instead, bring some US money for emergencies, and if need be, use a currency exchange outlet that you'll find on the street in tourist areas. Even, the money changers will offer you a better deal than a US bank.

And, forget about Euro denominated Traveler's Checks. They are rarely accepted at hotels or shops. And, the fees are outrageous.

2. Use a Credit Card for All Purchases - First, use a credit card for the majority of your purchases. Virtually every café, restaurant and store accepts plastic. And, you will receive the best exchange rate possible. Credit card rates even beat ATM withdrawals by a significant percentage.

3. Read the Fine Print of Your Credit Card Agreement - Sounds easy so far, but here's the catch. Each company has their own fees and additional charges for overseas transactions. Some cards are reasonable and others charge highway robbery rates on each purchase. And, to complicate matters, an not all cards from the same company have the same rates. For example, there are a gazillion MBNA Visa Cards - some with a 1% standard Visa/MasterCard transaction rate, others with a 1% transaction fee and a 4% surcharge. That's a difference of 4% on every purchase!

Before your trip, its probably worth your while to wade through the numerous credit card offers that flood your mailbox. Currently, the best deal for international travel is a Capital One Visa. For international travel, Capital One charges no surcharge..zero...zip. They even eat the 1% Visa transaction fee. And, their exchange rate on purchases can't be beat. And, remember CC companies change their policies constantly so always verify the transaction fees before your trip.

For those of you yawning and thinking who cares about a couple percent, the difference between a 0% and 5% on a week's travel to Paris can translate into hundreds of dollars. It all adds up, and there is no one more undeserving of your hard earned cash than banks and credit card companies. And, the beauty of these tips is that all the arrangements are made before you leave home, so that you can relax and enjoy the City of Lights.

For more money saving Paris travel tips, visit Paris Escapes.

Copyright 2006 Escapes Media.