8 Currency Exchange Tips to Get the Best Rates and Save Money

7. Always Pay in Local Currency (Avoid DCC)

Merchants and ATMs sometimes offer to bill you in your home currency via dynamic currency conversion (DCC). That convenience sounds appealing, but DCC rates are typically worse than letting your card issuer handle conversion. Expert voices advise choosing the local-currency option at the point of sale and at ATMs. Paying in local currency forces your card network or bank to do the conversion—often at a better wholesale or card-network rate—whereas DCC adds merchant-side markups. Always check the displayed rate when a DCC prompt appears. If the merchant insists, politely decline and ask to be charged in local currency. For travellers used to quick yes/no interactions, this small pause can save a noticeable percentage on big purchases. Making this habit protects you from an avoidable premium and keeps total transaction costs lower over the length of a trip.