Kibkom North Cyprus Forum

so now money exchanges taking notes with stamp marks on ... but not pen marks ,,,, WHICH THE BANKS PUT ON THEM ! still the cash machines dishing out notes stg with pen marks on ,,which cannot be exchanged ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,!!!!!!maddness

summercyprus wrote:so now money exchanges taking notes with stamp marks on ... but not pen marks ,,,, WHICH THE BANKS PUT ON THEM ! still the cash machines dishing out notes stg with pen marks on ,,which cannot be exchanged ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,!!!!!!maddness

Welcome to TRNC

So why draw sterling cash out and then change it into Lira?
Surely it makes more sense to have a CardPlus card in Lira and transfer money from your sterling bank account into your Lira bank account, then get it out on your Lira card?

That's what I've done ever since I've moved to the TRNC, and I've never had any problems with notes!

sounds good how do you get a cardplus card? Is it issued by a bank? My pension is still payed into my uk account which I dont want to close.

MoonageDaydream wrote:So why draw sterling cash out and then change it into Lira?
Surely it makes more sense to have a CardPlus card in Lira and transfer money from your sterling bank account into your Lira bank account, then get it out on your Lira card?

That's what I've done ever since I've moved to the TRNC, and I've never had any problems with notes!

The reason is because the exchange rate is often more favourable from the money changers than the rate you're given by the bank

My Cardplus card came from Creditwest bank when I opened my Lira accounts there. Other banks also use Cardplus, and there are a large number of machines where you can withdraw Lira, though if it isn't your bank there is a small charge. This is a better option than using a UK debit or credit card, and much easier than drawing sterling out and then changing cash.

BTW I've recently checked rates between Creditwest and a couple of nearby Bureau de Change. The difference in the exchange rate is TL 0.10, so if you change GBP 100 into TL with a Bureau you mightsave about enough money to buy a bottle of Efes. Hardly worth the effort of queuing twice, then walking or driving between the two places, and arguing about marks on the notes. In recent months the bank's rate has been even closer to that of the Bureaux.

(I also have interest bearing bank accounts in Euros and Dollars, so I don't have all my eggs in the TL or GBP baskets. (I did quite well changing some USD into TL a few weeks ago, but the rate has dropped now).