How to Cash Out Money From Your Travels

Dr. Jessie Voigts's picture
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Let's talk money and travel. How do you use up the local currency before coming home? 

Here’s how my husband and I differ regarding the currency part of our travels: he always wants to use up the local money we have before we leave the country. This often means every last penny! Me? Well, I don’t mind spending money, of course, especially on souvenirs (and tips) at the airport. But I always seem to come home with more international currency than I remembered having leftover. Our passport drawer has currency from a variety of countries. I like to think that it’s a guarantee I’ll go back, but Ed grumbles about losing money…because it's useless to him. 

 How to Cash Out Money From Your Travels

Do you, too, have a jar full of foreign coins on your dresser, or tucked in a tin somewhere? Or perhaps your travel wallet is full of a variety of global bills? Do you find coins in the cracks of your suitcases or in the bottom of your makeup/medicine bag? Nice!

 How to Cash Out Money From Your Travels

I found a reliable, trustworthy source to exchange our old currency, called Leftover Currency

Based in the UK, this team has years of experience trading international currencies – to our benefit.

 How to Cash Out Money From Your Travels

If you’re looking to earn some cash from your cash, here’s how:

* Head to the site and discover which currencies you can exchange, and what the rates are. 
* Sort your currency (or not – they take it unsorted).
* Fill out the form in the online wallet on the site (or print the form). 
* Mail in your money. Be sure to get tracking!
* Get paid within 5 working days (or donate the revenue to charity).

 How to Cash Out Money From Your Travels

I looked around in a few drawers and old purses and came up with more global money than I expected to find. But for research purposes, I went old school…and looked to exchange Japanese Yen. I lived in Japan in 1989, working for an international student exchange company and doing an independent study abroad program. So when I found some Japanese Yen (both coins and paper bills), I wondered how much I could make. All of the paper money I had was withdrawn in 2004 and is now unusable, but Leftover Currency takes those! So YES, I have obsolete Japanese yen, and yes, I can earn usable cash for them. Excellent news. It is a lovely souvenir, but... photos will also do, if I can have more cash in hand.

 How to Cash Out Money From Your Travels

Guess what? I’m a millionaire in old Turkish lira… 

 How to Cash Out Money From Your Travels

What kind of international currency is in your suitcases, junk drawers, and old purses? Maybe enough to travel more? I’m in!

 How to Cash Out Money From Your Travels