Money

Another large problem that usually arises before leaving is that of the topic of money. In Krakow they use zlotys (PLN). This has the following approximate exchange rate: €1 = 4, 3 PLN, always depending on the actual rate on that specific day. Since I came here, it has varied between 4, 25 and 4, 55. The more it goes up, the more it will benefit you to have euros.

The first thing is to have an account that assures you that you will not have to pay commission every time you make a card payment in a currency that isn't your usual currency or in a country that isn't your home. In Poland they use credit cards for everything, even buying a beer for one euro in a bar. Therefore, in the end you aren't going to have much change and you will only take cash out two or three times a month (tip: in the bank, choose to have a contactless card, because with the number of times you are going to use it to pay per day, you will appreciate not having to put the pin in 10 times).

I had the university student account from Santander and after looking at various options, I finally opened a young account with EVO Bank. I wouldn't have to pay any type of commission when paying with card, for taking out cash in zlotys, or for opening or maintaining the account. Besides, my friends who had been on Erasmus before me were with EVO and they were very happy with the service both in the country they went to and in Spain, as you can withdraw money in many more ATMs. The only problem that I found was that you can get cash out twice from any cash point in Spain without paying any type of commission. However, after the second time you will have to pay one euro every time that you get money out, whatever the amount is, so I would recommend that you get a large amount of cash out once. Then, since you pay almost everything by credit card you may not have to withdraw anything else until next month, but just in case you have another withdrawal left without paying commission.

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In order to get money out of the cash points with the best exchange rate, make sure you go to the PKO ones. They have a dark blue logo with the white letters PKO in the interior of the bank. I have left a photo underneath so that you don't get confused. If the exchange rate on this day is €1 = 4, 3 PLN you can get over 4, 15-20. It is important that when confirming the withdrawal of money you select the option cash withdrawal, because it will always give you better change than if you select the other, which is something like "change guaranteed" by the bank. The same happens when paying with the card in any store, bar or supermarket. If yours does not charge you a commission like EVO's, it is always better to pay in zloty than in euro, because with the automatic exchange that the bank makes you to euro, the bank always wins.

And that's basically it. The most important thing is that the bank that you are going to be with all year ensures that they are not going to charge commission for withdrawing money from the ATM, or paying with the card, or the exchange rate, so ask well before getting it.

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