Money, money, money!

As I review the currencies of the places we'll visit, here's a link to take you back in time with the O'Jays! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GXE_n2q08Yw

Three Countries....Three Currencies

Hungary - The currency is the forint (Ft)

ONE U.S. dollar ($1) will give you 228 Ft exchange rate as of today, 8 July 2014.

Bank notes come in 500, 1000, 2000, and 5000 Ft.  (Also in 10,000 and 20,000 notes but these are harder to use even though the equivalent in dollars is only $43.84 and $87.69 respectively).

Citibank is the bank brand you'll recognize in Budapest, and most are open 9am-5pm.

Credit and debit cards are almost universally accepted, and if you are arriving to the airport on 12 May 2015, you won't need currency for transfers or tips as they are included.

As always, I recommend for Europe a credit card with a Chip, the European standard for secure transactions, and more and more U.S. cards now make them available.  You may have to ask your bank if they have one they can update your card with, then plan for a couple of weeks to get your new card and separately arriving pin.

I use the World Travel card from Bank of America and it worked like a charm on our last European trip.

Austria - The currency is the Euro since 2002.  

Today's exchange rate for ONE U.S. dollar ($1) is .74 euro.

Spending the equivalent of $10 U.S. dollars in Austria today would be 7.36 euros.

Credit cards are not as widely accepted in Austria, as you might wish, so having some euros for shops and restaurants would be a good idea.  I'll plan on getting my euros in the U.S. prior to travel.  Most restaurants post signs when they do not accept credit cards, but always ask before starting your tab.

We'll be in Vienna on a Sunday, a holy day in prominent Catholic Austria, which means most shops will be closed. Most bakeries will be open until Noon however.  This is the day I have planned for hearing the Vienna Boys Choir at 9:15am mass and seeing the Lipizzaner horses in practice session.

The Czech Republic - The currency is the crown (Kc) also known as Koruna (CZK).

Today's exchange rate for ONE U.S. dollar ($1) is 20.16 CZK.
Crown notes come in denominations of 100, 200, 500, 1000, 2000, and 5000.
The U.S. dollar equivalent is $4.96 for 100 CZK, and $24.80 for 500 CZK.
It is not recommended to purchase any Koruna in advance, and you can convert any Euros left over from Austria to Koruna at Prague's gorgeous banks.  They are typically open 8am-5pm.  
Many stores and restaurants discount for cash. You'll find Prague to be the cheapest in which to spend your money, with a half-liter of beer commonly priced at 40 CZK (that's less than two bucks!).  

Ah, yes, the joys of having a designated driver!