A guide to calculating and exchanging money

Pounds (GBP) (£) are the currency used in the United Kingdom, while Euros (EUR) (€) are the standard currency in many other European countries, including Austria, France, Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, and more.[1] A Pound is also called a “Sterling” and can be divided into 100 pence.[2] Fortunately, it’s easy to convert between the two as well as exchange one for the other.

Method 1
Method 1 of 2:

Doing Currency Conversions

  1. 1
    Find the current exchange rate online. Currency exchange rates vary from day to day, month to month, and year to year, so it’s essential to find the most up-to-date rate to do your conversions. Do a simple search for “currency exchange rates” and select “GBP to EUR” or visit https://www.x-rates.com/calculator/?from=GBP&to=EUR&amount=1.[3]
    • As of August 31, 2018, the conversion rate is 1.00 Pound = 1.116479 Euro.
  2. 2
    Round the exchange rate to 3 decimals. Though the exchange rates can have up to 6 decimals, it’s okay to use only 3 decimals when doing currency conversions.[4]
    • So, instead of using 1.116479, you can use 1.117.
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  3. 3
    Multiply the number of Pounds by the current exchange rate. In this case, the exchange rate is 1.116, so multiply the specified number of Pounds by 1.116 to find out how many Euros the Pounds are worth.[5]
    • For instance, if you have 50 Pounds, multiply 50 by 1.116, which equals 55.85 Euros.
    • If you have 10,000 Pounds, multiply 10,000 by 1.116, which equals 11,170 Euros.
  4. 4
    Use an online conversion calculator for a quick, convenient option. If you don’t want to do the conversion by hand, there are tons of online calculators that you can use for free. In fact, many of the sites that provide currency conversions contain calculators, including https://www.x-rates.com.
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Method 2
Method 2 of 2:

Exchanging Currency

  1. 1
    Check the current conversion rate online. In order to find out if you’re getting a good deal on the exchange from a currency seller, exchange office, bank, or other retailer, look up the conversion rate online. Simply search for “current GBP to EUR exchange rate.” You can then compare this rate to the rate the seller or exchange office offers you.[6]
  2. 2
    Compare rates between currency sellers and exchange offices to find the best one. Various currency sellers will have widely different rates, so you’ll need to do some homework in order to find a good deal. Simply search for “currency sellers near me” online and view the rates from banks, post offices, brokers, and other retailers. Once you find the best rate, follow the instructions on the web page in order to find out how to exchange your money.[7]
    • If you have time, you can order the money online. If not, you can visit a retailer to make the exchange directly.
    • Be aware that some companies charge a fee for exchanging money, so be sure to take that into account when looking for the best rate.
  3. 3
    Withdraw money from an ATM in a country that uses the Euro for an easy option. If you’re visiting a country that uses the Euro, you can simply withdraw Euros from your bank account whenever you need cash. However, you’ll be stuck with whatever exchange rate the bank offers on that day.[8]
  4. 4
    Avoid doing currency exchanges at the airport. Though it might seem like the easiest option if you’re going on holiday in a country that uses Euros, stay away from exchange counters at the airport. The rates will not be in your favor and you’ll get less Euros than you would from other retailers.[9]
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Community Q&A

  • Question
    Is it the same the other way around, Euros to pounds?
    Donagan
    Donagan
    Top Answerer
    The numbers would be different, but the process is the same. Any online currency converter will tell you the conversion factor between any two currencies in either direction.
  • Question
    What is 1,000,000 euros converted to pounds sterling?
    Donagan
    Donagan
    Top Answerer
    At a recent exchange rate, one-million euros were worth 860,000 pounds sterling.
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About This Article

Sophia Latorre
Co-authored by:
wikiHow Staff Writer
This article was co-authored by wikiHow staff writer, Sophia Latorre. Sophia Latorre is a Content Manager on the wikiHow team. Before joining wikiHow, Sophia worked as a technical editor and was published in six International Energy Agency (IEA) Wind Annual Reports. Now, she writes, edits, and reviews articles for the wikiHow Content Team, working to make the content as helpful as possible for readers worldwide. Sophia holds a BA in English from Colorado State University. This article has been viewed 69,349 times.
30 votes - 54%
Co-authors: 9
Updated: May 25, 2022
Views: 69,349
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