John Farrell wrote (010220 MMDigest):

> I would be interested to hear how Peter persuades his bank
> to hand over US dollars without charging him a fee.

If a banker asks the equivalent of $40 from me for the purchase of
$30, he loses a customer!  I'll withdraw my account and go to a more
customer-friendly bank.  It's not customary in Switzerland that a bank
demands a fee for purchasing dollars.

Greetings
Peter Leutwiler

 [ A friend in Los Angeles can purchase foreign currency at his bank
 [ with no fee, but of course he has a sizeable business account with
 [ the bank.  I can't do that in my town (Etiwanda CA), and likewise
 [ I fear that John Farrell lives in a one-bank village!  -- Robbie