How can I exchange foriegn currency into US dollars, when I am already back in the US?

Question

How can I exchange foriegn currency into US dollars, when I am already back in the US?

Answer 1

Three key places:

1) Airport.  Sure, it's a pain to go there and it probably isn't worth taking a trip out there just to change money.  I usually hang onto my currency and wait for the next time I visit that country. If I'm not going back, then I would change it next time I roll through the airport.  Usually, airports rip you off the least.

2) Banks.  Not all banks change forex.  One of my S&L's did (in the past), but my latests banks do not.  Check at your local bank - and you don't necessarily have to be a depositor to take advantage of this service.  Just prepare to get hit with a pretty wide buy-sell spread.  

3) Exchange Bureaus.  Usually these are in major cities that have tourists visiting them.  I'm originally from San Francisco, so it was never a problem finding one.

Some other potential places.  American Express Bureau.  In the past, they used to exchange forex.  Times change though, so I'm not sure they still do this.