US dollars - currency card or cash/travellers cheques?
Discussion
Have a trip to the US coming up in two weeks time but a bit unsure wether to have a currency card or the usual (to me) cash and travellers cheques.
Are the cards as easy as the issuers say they are, or am I going to come unstuck at an ATM and the machine swallow my card?!
Any experiences/recommendations greatly accepted, as I need to sort one out pretty soon.
Thanks.
(Specifically looking at the ICE card)
Are the cards as easy as the issuers say they are, or am I going to come unstuck at an ATM and the machine swallow my card?!
Any experiences/recommendations greatly accepted, as I need to sort one out pretty soon.
Thanks.
(Specifically looking at the ICE card)
I usually do a few hundred £ in dollars and then just use my credit card.
Visa exchange rates are usually quite good (better than the prepaid cards) (though obviously be aware that your card probably charges a percentage on top).
http://www.visaeurope.com/en/cardholders/exchange_...
I have never used travellers cheques, and really dont see any reason to ever use them in the US.
Visa exchange rates are usually quite good (better than the prepaid cards) (though obviously be aware that your card probably charges a percentage on top).
http://www.visaeurope.com/en/cardholders/exchange_...
I have never used travellers cheques, and really dont see any reason to ever use them in the US.
Edited by Matt.. on Monday 13th May 18:12
Zyp said:
Have a trip to the US coming up in two weeks time but a bit unsure wether to have a currency card or the usual (to me) cash and travellers cheques.
Are the cards as easy as the issuers say they are, or am I going to come unstuck at an ATM and the machine swallow my card?!
Any experiences/recommendations greatly accepted, as I need to sort one out pretty soon.
Thanks.
(Specifically looking at the ICE card)
Hello,Are the cards as easy as the issuers say they are, or am I going to come unstuck at an ATM and the machine swallow my card?!
Any experiences/recommendations greatly accepted, as I need to sort one out pretty soon.
Thanks.
(Specifically looking at the ICE card)
I am off on June the 3rd and have been looking very closely to the exchange rate (falling). I went on Saturday and got mine at ICE.
Do you work from home or office based?
Home based.
Have used ICE before and found the rate very good.
Does this card look decent value?
https://www.iceplc.com/cgi-bin/live/ecommerce.pl?s...
Have used ICE before and found the rate very good.
Does this card look decent value?
https://www.iceplc.com/cgi-bin/live/ecommerce.pl?s...
Zyp said:
Was planning to take $700 - $1k cash and $1k cheques.
Don't fancy using my cc to get cash out the ATM - so do the shops give cash back as freely as ours do here?
I haven't used traveller's cheques since the 90's, I'd forgotten they even exist.Don't fancy using my cc to get cash out the ATM - so do the shops give cash back as freely as ours do here?
Can't you use your debit card to get cash from an ATM? That's what we do, and have never had an issue. The only time I've had cards declined was in a petrol station in a dodgy area on the outskirts of Vegas.
Cashback's a bit odd in the US, their system seems to be different than ours, in that one card can be either credit or 'chequing', and I've never been able to make it work.
Personally I'd take $500 - $700 and pay for stuff on the fly (meals/fuel) with a debit/credit card, whichever has the lowest fees for international stuff.
It's been four years since I last went to the US and always paid everything in cash (plus having two kids means pocket money!)
Just feels odd going there with only a bit of cash on me.
I also don't want to get short of cash and then get stuck for charges from an ATM, but also don't want to be vulnerable carrying loads of cash around.
I guess $500-700 cash would suffice.
My debit card (Lloyds) levy a 2.99% + £1 load on purchases, not sure about ATM charges.
Just feels odd going there with only a bit of cash on me.
I also don't want to get short of cash and then get stuck for charges from an ATM, but also don't want to be vulnerable carrying loads of cash around.
I guess $500-700 cash would suffice.
My debit card (Lloyds) levy a 2.99% + £1 load on purchases, not sure about ATM charges.
Edited by Zyp on Monday 13th May 19:35
Mr Trophy said:
What rate are you getting?
I am away for two weeks and I am taking $2250 (all cash)
Travel Premier have a current rate of 1.517.50
Over $2k in cash?I am away for two weeks and I am taking $2250 (all cash)
Travel Premier have a current rate of 1.517.50
I've never really understood why people take so much cash. Visa exchange rates are good, and you can get credit cards with no charges. Why not just take minimal amounts of cash and use cards? Surely it's somewhat less risky than carrying all that money? Would you go around with all that cash in this country?
Matt.. said:
Over $2k in cash?
I've never really understood why people take so much cash. Visa exchange rates are good, and you can get credit cards with no charges. Why not just take minimal amounts of cash and use cards? Surely it's somewhat less risky than carrying all that money? Would you go around with all that cash in this country?
That's a valid point about carrying so much cash.I've never really understood why people take so much cash. Visa exchange rates are good, and you can get credit cards with no charges. Why not just take minimal amounts of cash and use cards? Surely it's somewhat less risky than carrying all that money? Would you go around with all that cash in this country?
I think I'm swaying more to using the cc for most stuff.
And as I said, my Post Office card doesn't charge for purchases so its really a no brainer.
At the moment the MasterCard exchange rate is about $1.53
Matt.. said:
Over $2k in cash?
I've never really understood why people take so much cash. Visa exchange rates are good, and you can get credit cards with no charges. Why not just take minimal amounts of cash and use cards? Surely it's somewhat less risky than carrying all that money? Would you go around with all that cash in this country?
Understand the line you're coming from. I've never owned a credit card and do not intend to do so. My debit card uses the current exchange rate plus (I believe) plus £1.50 charge per transaction so it would certainly add up. Personally, having the cash I can see how much I am spending.I've never really understood why people take so much cash. Visa exchange rates are good, and you can get credit cards with no charges. Why not just take minimal amounts of cash and use cards? Surely it's somewhat less risky than carrying all that money? Would you go around with all that cash in this country?
I'd keep the cash for small transactions, and use a debit/credit card for bigger stuff like meals and entry to attractions, that way the fee doesn't have such a big effect.
Anyway, my Nationwide cards (credit/debit) even with the fee were still cheaper (better exchange rate) than my main bank's card or the rate they gave me for cash.
Either way, on a holiday that's cost a few thousand quid, a few doses of £1.50 is not all that much really.
Anyway, my Nationwide cards (credit/debit) even with the fee were still cheaper (better exchange rate) than my main bank's card or the rate they gave me for cash.
Either way, on a holiday that's cost a few thousand quid, a few doses of £1.50 is not all that much really.
Zyp said:
Matt.. said:
Over $2k in cash?
I've never really understood why people take so much cash. Visa exchange rates are good, and you can get credit cards with no charges. Why not just take minimal amounts of cash and use cards? Surely it's somewhat less risky than carrying all that money? Would you go around with all that cash in this country?
That's a valid point about carrying so much cash.I've never really understood why people take so much cash. Visa exchange rates are good, and you can get credit cards with no charges. Why not just take minimal amounts of cash and use cards? Surely it's somewhat less risky than carrying all that money? Would you go around with all that cash in this country?
I think I'm swaying more to using the cc for most stuff.
And as I said, my Post Office card doesn't charge for purchases so its really a no brainer.
At the moment the MasterCard exchange rate is about $1.53
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