USA spending money - How much and in what form?

[Goochie]

We're off to the US for 3 weeks this year and whilst we have paid for all the hotels (including breakfast) and the hire car already. I'm not quite sure how much spending money to take, and in what form?

I have a credit card that would easily cope with our estimated spend, but I dont want to be paying a fee or the card provider's choice of exchange rate for everything.

In the past I've heard people talk about pre-paid credit cards, travellers cheques, cash from the Post Office before you fly, cash from an ATM when you arrive........

But what is the best way to do things these days? I presume some in one form and some in another is best?

I travel to the far east quite often on business but everything there just goes on the company Barclaycard so its not something I've had to think about before.

[RJB_666]

I may not be great to help with your budget, but i went to the states in september. I took £1000 with me, on around 1.6 exhange rate. I got part of my dollars in cash as it is needed really and the rest on a pre paid card. I never drew cash with this as it took around $3 a time. Got this from a travel agent, the only thing is they cash in if you don't spend everything on there and you exchange your money back to sterling due to exchange rates.

But as a rough guide to a few things. The majority of state parks you will be looking at between $10-20. The price of food is reasonable probably looking at $7 for fast food. A meal out will cost $15 and up, never forget your tip/ service charge.

[beano500]

Look into a Post Office "travel money card" thingy.

http://www.postoffice.co.uk/portal/po/content1;jse...

You get a proper looking credit card, loaded up with up to about £3000 if you want. It's actually loaded up n US$ though, and you spend it just like any other card or take cash from an ATM already knowing your exchange rate and that there are no more charges/fees. I found it a huge help on a three month trip - only downside was it wouldn't always work at gas stations' pumps.


Then a small wodge of (low denomination for lots of tips) bills.

[Stevenj214]

I was in Dubai recently. Airport exchange rate was 5.6 Dirhams to £1, Hotel exchange rate was 5 Dirhams to £1, my credit card (Egg Money) gave me 5.7 Dirhams to £1 (inclusive of any charges if they applied?).

So from that experience, I would say go with the credit card idea...

[Goochie]

beano500 said:

Look into a Post Office "travel money card" thingy.

http://www.postoffice.co.uk/portal/po/content1;jse...

You get a proper looking credit card, loaded up with up to about £3000 if you want. It's actually loaded up n US$ though, and you spend it just like any other card or take cash from an ATM already knowing your exchange rate and that there are no more charges/fees. I found it a huge help on a three month trip - only downside was it wouldn't always work at gas stations' pumps.


Then a small wodge of (low denomination for lots of tips) bills.

Can you get a balance at an ATM?

[beano500]

Goochie said:

Can you get a balance at an ATM?

IIRC (Mind you this was 2007 and I do have dementia, but I am 95% sure!)

[smartie]

tell your provider/bank(s) before you go though as I had 2 different cards blocked after trying to draw cash.

[Goochie]

smartie said:

tell your provider/bank(s) before you go though as I had 2 different cards blocked after trying to draw cash.

I had thought about that and to be honest I'm amazed they've let all the hotel payments go through that I've done online.

[BigBen]

I usually use a local ATM, you get charged a quid or something but usually benefit from a better exchange rate.

Ben

[bull996]

I opened a bog standard Nationwide cash card account purley for trips to the US.

They charge no fee to withdraw cash, and last year the X rate was better than anywhere else.

I also like to take a good wedge of cash. The yanks like cash!

[Muzzer]

beano500 said:

Look into a Post Office "travel money card" thingy.

http://www.postoffice.co.uk/portal/po/content1;jse...

You get a proper looking credit card, loaded up with up to about £3000 if you want. It's actually loaded up n US$ though, and you spend it just like any other card or take cash from an ATM already knowing your exchange rate and that there are no more charges/fees. I found it a huge help on a three month trip - only downside was it wouldn't always work at gas stations' pumps.


Then a small wodge of (low denomination for lots of tips) bills.

This ^^

I got a card-thingy from Thomas Cook IINM. It worked everywhere with the exception of petrol stations as Beano500 says. The only difference is you have to sign for payment rather than a PIN. The card even worked in Aruba on holiday this year.

There's a small fee at ATM's - $1.50 IIRC so I just withdrew about $500 at a time.

I took about $300 with me in cash before I left so I had something when I got there.

[Goochie]

Is cash normally the prefered way of payment in restaurants? (easier to leave a tip)

[rednotdead]

I found they are happy to take credit cards for the smallest of payments, e.g. a cup of coffee in Boston Library's coffee shop! You do need a lot of smaller notes for the tips though.

I got a Post Office credit card to take - no fees on all foreign transactions, just charged at the daily exchage rate.

[anonymous-user]

bull996 said:

I opened a bog standard Nationwide cash card account purley for trips to the US.

They charge no fee to withdraw cash, and last year the X rate was better than anywhere else.

I also like to take a good wedge of cash. The yanks like cash!

I've got one of those for trips to the US, but I think they've stopped that now, it's now only free to withdraw money within the VISA Europe zone

[Benzman]

I use both my credit and debit cards in the US, I find that they convert at the commercial exchange rate rather than the tourist rate that you are offered over here. It's a few cents difference but usually off-sets any charges levied by the banks.

One word of warning though, your debit card will only work in bank ATM's and you CAN'T get balance details. Shops, bars and hotels won't take your debit card as it is a sterling card and not a dollar card, however, banks will and you can draw cash without any problems (as long as there are funds in your account)

A few years ago I opened a US dollar account in the UK and whenever I come back from the US I put any spare dollars in there rather than paying commission on changing the money back to sterling, as a result I now have a reasonable balance and a US dollar debit card so any transactions now cost me nothing.

[BigBen]

Goochie said:

Is cash normally the prefered way of payment in restaurants? (easier to leave a tip)

Nope, the restaurants make it very easy to leave a tip. In fact they are so considerate they often add one to the bill and include space for you to add one by hand in addition.

[Simon Brooks]

Agree with BigBen many waiters have a fondness for "offering" the choice of giving 2 tips !!!, many years ago one tried to convince me there was an extra tax on meals for overseas visitors, big mistake he ended up with no tip at all.

[deviant]

Muzzer said:

beano500 said:

Look into a Post Office "travel money card" thingy.

http://www.postoffice.co.uk/portal/po/content1;jse...

You get a proper looking credit card, loaded up with up to about £3000 if you want. It's actually loaded up n US$ though, and you spend it just like any other card or take cash from an ATM already knowing your exchange rate and that there are no more charges/fees. I found it a huge help on a three month trip - only downside was it wouldn't always work at gas stations' pumps.


Then a small wodge of (low denomination for lots of tips) bills.

This ^^

I got a card-thingy from Thomas Cook IINM. It worked everywhere with the exception of petrol stations as Beano500 says. The only difference is you have to sign for payment rather than a PIN. The card even worked in Aruba on holiday this year.

There's a small fee at ATM's - $1.50 IIRC so I just withdrew about $500 at a time.

I took about $300 with me in cash before I left so I had something when I got there.

This is what we always do when we go on holiday. Have a couple of days worth of money split between us and just use the credit card for anything else.

[Matt Harper]

"Spending money" - is there any other kind? (Dinner money, I suppose).

[beano500]

There's "Funny Money".

"Pin Money"

"Petrol Money"

"Pocket Money"