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Just a quickie
When we last visited (1989), a lot of shops etc would not accept
Travellers cheques, the only places we found were the parks. Im
sure this may have changed. It just that we would rather have
little amounts of cash and more cheques for Safety. I will make
sure the cheques are $50 and $100
Thanks
Chris
Hi Chris
We used traveller cheques on our last visit, and we didn't have any problems using them in the shops.
You can use travellers cheques everywhere now. They are accepted in supermarkets, restaurants, parks etc in the same way as cash.
Only time we have had a problem is when our bank in their wisdom gave us $500 cheques. Only place we could cash them was Publix or a bank. I bought Gap to a standstill the first day we went shopping as they tried to find enough change to give us. This is when Lloyds first took over TSB and all customer banking went over to TSB systems. Not an improvement, as we lost the foreign travel experts and now have all these youngsters who don't have a clue what they are doing. We bank with commercial services who we have to phone to sort anything out and then actually deal with the local branch. (Complicated or what?)
If you buy from the Disney shop at the florida mall you need your passport as identification with travellers cheques, whereas you don't require that at any of the parks, or indeed the supermarket, or any other shop we have been to!!
If you travel off the beaten track you might have a problem, we found in Miami we couldn't use them at places such as mcdonalds and the turnpike service stations.
Thanks people, thats made it easier. So I assume we dont have to show our passport
when we use them, mind you I suppose its safer to take it with us just in case.
Chris
A tip which I saw and am going to follow for next trip, rather than carry passport everywhere is to make a slightly reduced copy of the photo page on your passport and laminate it and keep it in your purse or wallet. May not work all the time but it's one step up from not having any id on you.
Talking of ID. A few trips ago I was pulled over by a state trooper[:I] for having a broken tail light. I got a good ticking off for not having any form of photo ID. Apparently it is the law in the US that everyone has some kind of picture ID.
Using travellers checks (sorry cheques) in supermarkets, store etc., it depends on the clerk who is serving you as to whether you show ID or not.
If ever I'm in Wal-Mart I always take my passport with me as sometimes they ask, and sometimes they don't[?][?] Go figure!!!
Matt
Thanks for all the tips
One more little question, We have an ATM card (Link) that works in the UK. On the back
next to the Link Logo theres a Cirrus Logo. Do any of you know if we will be able to
use this to withdraw money
Thanks
Chris
Chris, I always use my Abbey Debit Card to withdraw money with no problems, but that carries the VISA logo.
Cirrus is part of Mastercard, so I would think that this would be OK as well, but if nobody can give you a definite answer on this one, then I would just make sure you have enough cash/travellers cheques (and of course the trusted credit card!!!).
Matt
We no problems withdrawing money with our visa debit card.
However, watch the rates they charge because with Lloyds there is such a high charge, it's cheaper to put transactions onto credit card and pay that off when we come home!
Doesn't help if you want cash though!
Even my bank isnt sure if I can draw money out, its a cheque card and atm only so not
a debit card. I can use it in europe so would have thought I could use it in America
Chris
Chris, I would'nt assume that if I were you. I am currently working on a global credit card project at work, and although it seems simple enough its all very complex especially when you look at the different regions of the world!!
Matt
thanks, well we will have our normal credit card with us as well.
Cirrus logos are on most ATMs in Florida (and seemingly the world). If your ATM card has one on it then you should have no trouble withdrawing cash from the machine.
We've done it a few times when we've needed a bit extra using a simple HSBC ATM card, however, you will be charged for the pleasure when you get home....as ever, bank charges vary but I dont remember it being too expensive.
Thanks Mike, just good to know that we can use it as backup if we need to. I never know
how much to take away so having an atm we can use is great
Chris
Chris,
Do you have a photocard UK drivers licence? When we were over in March/April if ever I was asked for ID I used this - everywhere seemed more than happy to take it as ID - we were asked so infrequently I was loathe to take my passport out.
We usually don't carry much cash as I prefer to use our credit card everywhere and just pay off the balance when we return (as Fiona said). We visited New York City 2 weeks ago and were shocked to find the number of places that would not accept credit cards - cash only (thank goodness for ATMs or I don't know what we would have done!!). Apparently the merchant fees have gone up to around 5% they were telling us and many business owners can't afford to pay this and have gone to cash only. Haven't seen this to be the case here at home - not yet anyway. Bottom line, I guess is "be prepared"!
Biggus
no I dont have one yet, suppose I should get one as in this situation I can see it would
help out a lot. Think I will up the amount of cheques and have the atm card as pure back up
if needed.
Thanks all for your help
Chris
only just over 3 weeks to go now, and are we excited :):)
The tip about photocoping your passport is a really good general traveller's tip and we have always done this. If anything does happen to your own one it apparently makes dealing with police/embassies all the easier. I also agree about switching to the photo driving licence, the Americans seem universally happier about accepting this as a form of ID, it is probably more familiar to them as this is what is generically used for ID. For even greater security leave the photos with someone in the UK to post/fax to you if needed.
I don't know if the currency exchange companies are doing this, but about two to three years ago when I was exchanging some last minute extra cash at the airport for travellers cheques, we were offered a plastic card with the Visa logo that would be usable at virtually all ATM's to take out our cash as and when we needed, save carrying either travellers cheques or cash. From memory the overall rate wasn't as good as travellers cheques. On thinking about this, though, you could simply get a credit card account for the purpose, pre-pay your holiday money onto it and use it for both cash and purchases over there. Once you come home you could either keep the card or close the account. Just a thought.
Best wishes,
Euan
I don't think you will have a problem withdrawing with your debit card.
For the first time ever, I used a UK bank debit card with the cirrus badge at an ATM in Boston recently and had no problems. I withdrew $200 and was charged $2 for the priviledge.
I withdraw from my English bank account all the time at the ATM.....and have done for 3 years.....:)Quote:
quote:Originally posted by paddyc
I don't think you will have a problem withdrawing with your debit card.
For the first time ever, I used a UK bank debit card with the cirrus badge at an ATM in Boston recently and had no problems. I withdrew $200 and was charged $2 for the priviledge.
thanks for all your advice. Seems I should be ok and we have our credit cards anyway.
Chris
what about using DOLLAR CHEQUES they work the same as travellers cheques
mind you its only if we run out of money, we have got the most expensive bit, our
park tckets through this site (great service), so we only have to pay for food and
gas and the odd park that we might decide to visit. Oh then theres the wife's shopping
which will cost me a fortune, but then it always does
Last time we went we went into Walmart and when we paid for our goods I used a travellers cheque. I automatically gave my passport as it had been a while since we had been and previously you always needed to do that. The lady at Walmart said she didn't need it and we should never hand it over as unscrupulous people were using them for fraud scams. This was a couple of years ago but she said it had been quite a problem then. She said that the countersigned signature should be enough. When we were asked for a passport at a different shop we queried the neccisity for it and they didn't bother then!!
thanks sammi thats worth remembering
Chris
I'm a manager with HSBC - any ATM that displays the CIRRUS symbol should dispense cash if your card has the CIRRUS symbol.Just ask your bank what the charges are before you go. It's safer than carrying large amounts of cash around with you from day 1.
Thanks jpj, thats confirmed it for me. So are you from liverpool??? . I used to work
in Warrington a lot, not that far from you
Chris
Trust a bank manager to say use your ATM card ;) Halifax sent me details today. THey charge £1.50 service charge plus 2.25% currency conversion fee plus the rate you get is never as good as you can get by shopping arround. These charges apply to Cirrus (ATM) or Maesto (like Switch). It could work out way more expensive than travellers cheques
Wow thanks Chris7, Ive decided to take some more cheques, so we should be ok
and they change them back for free when we get back, so we will be ok now
Chris