buying travel money

[paul1672]

hi there.
we're just about to purchase some dollars and was wondering what the best way is to do it?
is it best to get 75% travellers cheques 25%cash or 100% in cash or is there any other suggestions?
many thanks in advance
paul

[pieman790]

<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by paul1672
hi there.
we're just about to purchase some dollars and was wondering what the best way is to do it?
is it best to get 75% travellers cheques 25%cash or 100% in cash or is there any other suggestions?
many thanks in advance
paul
[/quote]

That about what we would do. We always take at least one credit card and a debit card. You can withdraw using both of them providing you know what you pin number is. not usre if you know but travellers cheques are accepted widely across Florida and you get the change in Dollars. Make sure you get US$ cheques.

[chrisj]

What we have is a nationwide debit/atm card, we take that as you dont get charged when
you draw money out and the rate used is higher than the tourist rate, we also pay for
goods on the card as well

So we tend to take approx $200 in cash, $500 or so in T/C's and use our card for everything
else

[paul1672]

does anyone know if the halifax switch card is widely accepted in florida cash machines and also if i'm likely to get charged a cash handling fee if i do use it?
i was looking to take roughly equivilent of £200 in cash and £800 in u.s travellers cheques.a halifax credit card and a halifax switch card

[Genie]

We used to always take most in travelers chqs as these can be used virtualy like cash, just a few dollars for immediate things on arrival like tolls etc. Now we just wire it over before we go.

[pieman790]

<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by paul1672
does anyone know if the halifax switch card is widely accepted in florida cash machines and also if i'm likely to get charged a cash handling fee if i do use it?
i was looking to take roughly equivilent of £200 in cash and £800 in u.s travellers cheques.a halifax credit card and a halifax switch card
[/quote]

Does the card have Maestro on it? If it does then yes but you will have to look for a cash macine with the maestro symbol on it. Have to say most of them do take Maestro. There is a charge of about 1.5% but you get the bank rate instead of the tourist rate so although you have to pay the commission you get more dollars for your money by using your card or least this is how it seemed when i was last out there.

[Ray&Sarah]

We tend to take 75% Travellers cheques and 25% cash. Also use a credit card as the exchange rate is usually better than the tourist rate.[msnsmile2]

[jolliffee]

Hello Paul.
I think the best approach is to take the view what would happen if I lost the $'s. Take some of each just in case...

[Nostromo]

It depends on your own preferences. Fot the US, we take about $500 cash and credit and debit cards. NO Traveller's Cheques, which we find pointless in the US and bit of a pain. Cards are widely accepted in the US and ATMs are everywhere. Just remeber to tell your card companies that you are going abroad so that they don't put a precautionary stop on them.

But we do take TCs to Europe where Cards are not as widely accepted as in the US or UK.

[paul1672]

many many thanks for the advice folks.
upon talking to my wifey today and showing her this wonderful site,from which we have had alot of good advice already,we have decided to take £200 worth of u.s dollars in cash and £800 worth of u.s travellers cheques and the missus wants to take her credit card as a back-up (we have a 5 year old son with expensive tastes).
hopefully we are now all set to go.
just got to wait these last 31 days to pass and we're off to florida.
we are all so excited now,after purchasing the money today it finally seems like its nearly here.
been planning it since last october 3rd,exactly a year to the date that we fly.
once again,many thanks for the advice.
will post a report and some pics on our return.
paul,tina and callum