Using Travellers Cheques in Orlando

Hi all, following on from the cash limit question you all helped with. Does anyone regularly use Travellers Cheques in USA? Particularly Orlando. How does it work? We`ve never used them, I know they`ve been around years, but as we`re not regular travellers have never had cause to. Will be taking some cash. Do hotels cash them? Is it only banks that cash them? Are the charges extortionate? How easy are they? etc etc.
We`re not travelling until March, so have plenty of time to arrange and re-arrange money transfers if there is an alternative. Thanks loads for your input.

Easy Peasy, been using Travellers Cheques for more than 15 years in Orlando and surrounding areas.

All the shops, restaurants, theme parks etc are completely familiar with them and we have never had a single problem, you sometimes are asked to provide id (passpsort will do) if changing them at say a supermarket, usually do this at the tobacco counter, there is no charge. y)

They are treated the same as cash, so there is no problem with charges for using them or anything. I believe that there may be a charge if you change them at a bank, but there really isn't any reason to and when you spend them like cash you get the change just as you would with 'real' money.

They are more secure than cash as each one is numbered and if they are stolen or lost, you can get them replaced really fast.

Definitely the way to go y)

thelaceys

I take some cash but the bulk of my money is in Travellers Cheques. Hotel front desk will usually cash them for you but subject to a limit of $100-$200 a day. However almost all shops/restaurants accept them in exactly the same way as they accept cash and will give you change. If ID is requested I produce my plastic driving licence.
More secure than cash and avoids credit card charges even though I still use this for impulse spending

They are not a major issue to use, and you can pay for stuff directly with them, however the concept of having to keep passport on you every time you think you'll need them is a pain & added risk..

The preloaded cash cards or decent credit card IMHO is a better way to go, some photo id, such as uk driving licence card (which you need to carry if your driving anyway).
Passport is best locked away on arrival, as the added risk of losing this together with any travellers cheques will be a nightmare...
My folks still swear by travellers cheques, but in this day & age there are numerous options reducing the need to faff around with carrying passports etc..

[Neil]

Agree with NH - our passports are locked away on arrival and never taken out again until we leave, I wouldn't want the risk of losing them.

I still like cash, but use either a debit/credit card that doesn't charge (Santander offer pretty good one IIRC) and use that also. Not a fan of prepaid cards but know others like them.

Thanks,
Neil

They are not a major issue to use, and you can pay for stuff directly with them, however the concept of having to keep passport on you every time you think you'll need them is a pain & added risk..

The preloaded cash cards or decent credit card IMHO is a better way to go, some photo id, such as uk driving licence card (which you need to carry if your driving anyway).
Passport is best locked away on arrival, as the added risk of losing this together with any travellers cheques will be a nightmare...
My folks still swear by travellers cheques, but in this day & age there are numerous options reducing the need to faff around with carrying passports etc..

I never carry my passport - my driving licence is always accepted as ID.
I agree pre loaded cash cards seem a good idea but they are subject to commission charges.

[Nottingham Nick]

I haven't used travellers cheques in years but, as others have said, we never had a problem using them when we did take them.

The one thing to remember when you go to the US is - don't even think about taking Sterling cheques - make sure they are in US dollars.

Most places won't accept sterling ones, and those that do will have rip off exchange rates - in my expereince, 8D

Nick

Nick makes a good point .Get you Tcs in dollars and if possible get American Express ones -the name instills some weird confidence in retailers.

however like others I am no fan of TCs and cards do nicely

I've been going to US for 20+years now. At first TC were welcomed without a problem. However in recent years I've found they receive a somewhat negative response "oh dear, how do I deal with this". Happened especially in the shops, not so much in restaurants but it became bothersome and they always wanted ID which we don't always have on us, especially in a water park! So now I take cash & use the credit card.

I'm afraid that those of us who don't drive have to take our passports with us for identity purposes in the US. You never know when you are going to get asked for ID.

Have not used TCs for years and agree that some shops don't know how to deal with them. In a small (greetings) card shop in NYC the assistant asked me what HE should do with them. I told him to write my passport number on the back - on the basis that's what happnend in other shops !

Personally I wouldn't take them and use credit cards or preloaded cash cards.

The Post Office rates for Amex travellers cheques are the same as buying cash currency. At the moment, their "sell" rate is about 3.25% less than the going rate for the $. (based roughly on today's exchange rate of $1.61/£ against the PO rate of $1.55). You might then be charged in some locations for changing them. And if you bring any back, the PO will take them back at the "buy" rate, which will be somewhere around the $1.66/£, or another 3% or so.

Conversely, Amex charge me 2.99% when I use my card on purchases abroad. I also get either BA miles or Membership rewards points. I take a smaller amount of local currency for tips, taxis, etc. as I wouldn't use even a debit card abroad for cash withdrawals unless desperate.

I understand that for the OP credit cards are something they can't or don't want to consider, but wanted to highlight the costs of cash and travellers cheques can be much higher. As long as the charges on your credit card are transparent they can often represent better value for money*.

Edited to add * as long as you pay off your balance in full every month.

[Darren Wheeler]

Like-wise with others, I haven't used TC's for years, mostly from getting writers cramp from signing them on receipt.

In the US, I find my UK drivers licence universally accepted. This is probably because most US citizens use their license as ID because the don't have a passport.

I've been using travel debit/credit cards for the past 5 years and never had issues with them. Prior to that, travellers cheques were widely accepted (and still are) in Orlando. Certainly easier in the theme parks!

I like Fairfx, widely accepted as you get a Mastercard - easy to top up online and check balance/spending - a far safer way of spending whilst sticking to a budget!

I do like cash too and despite the charges, I know a number of people who use Fairfx and use for cash withdrawals.

A good mix of cash and a Fairfx type card does the trick! Plus the credit card for any extras

Cash and credit/debit cards work for me. But I still will not use my mobile. Once again my son got duped on the charges and we had a £250 bill on return, I still prefer Virgin pre paid phone cards, you always know what you are spending.

I still prefer Virgin pre paid phone cards, you always know what you are spending.

7/11 or Walgreens also sell phone cards with very good rates. Make sure you get one without an expiry date unless you are a frequent visitor.

I like Fairfx, widely accepted as you get a Mastercard - easy to top up online and check balance/spending - a far safer way of spending whilst sticking to a budget!

A vote for Fairfx from young MsPJH who found it very easy to use (both from spend and top up points of view) when at university in Tennessee.

One small point about the UK photocard driver's licence - our experience is that if you stray from the usual tourist routes you may find it less widely accepted as a form of id.

Paul

Lots of replies, thanks. Mark (hubby) only has his paper driving licence, not a photo one. We were going to photocopy and laminate our passport details page, with photo, that way we can lock away all the passports but still have ID with us, we`ve been told lots of people do this in the parks and its accepted. I think we may be having a mix and match time, taking some cash, some Travellers cheques and we`re thinking of getting a credit card and preloading before we go, don`t know if thats how they work because we`ve never had one. If we put say £2000 on a credit card though, surely whatever we spend will just keep coming off that total. It`s the horror stories we`ve heard of not paying them off before the end of the month which has kept us away from them, but if it`s going to be easier to use then we will have to grin and bear it. Just as a quickie, we bank with LLoyds TSB, if we paid for something on a credit card (I think they have mastercard on) in USA would we have to pay a £3.50(variable) fee every time we use it. If we had a meal at Dennys, then went to Disney and paid for a T Shirt would we pay 2 x £3.50+ the price of the item. That`s gonna mount up too over 3 weeks.

Just as a quickie, we bank with LLoyds TSB

Yes so do I and have always got a better exchange rate than my partner who uses Nat West mastercard. I've never seen a £3.50 listed on my statement?
Better idea still, would be to get VS American Express card, that way you'll get miles added to your flying club account.

I've been going to US for 20+years now. At first TC were welcomed without a problem. However in recent years I've found they receive a somewhat negative response "oh dear, how do I deal with this". Happened especially in the shops, not so much in restaurants but it became bothersome and they always wanted ID which we don't always have on us, especially in a water park! So now I take cash & use the credit card.

Funny you should say that! We too have been using travellers cheques for 18 years but the last few they weren't welcomed as much so we reverted to cash because of the hassle.

Hi Hev60, banking and using Lloyds TSB, do you have a mega bill for expenses/charges when you come back? or is it a percentage charge? Can you withdraw cash from a credit card like a hole in the wall debit card? A friend of ours has a limit of £2500 I think each month, before they have a charge, they make sure it`s paid into the account before the due date, but they`ve never travelled overseas so can`t help with many of my questions. Sorry to be a pain,but even the customer service don`t seem to be much use regarding charges overseas.

Mark (hubby) only has his paper driving licence, not a photo one. We were going to photocopy and laminate our passport details page, with photo, that way we can lock away all the passports but still have ID with us, we`ve been told lots of people do this in the parks and its accepted. I think we may be having a mix and match time, taking some cash, some Travellers cheques and we`re thinking of getting a credit card and preloading before we go, don`t know if thats how they work because we`ve never had one. If we put say £2000 on a credit card though, surely whatever we spend will just keep coming off that total. It`s the horror stories we`ve heard of not paying them off before the end of the month which has kept us away from them, but if it`s going to be easier to use then we will have to grin and bear it. Just as a quickie, we bank with LLoyds TSB, if we paid for something on a credit card (I think they have mastercard on) in USA would we have to pay a £3.50(variable) fee every time we use it. If we had a meal at Dennys, then went to Disney and paid for a T Shirt would we pay 2 x £3.50+ the price of the item. That`s gonna mount up too over 3 weeks.

We have all our passports photocopied,I have reduced them down to a manageable size to fit in my purse and laminated them. y)

It is surprising how many times you are asked for ID for various reasons and they actually accept these photo copies, half the time I don't think these people actually know what they are looking at anyway.

We too only have paper licences, maybe I should copy and laminate those too

You can get cash cards which you pre load, I have noticed that Travelex do one. That way you just put on them what money you want and spend that. No worrying about paying it off when the bill comes like a conventional credit card.

thelaceys

I've always taken a small amount of cash, rest in TC's (and the VS amex for that extravagant purchase !). Never had any issue with TC's - accepted everywhere and Publix will change them into cash for you at no cost at the customer service desk, most banks won't i found unless you bank with them

That said I was looking at the possibility of using the cash cards but never have, can anyone recommend one from experience? Also i see they say no commission/cost etc but in the small print i noted it says some ATM owners may charge for cash withdraws. Anyone ever been charged?

Thanks

That said I was looking at the possibility of using the cash cards but never have, can anyone recommend one from experience? Also i see they say no commission/cost etc but in the small print i noted it says some ATM owners may charge for cash withdraws. Anyone ever been charged?

Thanks

I did get a FairFX cash card a couple of years ago and used it one trip. TBH I should have stuck to cash and credit cards! Though if you don't have a CC or only have a low credit limit then a cash card could very well work.

I was charged by some banks for using their cash machines. A couple of $ a time.

I was charged by some banks for using their cash machines. A couple of $ a time.

But isn't that for any cash withdrawal on any card, not just Fairfx?

I found moneysavingexpert.co.uk gave quite a good guide to costs of cards

http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/travel ... avel-money

I was charged by some banks for using their cash machines. A couple of $ a time.

But isn't that for any cash withdrawal on any card, not just Fairfx?

Indeed it is but at least there were no currency fees on the FairFX card like there are with an ordinary debit card