Morning folks,

I am off to America in a couple of weeks for a fortnight with the family and as expected, we are looking to take a chunk of spending money with us!

We don’t really want to be carrying round a huge wad of cash with us as we are travelling a fair bit!

What alternatives are there? I have read a bit into cash passports, but the fee’s could potentially mount up? Anyone any recommendations or suggestions?

Cheers,

P!

Use a credit card or ATMs when you’re there.

What he said. Look into fees on money saving expert or similar as they’ll be able to tell you the best ones.

Card, ATM.
Coming back to the UK next week and i’ll be doing that, same as states in October.

No need to carry that much cash

Just use a card in atms. If you get a decent amount each time (i get about 3-500 quid each use), it’s cheaper than getting cash before you go, even using normal bank cards which charge you fees.

edit – i think people get paranoid about fees. they really really aren’t much in the grand scheme, and you get commercial exchange rates anyway through your bank, so you’re up. as mentioned, just get decent amounts out to compensate.

chunky bills (hotels etc…) i put on the credit card – again, once all costs are taken into account, it’s about the same as (or even slightly better than) using cash.

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FairFX card.

If you have a good credit rating it might be worthwhile looking onto a credit card that Halifax do called the ‘Clarity Card’.

It has no fees so you can take cash out of any cash machine worldwide that accepts Mastercard and get the Mastercard exchange rate for that currency, which is much higher than any rate you will get in a Bureau de Change, the Post Office or your bank.

The only thing you will need to pay is the interest for that month but if you pay off your card monthly then its only a couple of quid.

Cash Passport – can get them in Tesco travel money sections, or TravelEx.

just back from three weeks in the states…..

just used my credit card. the only extra fee i was charged was the one time i withdrew 300 dollars – and that was the cash withdrawl fee of 4 quid from my credit card….

changing money is something i do when i visit closed and third world countries where getting cash is hard.

holidays tend to be in places where getting cash is easy and paying by card even easier.

I also just use my debit card at an ATM, far better rate, and safer, than taking a huge wedge of cash.

However, probably best to tell your bank beforehand that you’re off to the U.S., last time I tried to withdraw some $ Iwas refused and had an immediate fraud check phone call from my bank (First Direct).

Cougar +1 I have a Fair FX card and the only downside is the random charges for using some hole in the wall machines, many were free some charged $4.

just like in the uk – many are free and some charge you.

they all tell you before you get charged though – do you wish to proceed with this transaction.