travellers cheques?

[jocall]

Hi again everyone,
You are all so helpful I have yet another question for a first timer to USA.
Somebody told me that its best to take travellers cheques in dollar form not stirling as you can use them everywhere like cash, they give change on them as well apparently, this svaves having to cash stirling ones up. Is this true?
Thanks

[bengunn]

Yes it is true. Take American Express Dollar travellers cheques and most places treat them as cash. DO NOT take stirling travellers cheques unless you want to bring them back again uncashed - I am not even sure that the banks will cash them. Any UK bank, building society, travel agent, bureau de change etc. can supply the Amex dollar travellers cheques.

Personally, we will be mostly using cash and credit cards with a few travellers cheques as emergemcy money. You do really need credit cards everywhere accepts them - even the UK ones.

[claireUK]

just to reiterate...DO NOT take Sterling T/.chqs, you will probably have extreme problems cashing them.
We have travelled using Thomas Cook and Visa $ t/chqs, they don't have to be Amex, and we had absolutely no problems at all...just used them as though they were cash. Ont tip though..I would suggest you ask the bank not to give you cheques any larger than $50, best to have a mix of 10,20 and 50's.

[Hilary]

Just to expand on what Claire has said - if you take large denomination $$ TCs you may be asked for identification before they are accepted, or smaller outlets may not be able to change them at all.

It is possible that you'll be asked for ID when changing smaller TCs as well, although most people here have found that they are very rarely asked, if at all. If you're conecrned, carry your passport or picture driving licence with you incase.