cash, travelers checks, or ATM?

[mrsmouse]

16 days and i'm counting!!!

i wanted to hear opinions re: how YOU travel? i'm wondering if people still use
american express traveler's checks? with the popularity of ATM's and instant money,
maybe this is not as important?!

i may do a bit of each, some cash, some traveler's checks, pay for some things with
Checkcard and get more money as needed from ATM. what do you think?


...and have a credit card for emergency disney magic money. LOL

[Babblin'Boo]

I like to bring about $40 in cash (mostly spent on tolls), about $200 - $300 in travelers checkes and for everything I can, just use my credit card for the reward points. I always do my best to pay it off before due or in less than two billing cycles! I give Disney money to the kids.

Beware of ATM withdrawal charges that may apply!

[christianweecare]

Last Dec. we took about $200 in cash and the rest in AMEX traveler's cheques. Paid for room and AP's with TC's. We would cash a TC as we needed (usually at breakfast). That way, we were never carrying a large amount of cash and if the TC's were stolen, they could be easily replaced. We ended up charging just a small amount which we promptly paid off. We save change all year long as well as deduct a preset amount from paycheck each week towards our trip. This year I have started hoarding all of my $1 bills. When I get a bundle equal to $100, I take to the bank to swap for larger bills. I got that idea from someone on the DIS! Boy that adds up! My family makes fun of my saving, but I'll bet they will sure help spend the cash! LOL!

[QuickGold]

I carry $40-$60 in cash on me and use the credit card for any purchases above $20. There are ATM locations every 5 feet(i stay offsite) so getting more cash isnt a problem. Travelers Checks, I think, arent that nessacery or prudent. Good old plastic works fine.

[Humpbacks1962]

I love Traveler's Cheques, I always bring some along.
Although I agree, the efficiency may be questionable, being it a fact that virtualy anyone can steal, them and fake your signature and since it is the same as cash, you just go through one extra step before using them: signing the cheques!

I bring some Disney money for the kids but most of my purchases are paid off with my credit card, AMEX.

Wanda

[DiznEeyore]

Another vote for travelers' checks here. :)

We do bring our credit card but keep it locked in our room safe for emergency use only. I don't want to end up using it to buy "stuff". ;) And those ATM fees really add up. We take a few Disney Dollars and some cash, but rely on travelers' checks for the majority of our money. We get the free "checks for two" from AAA.

[starwood]

We use the credit card for everything and then pay off the balance when the bill comes in. I have Hilton Honors credit card, Amex Delta Skymiles and Discover. So we are making something back on all purchases.

[CHIPSTER]

I do traveler's checks and some cash. Don't us the ATM as I don't want to get hit with the fees since the machines are not from my bank. Also, with an ATM card I don't have to remember to write withdrawals in the check book -- which I don't take with me.

[Sammy]

We take a little cash, the kids take their Disney Dollars, but mostly we use a credit card that gives us rewards back. We save for quite a while for our trips, and the $$ sits in the bank while I await the CC bill to come in. Then I pay it off all at once to avoid finance charges. I'd hate to carry all that cash with me on vacation!

[patsal]

Traveler's checks because of the security features. ATM's in the resorts have a surcharge and the hotel will cash checks for you so you can carry the cash to the parks if you want. I only leave home with enough cash for tips and snacks at the airport. If it is a late arrival I am sure to bring enough cash to feed the family the first night as well.

[Jordan's MOM]

We take travlers checks too and then lock them in the room safe and use our room charge key to pay for everything during the trip. We then use the travlers checks to pay it all off. We carry a little cash each day for food stands and have a credit card for emergency use only.We too avoid ATM's, those fee add up fast.


Jordan's mom

[tink2dw]

We take VISA Travelers Checks. Everyone will cash Visa travelers checks!!

[Babblin'Boo]

Heck, everyone cashes AMEX traveler cheques too! In fact, I'd stick to them knowing their long time reputation, anywhere I travel.

If you are a member of AAA you can purchase them for free.

[Snow Shoe]

We take about $100 in cash and the rest in AMEX travelers checks. We have never had any problems cashing them at the resort or using them in any of the parks. We avoid using the plastic since we have "saved our money" just for this trip.

[mrsmouse]

what a great response, thank you!

i'm glad to see that i'm not alone in the traveler's checks mindset.

AND what a great tip to purchase them for free with AAA! do you purchase them
AT a AAA travel center? or can you still go to the bank and just show the AAA membership?

also, we're saving the credit card only for a last resort. i have everything pretty budgeted,
an envelope of $ for each day, etc. you just never know, though.

13 days!!

[Babblin'Boo]

You just walk up to any AAA office and get your AMEX traveler cheques, even "cheques for two", for free. All you need to do is show your ID card.

I learned recently that a child as young as 11 or 12 can sign cheques for two. When I sent mine to Space Camp, I got those with both of our signatures.

[cboudre1]

I just bought our traveler's checks today. We bring $300 in cash and the rest in traveler's checks. I also bring the ATM if we run out of travelers checks. We use American Express.

[funnygarcia]

When we went to Disneyland we used cash,ATM just once, otherwise I use my check card- works like a visa but no fees/interest comes directly out of checking account .. doesn't work for car rentals though!! We need to get some kind of secured credit card quicly before we leave in May!

[themeparkcomando]

I always use Traveler's checks (from AAA). I put our daily $ in an envelope and when the money's gone that's it. It helps me keep on budget. If we have any money left over I put it into the next day. I also put all change in a bag and take it home to start a new change jar for the next vacation.

[tonilea]

The first time we went we used a combonation of cash, tc, and cc. No problems. On our last trip, I took almost no cash, no tc and decided to use our ATM card - BIG PROBLEM. None of disney's atms would accept our atm card. the little print out said there was a problem to call our bank. Of course it was the week-end and after hours anyway, so we used the cc for purchases. Later I was able to use the atm card @ our hotel - off site - but when I tried the atm @ disney it still would not work!

So, we will be taking cash and tc, when we go at the end of this month!

[Humpbacks1962]

I take about $50 in cash for tolls, tips, and knick knacks. Then about $200 in AMEX traveler cheques which I hold and cash as needed and charge the rest to my card to earn skymiles.

Wanda

[Beebia]

Here's another vote for traveler's checks! I also do the "cash a tc every morning" scenario. I also travel with my American Express Platinum Card which I have linked to my checking account thru their Express Cash Program. This way if I need to make a large purchase I can charge it to my card, or if I need a little cash I can go to an ATM. This way I only have to carry 1 card also.

31 Days to go!!!!

[mousemaniac]

I like the Travelers Checks myself. Another fun way to avoid ATM charges is to buy Disney Dollars with your debit card. You get cool cash to spend and if you have any left over you can turn it in and get reimbursed for what's left over.

Keep up w/ your receipt, however, 'cause you'll need it to get the Disney Dollars exchanged. (I think this is because there have been some problems w/ Disney Money laundering- - lol!)

Cris:D

[LucyStorm]

I use traveler's checks, a small amount of cash, but the main thing that I do is to pay ahead the amount of money that I have budgeted for the trip on whatever credit card I plan on using. That way, I can use the plastic, but the bill is already paid.

[mm42]

I charge everything I can on my cash rebate or hotel points credit card - no cost to me since I pay my bill in full very month and I get a rebate worth about 1%.

I also carry a little cash and use ATM if I need more. I always use the ATMs at Publix stores, since they have no additional fee regardless of your home bank.

[A kid at heart]

I always take about $200 in disney dollars and then about $100 in cash and then I usually charge the rest to my room or CC. I also give my child disney dollars and she loves to pay for her purchases with them!

[Humpbacks1962]

mousemaniac, even if you do not save your Disney dollars purchase receipt, you can always break them at the parks buying cheap knick knacks here and there. Get an ice cream one time, a pen another, until you break all your Disney bills!

Some people make a big fuzz about DS not cashing Disney money without receipts, but you can work that around so easily!


Wanda