Can you do america without a credit card

[liesauk]

I am as you know going to america in october.. we dont do credit cards.. Hubby has one with a small limit on purely for emergencies but I use debit cards for everything.. do you think we will be able to do what we need to without them?

Liesa
xx

 

[T16GEM]

Maybe, but you may need them for your security deposits on car hire and hotels?

We have just returned from two weeks and only sepnt $18 in cash, the rest we put on our card,so much easier than carrying cash about with us. We literally used them for everything- even car parking at the parks.

 

[elkvideo]

We generally do not use credit cards, we found our debit cards were not accepted in many places, so we had to get cash off our debit cards each day which was a bit of a pain. I think next time the credit card will be coming.

 

[wayneg]

Like Gems we put everything on credit card, at Xmas we spent less than $10 in cash for tolls, everything else on Nationwide fee free card.
Main reason is security, in the past I have lost my wallet with over £500 in(got it back), last year relatives had villa broken into, over £1,000 taken so feel a lot better with plastic.
Also no hassle swapping money, waiting for best deal, getting it wrong.
I am sure you can get by without cc and use debit card & cash but not my choice.
If you do use debit card make sure its a fee free one like Nationwide. I used my Halifax one by mistake about 2 years ago, can't remember exact fee but it doubled the cost of the ice cream I bought with it.

 

[liesauk]

hmm not sure what I am going to do then.. I have bought a hire car through virign with super insurance so just need to leave a $100 deposit and we are staying in a villa from a friend...

liesa
xx

 

[wicket2005]

It is possible but as mentioned you usually need them to use with your hotel if you are staying in one and the car hire place usually wants one as well, so it can make extra charges to it, if they need to.

Why don't you get the Abbey Zero or Nationwide cards which don't charge you a transaction fee whilst abroad solely for use in US. If you know what your budget is you just keep a tally of it whilst using your credit card then just pay it off when you return, that is what we do. We have the spending money saved up and leave it to earn interest till we need to pay the credit card off.

 

[liesauk]

thanks wayne.. do u think one of those fx card thingys will do.. the ones where u top up before you go? either that or I will have to get by with £300 on his credit card and use cash.. its sad that everywhere is credit card mad!!
liesa
xx

 

[liesauk]

It is possible but as mentioned you usually need them to use with your hotel if you are staying in one and the car hire place usually wants one as well, so it can make extra charges to it, if they need to.

Why don't you get the Abbey Zero or Nationwide cards which don't charge you a transaction fee whilst abroad solely for use in US. If you know what your budget is you just keep a tally of it whilst using your credit card then just pay it off when you return, that is what we do. We have the spending money saved up and leave it to earn interest till we need to pay the credit card off.

I would wicket, but I cant get any at the moment, made some very silly mistakes a few years ago and I cant get credit cards(banks willing to loan me money left right and centre though if i wanted it !! go figure?)
And even if I could get one, the fear of getting into debt again stops me... I am credit free and have a great job with a great income which means i can spend as much as i like when i like!!



liesa

 

[Frances999]

Hotels nearly always require a credit card in order for them to place a pre-authorization hold on an amount to cover incidentals and possible damages. Car hire firms do the same - they will usually need a credit card for a pre-authorization hold.

You could use a FairFx pre-paid card, but note that the holds placed on your funds by hotels/car hire firms will eat into the balance until the end of your trip.

 

[wayneg]

Hotels nearly always require a credit card in order for them to place a pre-authorization hold on an amount to cover incidentals and possible damages.

Many hotels you can get away without CC. Just to be awkward I used to say I don't have one. Almost everytime they just put on record no CC. I can only remember one occasion, can't remember where, they wanted a $100 deposit.

I don't really know enough about the FX card, maybe someone that has used one could post their experiences.
These days we just take cc's for granted and forget there are many reasons people don't/won't use them.

I have a friend in Seattle, had credit problems, about 18 months ago they both had good full time jobs and decided to buy their own home after years of renting. End of last year he lost his job in building trade, Xmas she lost hers, estate agency. Bank takes their house back in a few weeks, back to square one. Not a great world for many just now.

 

[Snowy-girls]

I am as you know going to america in october.. we dont do credit cards.. Hubby has one with a small limit on purely for emergencies but I use debit cards for everything.. do you think we will be able to do what we need to without them?

Liesa
xx

Personally i would say yes(but then we don't drive-so would'nt need one in that circumstance).In the few times i have been to Florida i have never taken credit cards(we don't own one anyway) or debit cards(which we do have one,but you can only use it if the money is in the bank).
Have only ever taken cash or travellers cheques.
This year though we are taking cash+money on a pre-paid cash card-Fairfx.
I see it as you just spend what you have taken/saved,if you have'nt got the money-you do without.x.

 

[Claire L]

I would say a credit card is essential for emergencies such as anything medical as it can get expensive and often they want payment up front, even if you have travel insurance. We spent over £240 just on a visit to the Dr and some antibiotics last May.

Also credit card is alot safer than cash, plus fee free ones with bank rate for exchange makes things a little cheaper.

Can your DH not get a card with you as the second card holder?

Claire

 

[wickesy]

thanks wayne.. do u think one of those fx card thingys will do.. the ones where u top up before you go? either that or I will have to get by with £300 on his credit card and use cash.. its sad that everywhere is credit card mad!!
liesa
xx

You could get a fx card with just enough to put the hire car deposit on it but I'm sure somebody on here got a hire car company to accept a cash deposit. Best thing is to get written confirmation that they will do it before you go and produce that to the clerk on the desk.

If you are staying in a villa I can't think of anything else you would HAVE to leave a credit card imprint for.

 

[jen_uk]

Mine and dh first 3 trips we didnt take a credit card, just debit cards and we never had a problem, we didnt hire a car though. We always take travellers cheques and occasionally pay for the odd thing with a debit card, I think everywhere takes Visa.

 

[torsie24]

I have a Maestro - which apparently is accepted worldwide....

So far had it turned down in Dubai, NYC (Macy's and Bloomingdales), Las vegas in big stores and LA.

Only good for cashpoints or places in Europe.

I always take Mastercard for travelling.

 

[orangetiggs]

we go all the time without it! we dont have a credit card, never put a deposit on the car and alwyas leave travellers cheques at the disney hotel so we can charge to our room.

So i think you can do it without as we have been 7 times without one

 

[mark@saratoga]

I wouldn't want to go anywhere overseas without a credit card, we don't normally use them as a rule but if the worst happened and we needed medical help then I think a credit card would help.

 

[liesauk]

we are on a different subject now.. I think if you have medical expenses then you are going to need a bit more than a credit card lol.. that is what insurance is for. Isn't it?

liesa
xx

 

[wayneg]

we are on a different subject now.. I think if you have medical expenses then you are going to need a bit more than a credit card lol.. that is what insurance is for. Isn't it?

liesa
xx

No idea how you go on with medical if you don't have credit card.
Only experience we had was when we took DS to doctor on Disney ship, they needed credit card for payment. I guess if its $1,000's they will deal direct with insurers but ours was cash or credit card when talking $100's.

 

[wickesy]

we are on a different subject now.. I think if you have medical expenses then you are going to need a bit more than a credit card lol.. that is what insurance is for. Isn't it?

liesa
xx

Yes but often you are forced to pay upfront and then claim the money back from your insurance company so no money = no treatment.