Cash? Alternatives?

[scottish/canadian]

Hi All,

I am Canadian and have being buying up US cash to use on an upcoming trip...problem now is that I have a large sum of cash. I'm not a huge fan of taking all this cash with us - usually use travellers cheques or whatever. I can't buy travellers cheques here with my US cash.

Anyone have any suggestions on what I can do with this cash? I was thinking about a prepaid debit card or something that I could get on the way down (driving) or once we arrived. Not even sure where to begin to look for something like that.

Thanks!
Shannon

 

[scrapquitler]

How about just putting it in your bank account and using your debit card when you need to get some cash?

 

[angierae]

You can buy prepaid Visas at just about any drugstore in the US. That's what we did. I wanted my Disney money separate from my bank account so I wouldn't be tempted to spend "just a little more".

 

[mcorbo]

You can buy prepaid Visas at just about any drugstore in the US. That's what we did. I wanted my Disney money separate from my bank account so I wouldn't be tempted to spend "just a little more".

A lot of those same drugstores will also have Disney Gift Cards also

 

[kbheap]

Right before the trip I would deposit it into my personal account and just use my debit card when I leave for the trip. I would only carry some of the cash with me

 

[scottish/canadian]

Angierae - that's my exact reason and why I don't want to use my US credit card! Did you have trouble using the Visa cards at places? We have them here and I find store clerks look at you like you are nuts and don't understand what they are!

Debit card from my account is also not an option as I'll lose on the exchange when I put it back in and when it comes back out! And my Canadian debit card doesn't always work everywhere.

 

[Taja]

Since you're driving, could you stop at a US bank and convert the currency into US$ TCs? Not sure how far you would have to drive carrying the cash, but it's the only option I can think of at the moment.

Be sure to check larger bills for the the security strip to ensure it matches the denomination on the bill. It would be very uncomfortable to purchase TCs only to find that a bill is potentially fraudulent! I probably wouldn't have thought of this a few years ago, but a client recently made a fairly large cash deposit (some tenants pay him in cash) and about $500 was fake!

 

[dfchelbay]

Hi All,

I am Canadian and have being buying up US cash to use on an upcoming trip...problem now is that I have a large sum of cash. I'm not a huge fan of taking all this cash with us - usually use travellers cheques or whatever. I can't buy travellers cheques here with my US cash.

Anyone have any suggestions on what I can do with this cash? I was thinking about a prepaid debit card or something that I could get on the way down (driving) or once we arrived. Not even sure where to begin to look for something like that.

Thanks!
Shannon

CVS Stores carry Visa Credit Cards...not a debit but a real credit card you buy. The largest I've purchased is a $200 Visa Card, and it costs $4.95 to activate it, right at the register when you pay for it. We send them to DS at college. I always buy the largest dollar value they have because each card, whether $25 or $200 costs $4.95 each to activate. Do you know anyone in the USA? A friend or family member who can take you to their bank so you may purchase traveler's cheques. I don't believe you have to be a bank customer to buy traveler's cheques, so you may be able to just go into any bank, once you cross the border into the United States and use your US currency to purchase them.

 

[Janice B]

Hi All,

I am Canadian and have being buying up US cash to use on an upcoming trip...problem now is that I have a large sum of cash. I'm not a huge fan of taking all this cash with us - usually use travellers cheques or whatever. I can't buy travellers cheques here with my US cash.

Anyone have any suggestions on what I can do with this cash? I was thinking about a prepaid debit card or something that I could get on the way down (driving) or once we arrived. Not even sure where to begin to look for something like that.

Thanks!
Shannon

Where abouts in Canada do you live? If you have a CAA near you, I know a couple of years ago we were able to get US travellers cheques using american money (that was in Ontario). I dont take travelles cheques down with me anymore. I usually take some cash then use my US Credit Card. Have you thought about opening up a US bank account, then getting a us credit card. That way you wont lose the exchange rate if you keep your money in your us account.

 

[Mickey1Fan]

I suggest carrying the cash - split it between the adults on the trip and then leave it in the hotel safe when you arrive at your destination.

Being Canadian myself and saving US dollars it seems pointless to convert it to something else.

That of course is just my opinion. I generally travel with cash.

 

[scrapquitler]

I had another idea, and someone else can verify if it will work because I'm not positive because I've never stayed on site at WDW (assuming that is your destination in the US)

I've seen people say that they can put cash on the room card and use that to spend in the park without actually carrying the cash...maybe this option would work for you.

 

[pampam]

A fellow Canadian here. I opened a U.S.$ bank account at the Royal Bank, and also at my local credit union. That way, I don't lose $$ in currency conversion. My interest is paid in U.S.$. When I am ready to travel, I take several hundred dollars in cash, plus any coins I've saved, and the rest goes into U.S.$ travelers cheques. I get them free at the Royal. I'm not too sure if your bank will do that too. If your bank insists on converting your U.S.$ into canadian and then selling you U.S.$ travelers cheques and converting them again that's rediculous. You are paying a fee for each conversion. Talk to your bank manager and if they insist that's their policy, just get a U'S. $ money order to take with you, If it they still want to convert it again, just take the cash with you, (but be very careful with it when traveling). Any U.S. coin you accumulate must be rolled before it can be deposited into your account. Loose change won't be accepted at American values.

 

[RunDanceSkate]

I use my Canadian TD trust.

I have a US account and a US VISA. I just transfer money from my checking to the US account when the exchange is favourable. I use this account to pay my VISA. Before a trip I budget what I will need i.e $3000 and transfer it to my US VISA which has a $2000 limit and therefore I have $5000 available for use.

 

[Gigi22]

Pampam--the convoluted procedure you describe is exactly what our Desjardins Credit Union insisted that they "had" to do (this, after selling us the US cash). So did the closest foreign exchange.

To date, the only place I have found that will sell US traveller's checks for US cash is CAA -- and this is not Canada-wide. Ontario CAA will not do so, but Quebec CAA will. We live close to Quebec, so we travelled a bit to exchange cash for traveller's checks.

 

[PrincessSuzanne]

I had another idea, and someone else can verify if it will work because I'm not positive because I've never stayed on site at WDW (assuming that is your destination in the US)

I've seen people say that they can put cash on the room card and use that to spend in the park without actually carrying the cash...maybe this option would work for you.

Yes, you can put cash on your room key at each resort $500 at Values, $1000 at Moderates, and $1500 at Deluxe. I believe that is per day. We put a certain amount on ours and then carry about $50 in cash, and leave the rest in the safe.

You can check with the conceirge desk at the resort as often as you like for a balance update and add more as necessary. If you don't use it all, just stop by the front desk at check-out and get back whatever is left over.

Another option is to get Disney Gift Cards once you arrive at WDW, no activation fee, if I remember correctly and they never expire.

Suzanne