Cash? Traveler's cheques? Credit?

[Paulakoala]

How do you divvy up your spending money/food money when you travel south of the border? Since we are driving to Anaheim, we have a few hotel reservations along the way that are still unpaid, plus we have our food, souvenirs, etc to purchase still.

We have all our money for the trip set aside but I'm debating the best way to carry/use it once in the US. We were considering carrying something like $500 each in cash and putting everything else on the Visa and then pay it off from the money set aside already but I'm second guessing myself now. Argh!

 

[bankr63]

IMO - Traveler's Cheques = PITA.

We take a bit of US cash with us ($20-100 depending on what was left after the last trip), and use our debit card at a US bank ATM if we need more. Check your bank for affiliations in the US. I just found out that I can use the ATM's at the Publix grocery stores as they are affiliated with TD Bank. Found that little tid-bit on the TD site! Each Disney Park has at least one ATM, and the fees are pretty reasonable (they are bank ATM's not the overpriced independents).

For MOST of our purchases we use Mastercard/Visa. Both our cards have cash back or points, and we still collect on US purchases. Why not start saving for your next trip while you're down there? Note that the rate/fee on my TD Visa for US exchange is the same as the rate they charge at the TD counter. No advantage to taking cash. Our Mastercard appears to charge the same rate as our Visa, but I didn't confirm that one with the issuer.

 

[CerysG]

I try to pay cash for most things but will use a credit card now and again and like to have it as back up. Wish they would start using debit cards like we do here as that would make things so much easier. I'm sure one could set up an account with American money in it and just draw from that...but that's just an idea of some day.

 

[KittyKat1978]

I take cash and put some on a gift card to pay for food/snacks reloading when necessary. I pay cash for souviners. I only use my credit card if I have absolutely have to.

 

[tone.def]

Avoid travelers cheques. No one under the age of 30 in a service environment knows what to do with them. Cash and credit card is the way to go in the States!

 

[Paulakoala]

Thanks for the input, everyone! I personally don't want to deal with the hassle of traveler's cheques but DH suggested it...meh. I have a US dollar account and the bank I deal with (RBC) apparentl has an online-only US division, I'd just be worried about not being able to access our cash when we need it if I go that route.

 

[Angiet]

I use cash only. We have an account at a US bank and use thier debit card once in a while. I just use an ATM when I need to and take out enough to last a few days as there is usually a $5 charge at the bank to use it.

 

[Gigi22]

Using traveller's cheques is not a problem at either Disney or Universal. We visited both areas recently and cashed traveller's cheques at both. We did find that some of the younger service workers were less familiar with t.c.s than others, but this is simply a training issue that both Disney and Universal are quite capable of working out.

 

[minnie mum]

Using traveller's cheques is not a problem at either Disney or Universal. We visited both areas recently and cashed traveller's cheques at both. We did find that some of the younger service workers were less familiar with t.c.s than others, but this is simply a training issue that both Disney and Universal are quite capable of working out.

All well and good once you're there. But if you're driving, staying at other hotels, dining off site, buying gas, then TC's are a royal PITA.

We take about $500 US each (which we keep in a moneybelt while travelling and put in the room safe at night). The majority of our expenses are put on our RBC VISA, since we accumulate points with every purchase. The money to pay off the VISA is already sitting in our chequing account.

 

[4orm]

We use our AMEX in WDW for nearly everything. And when using our Keys to the Kingdom card to put it on our room tab then the charge looks like a travel expense (coming from the hotel) and we get double amex points. Woot!

 

[bankr63]

So many advantages to using a card when traveling, as long as you have the money set aside in an account back home.

• If you lose your cash money, it is gone. If you lose your credit card, you are not responsible for fraudulent charges, and it is replaced by the CC company immediately. Most will deliver a replacement within 24 hours if you are traveling.
• You can collect points or get cash back on all your purchases.
• Many cards have travel and auto insurances included.
• You have a chance to dispute charges if there is an issue with a purchase.
• You often have purchase protection, extending warranties automatically.
• Everyone knows how to accept and use them.
• Same exchange rates and fees as your bank charges. No extra fees for using them like you have with Bank Cards at ATM's.

To be safe, we usually leave a second card in the hotel safe just in case our main card is lost or compromised.

Used responsibly, Credit Cards are a great convenience when travelling.

 

[Gigi22]

All well and good once you're there. But if you're driving, staying at other hotels, dining off site, buying gas, then TC's are a royal PITA.

We take about $500 US each (which we keep in a moneybelt while travelling and put in the room safe at night). The majority of our expenses are put on our RBC VISA, since we accumulate points with every purchase. The money to pay off the VISA is already sitting in our chequing account.

We always fly down--DH hates driving. We have never had a problem cashing traveller's cheques either in Orlando or Ft. Lauderdale (the other city in Florida that we often visit). That said, we most frequently cash the t.c.s at our hotel, or on a cruise ship. We prefer the peace of mind we have carrying t.c.s rather than cash--carrying money is not an option for us.

 

[dennise]

We use a mixture, Visa for hotels and gas, TC's for most things and I have never had a problem with casing them. We do take cash as well. Once the TC's and cash are getting low I know it is time to slow down the spending.

 

[EvangelineG]

Combo of cash and credit card.

 

[Sue M]

We have a USD account with our bank and just got the USD credit card. I can go to online banking and transfer money from US checking acct to US visa.
I have my trip $ I've saved in my US acct. so I bring some cash, and charge hotels, gas etc to visa. I can transfer money to pay. It off as I go.

When in WDW I get 2 gift cards, one for suvies, and one for dining.

 

[Maddysdaddy]

I bank with the RBC and have a US dollar account that I use as my vacation fund and also have a US dollar Visa card for my travels to the states.

Most regular Canadian credit cards can be used in the US, but if you read the fine print, not only are they charging you an inflated exchange rate, they are also charging you another 2-2.5% on each purchase as an administration fee.

For the extra $30 or so dollars a year to get the US Visa as a secondary card, it pays for itself by the savings in the administration fee pretty quickly.