How important is a credit card?

[disckobox]

Hi all, I'm off to orlando with travel city direct in september and don't have a credit card (yet...!)

Would you say one is worth getting for the trip? Will I have hassle like a cash deposit on my car rental/hotel room etc or is this already taken care of by TCD?

Cheers!

 

[floridahippy]

Hi there
The first few times we went we didnt have a credit card and managed fine without (this was over ten years ago) but for our third visit we did get one and i am soooooooooooo glad we did!!!
our youngest dd had an ear infection and wasnt able to fly but our insurance only covered one of us to stay and dd wanted me to - the reason why the cc came in useful was the only travellers cheques we had left were in my husbands name so I couldnt use them and we had to pay up front for all medication and visits from the doc (we claimed them back on the insurance when we got home!!!
So I would say get a credit card - you never know when you will need one but you dont HAVE to use it!!!

 

[JohnnySharp2]

I have never travelled with TCD , but many car companies do prefer a credit card if for example you have to pay for fuel.
Some hotels also request one when you check in.

Additionally a CC is a nice fallback to have , especially for shopping etc if you do not want to take all cash/traveller's cheques.

 

[wicket2005]

We always take credit cards, travellor's cheques and cash. We use the credit card for everything we can, it just seems safer than carrying lots of travellor's cheques/cash about. We got a Nationwide one which doesn't charge you to use it abroad.

I had not thought about medical expenses so that is another plus for having one. I know when I watched a program with the lad from Supersize Me, when both him and his girlfriend had to use casualty the bill was enormous just for a water infection and a twisted arm.

 

[alisonbestford]

We always take one 'just in case'
Had to use it one year when DD had an ear infection (£250 for consultation and antibiotics!) and also when our flight was delayed 36 hours and we'd spent all our cash in preparation for the flight home......

As mentioned earlier the Nationwide one doesn't carry a charge for using it

 

[jna]

I have never travelled with TCD , but many car companies do prefer a credit card if for example you have to pay for fuel.
Some hotels also request one when you check in.

Agree entirely. This is the general rule almost everywhere you go now, and, depending on where you stay or which company you are dealing with, you could be asked for a cash deposit. The safety aspect is another factor.

There are also some gas stations where you have to go to the cash desk and lodge the card before you fill up. This is to stop the 'fill and go' crooks.

Take some cash in small denominations however.

 

[gilld]

We wouldn't ever go to the USA without one - you only need to use it in an emergency if you like.

 

[Jules224]

Wouldn't go without one, DH ended up in hospital last time we went and the bill was nearly $1000, that would of taken quite a chunk of our spending money if we didn't have a credit card, claimed it back from insurance company when we got home and paid credit card off, we also needed one for the car hire company.

 

[Minniespal]

To be honest I wouldn't travel abroad and certainly not to the USA without a credit card.

 

[Andrew DEREK UK]

Sholud take one for:-
If kids overspend your money.
If you have to pay out hospitial fees before claiming insurance.
Car hire deposits.
Room service.
Thoose meals where they will not cash a large travellers cheque.
Ladies doing their last min shopping!

 

[disckobox]

thanks for the help everyone - looks like a trip to nationwide is in order!

 

[daipp]

thanks for the help everyone - looks like a trip to nationwide is in order!

You can always apply online - Nationwide

Good luck !

David

 

[AndRu]

To be honest I wouldn't travel abroad and certainly not to the USA without a credit card.

Totally agree - it's a safety net.

 

[paulh]

You can always apply online - Nationwide

Good luck !

David

if you are unsure just get the CC for the emergances and open a flexacount and you get the same interbank rate as the credit card but as its a debit card it comes straight out of your account.We use it for gettin cash and if you use publix atms there is no charge
Paulh

 

[TandCmum]

we don't have a CC and managed fine last year. We are not able to get a card so there's not an awful lot we can do about it and i'm not going to not go to florida because of it. However we hired a car for a week and DH used his company credit card for the deposit (very naughty i know) but other than that we were fine. If there had been any major emergencies my parents were at the end of the phone and would have helped us out somehow.

Next year I am planning on gettimg my parents to make me an additional card holder on their card so that at least we have something just in case