Money question

[Csaks]

We have just one CC with a small amount of credit for holding rooms or internet purchases. We use to have all kinds but it got out of control so now we are cash only. So when we travel we run on cash.
How do most safeguard themselves and their money while on vacation?

 

[bababear_50]

Hi Hon
I use cash only now and do not link my credit card to my resort account. I found it just to easy to charge ,charge, charge, and when I got home the BIG Oh My Goodness what did I do set in.
So it's cash only for me. I do have one in case of an emergency and carry it with me but I lock it up in the resort safe.(Out of sight-out of mind).
My son and daughter in-law put a certain amount of cash credit on their resort account for charging use.
Hugs Mel

 

[kuhltiffany]

It's been a while since I travelled with cash, but I would keep it in the hotel safe and just take out what you think you'll need for the day. You could also buy gift cards each day for whatever attraction you are going to be visiting…

I'm wondering if you could put a large amount on deposit at the resort (if you're doing Disney or Universal), and then use it to charge to your room? Then you wouldn't be carrying it around...

 

[mshanson3121]

We have just one CC with a small amount of credit for holding rooms or internet purchases. We use to have all kinds but it got out of control so now we are cash only. So when we travel we run on cash.
How do most safeguard themselves and their money while on vacation?

What about taking the cash and purchasing Disney gift cards, so you don't have to carry all that cash around, you can instead just carry a couple gift cards, and a small amount of cash for where it would be needed?

 

[ottawamom]

The old fashioned way of safeguarding your cash is to use Travellers cheques. If you look around you can still find them and they will accept them without issue at the resorts. Just cash what you need for a day and off you go.

 

[Blackadder337]

What about taking the cash and purchasing Disney gift cards, so you don't have to carry all that cash around, you can instead just carry a couple gift cards, and a small amount of cash for where it would be needed?

I try to do my vacations as similarly as possible. I try to prepay as much of the trip in advance as I can, including car rentals, hotel rooms etc.. I also figure out what sort of money I'd need for transportation/meal / housekeeping tips and set that aside. I usually put meals on my credit card and bring cash for souvenirs, drinks, snacks. I also bring a tablet with me on vacation for night time reading or skype so I also use it to pay off my daily credit card use at the end of the night.

If you're lucky enough that where you stay has a room safe, you can leave the bulk of your money in the safe, take what you think you need, and if you need to use your credit card, at least its with you just in case. If you have wifi on vacation, you can pay your credit card online when you're back to your room

 

[amie416]

Hotel safes aren't absolutely secure... There was an incident a while back where a mousekeeping staff member was caught skimming cash from guests' in-room safes. She didn't take enough to be noticed, but $20 or so each time. After hearing about that, I keep my cash in the safe in an envelope that I write on to keep track of how much is there: date, time, amount, signature. That way I can keep track and would be able to report it if any went missing.

http://articles.orlandosentinel.com...tealing-20130821_1_disney-worker-money-wallet

 

[badiggio]

I would just put what I planned to take in cash on my cc and use it or get a prepaid one

 

[cdnSpinalTap]

The old fashioned way of safeguarding your cash is to use Travellers cheques. If you look around you can still find them and they will accept them without issue at the resorts. Just cash what you need for a day and off you go.

I totally agree with this. My strategy is to buy US cash before I go when I feel that the rates are good. Just before we leave I buy all of our cash requirements in travellers checks with the previously purchased US cash. I photocopy them all and email a copy to myself and to a family member, and I also keep a copy in Evernote. At the resort, I put the travellers checks in the safe and use my magic bands for all purchases. Every couple of days I will go down to the front desk and pay the balance off using the travellers checks. I then (in Evernote) cross off the travellers checks that have been used so I know which ones are outstanding in case they get stolen.

I have even had the resort refund a balance that they had charged to my credit card before I had a chance to pay using the travellers checks. They had no issue doing this.

For me, this provides the following benefits:

• I can buy US dollars when I am comfortable with the rates.
• I use my credit card less which reduces the risk of credit card fraud.
• If I lose the travellers checks, they will be replaced quickly.
• It helps me monitor my spending money budget - I know that I only have the amount in remaining travellers checks to spend.

Just a heads up that I usually get the "stink eye" from the banks when I try to buy $1500 to $2000 in travellers checks. It's best to call ahead and make sure they will have them available to you.

 

[starvenger]

I think CAA may still sell travelers cheques.

 

[Gigi22]

I think CAA may still sell travelers cheques.

Check before you go to purchase. Our CAA stopped selling them a few years ago.

 

[alc571]

We run the same way - only cash. My husband prefers to carry all the cash with him all the time. Last trip, I was the one managing the funds and so I'd leave the majority in the safe (hidden in an envelope inside a folder with all our travel details). I had budgeted $200/day for food, souvenirs, etc. and would put that amount in my wallet each morning. It really helped me budget our money and ended up having money left over (and that NEVER happens - I always find a way to spend it all! haha).

You could also leave your money in the safe and use your MagicBand to charge everything to your room, and then at the end of the day pay it off. That would save you from carrying your money with you all day, and save them from charging your card.

 

[dreamscometrue101]

I use my Visa Debit card for when I travel to WDW. It worked great on my last trip.

I registered my card through the My Disney Experience account and it was set up as the Credit card on file for charging during my stay. I had the same charging ability as I would have had with a credit card but it pulled out of my chequing account rather than adding to my credit card bill.

I would go to the concierge every couple of days to ensure everything was correct and it worked wonderfully. It was cash only transactions but appeared to be credit card.

I will definitely be doing it this way next year during my trip.

 

[hardis5]

Hotel safes aren't absolutely secure... There was an incident a while back where a mousekeeping staff member was caught skimming cash from guests' in-room safes. She didn't take enough to be noticed, but $20 or so each time. After hearing about that, I keep my cash in the safe in an envelope that I write on to keep track of how much is there: date, time, amount, signature. That way I can keep track and would be able to report it if any went missing.

http://articles.orlandosentinel.com...tealing-20130821_1_disney-worker-money-wallet

This is why if travelling with a lot of cash, we use the "safe" (more like safety deposit box) available through the front desk to keep our money within. Every few days we'd access with them and pay down (clear) our account.

 

[ottjdub]

Visa Debit Card all the way!!!!
Works at WDW and most business's in the States. We have used it in California, NY and our last trip in Jan 2016 to WDW. Carry a small amount of cash for places that only take cash but for most of our purchases we used our Debit Visa Card.
http://www.scotiabank.com/ca/en/0,,8130,00.html

 

[Donald - my hero]

Visa Debit Card all the way!!!!
Works at WDW and most business's in the States. We have used it in California, NY and our last trip in Jan 2016 to WDW. Carry a small amount of cash for places that only take cash but for most of our purchases we used our Debit Visa Card.
http://www.scotiabank.com/ca/en/0,,8130,00.html

WOW i wish i'd known about this in January! Looks pretty attractive to me, did i read correctly no transaction fees?

 

[ottawamom]

I think if you read the fine print (several pages in) you will find there are transaction fees for using a cash machine in the US. There is also probably a conversion fee unless you have access to a US$ account. Most banks debit cards will work in the US. It's just the fees they charge that are going to get you.

 

[ottjdub]

The ATM transaction fees are waived if you use a Bank Of America ATM. Other ATM's will charge a high fee. When we travel to Watertown or Ogdensburg NY they (upper state NY) will accept the normal Debit Cards and will charge a US Debit Fee. The Debit Visa did not charge a US Debit Fee and works just like a visa except it comes out of your Debit Account.
Saved us from carrying cash or leaving cash in the safe at the hotel. As for the Currency Conversion it was no more expensive then walking into the bank and converting your money into USD.

 

[ottawamom]

Good to know. Do you have a bank plan that allows the bank fees to be waived or a minimum amount required in the account to waive the fees. Most of the banks I deal with charge for every little thing they can.

 

[ottjdub]

No special bank account or min amount in the account. Just a normal Chequing account. DW, both DD's and myself have the Scene Debit Visa. We also haven't paid for movies in years. The Scene points will take care that.

Scotiabank is a Partner of the Global ATM Alliance group.
http://www.scotiabank.com/ca/en/0,,8093,00.html