What's in your wallet?

[cyberjoek]

Two years ago, my Amex number was stolen (probably from a tour company in Monument Valley) and used to purchase an $800 plane ticket. Amex called me right away, and we were not liable for a single cent. If a debit card had been used for that, the process to get the money back can take months. Just FYI.

You see my experience was the exact opposite. I had a stolen number disputed charge with AMEX and it took them 45 days to credit the amount back to my account while the money from my debit account was back within two hours after I filed my complaint. AMEX noticed it first but my bank returned my money more quickly.

The cash I was carrying was never replaced so that would be my caution towards cash.
-Joe Kavanagh

 

[LisainCalifornia]

I have been married for 22 years, and we learned after the first year of marriage that we should only have an ATM card one credit card (all linked to the same account). We never worry about loading gift cards or anything like that. We just think carefully about purchases and don't go crazy with anything.

I wouldn't want to load gift cards, because you can't cancel them if you lose them. Even if someone gets ahold of our ATM, we still have protection thru our bank. We had 4,000 drained from our account while on vacation once (they made a clone of our ATM and took a trip down the Florida Keys with it), and we got all the money back through Wells Fargo.

 

[Daisybelle]

Wow! So many great responses! So many good tips. I will have to ponder over some of them and narrow down what will work out best for us.

Interesting information, Pink Budgie, about debit cards.

Thank you everybody! And I'm happy to read more!

 

[robinjh7]

You see my experience was the exact opposite. I had a stolen number disputed charge with AMEX and it took them 45 days to credit the amount back to my account while the money from my debit account was back within two hours after I filed my complaint. AMEX noticed it first but my bank returned my money more quickly.

The cash I was carrying was never replaced so that would be my caution towards cash.
-Joe Kavanagh

Your bank is more efficient than mine (which is not surprising actually). We had friends who had their checking account drained ($1200+) and it took them more than two months to get their money back from the bank. (Same bank as ours. )

I just do what my DH says because I don't want to be in charge of paying the bills.

 

[Karenann*]

Last year I used the envelope cash method and came home with money leftover. This year, we are on a smaller budget and I have a debit card with the amount for our hotel ad groceries loaded onto it. We changed our saved up change (1 1/2 yrs) into bills...$158.00!!! And I have a gift card for each kiddo (5 of them!) for $15 to use as they want.

Just on a note... We have done Disneyland Hotel Concierge and we have done baloney sandwiches at a budget hotel... and neither trip was better than the other...they were both GREAT!!! This trip will be something in the middle...and I'm sure...GREAT!!!

 

[Dobie]

The Dobies are credit card people. We have a Starwood Amex that we put EVERYTHING on, and as a result earn a hotel week every other year... last summer we spent a week at the Boston Westin for free! We have an American Airlines Visa that we put everything that we purchase at places that don't take AMEX...this year we are flying to DL for free! Of course, Dobie Brat's college tuition runs the points on THAT card up like crazy....

At DL, we charge everything to our room, then I get a single figure telling me what I have spent. I will then pay it of with the the AMEX. Since I prepay for the room and tickets, I won't have a big CC bill at the end of the trip...I suspect that Mr. Dobie and I will spend less than $100 a day. I will take a couple of $20s for food cards into the park and probably only spend one across a week.

 

[Teki]

it depends on what I'm paying for, when I travel with my DBF he usually covers food and things so I usually just bring whatever cash I'm willing to spend on that trip. If I have to pay for more like meals etc I will just use my debit card and some cash keeping to a strict budget each day.

 

[blackjackdelta]

Until I read this thread I really have never run into anyone who has had their credit stolen or a debit card raided, but we never use ATM's and the cards never leave our sight when using them.

Jack

 

[starshine514]

Until I read this thread I really have never run into anyone who has had their credit stolen or a debit card raided, but we never use ATM's and the cards never leave our sight when using them.

Jack

How do you manage that at a sit-down restaurant? Do you follow the waiter back to keep him in your eyesight, or do you not use your card at those places?

 

[Dobie]

How do you manage that at a sit-down restaurant? Do you follow the waiter back to keep him in your eyesight, or do you not use your card at those places?

I know that starshine is being facetious here....but last summer in Paris, Belgium, and Amsterdam, the waiters brought little credit card readers to the cafe tables...it was so cool!

 

[blackjackdelta]

I know that starshine is being facetious here....but last summer in Paris, Belgium, and Amsterdam, the waiters brought little credit card readers to the cafe tables...it was so cool!

If you get out of the states card readers are usually brought to the tables, but we are always a bit behind.

Jack

 

[LisainCalifornia]

Until I read this thread I really have never run into anyone who has had their credit stolen or a debit card raided, but we never use ATM's and the cards never leave our sight when using them.

Jack

Jack,
What happened to us was that it was time for our bank (Wells Fargo) to send me my new ATM card. This card came while we were on vacation at Disneyland, so it was in our mail pile at home. While we were gone, Wells Fargo left a message on our machine, saying that there was some supicious activity on our card (lots of spending). We didn't get this message until we got home, about a week later. When we got home I heard the message, and we called Wells Fargo right away. 4,700.00 was drained out of our checking account, and we had no idea.

The theives used my ATM as a credit card, so they didn't need my pin number. They took a scuba diving vacation along the Florida Keys, paying for hotel rooms, diving equipment, dive boating trips, and restaurants. They even ate at McDonalds on me!

What we think happened is that this was possibly an inside job at the factory that actually makes the ATM cards. It seems that when they made my card, they also made a clone of it, and that card was the one they used. My card was still sitting unactivated in the mail pile, while the clone card was on vacation with the criminals.

Thankfully Wells Fargo took care of everything. I went into the bank the next day, and outlined all of the charges that were not ours. I also went to our local police and made a report, but of course they were never caught. Our money was back into our account in 3 days.

 

[Mickeybell]

We like to take both cash and Gift cards. I usually split up and do half cash and half on the gift cards. I get one GC for each of us. (The kids also bring the money they saved up and we put those on the GC too). We have never had a problem using up our gift cards. We usually use them first and mostly for food. I know that if you do have any money left on the GC you can use them at the Disney Store also. (which we shop at WAY too much)
We also bring our debit cards and a credit card each just in case. But I really like having everything all budged out for me before hand.

As far as the debit cards numbers getting stolen I actually just had that happen to me about 2 weeks ago. I couldnt believe it! I check my account every day so I was lucky to stop them at $362. I only really use my debit card for buying groceries and getting gas but right before we used it at The Pointe Hilton to pay for our room. So not really sure if it was at the hotel or from getting gas, but it does happen. I bank with Wells Fargo and my money was back in my account 4 days later.

 

[blackjackdelta]

Lisaor anyone else)
Sorry to hear about your experiences, I just have never run into anyone who has had the problem so kinda shocked to see it happens to many. I am very paranoid about trusting anyone with my plastic and feel that I am not really a person you would attempt to rob. Sounds like your trip was most excellent.

Jack