What's in your wallet?

[Daisybelle]

So...I don't take many big vacations. I just keep one low limit credit card for emergenices and I don't want to charge everything. Our last trip I had envelopes for each day of the trip with an allotted amount of cash to spend on meals and fun stuff. I know some who will instead load Disney gift cards or visa gift cards and then have minimal cash on them and handle the $$ that way. Yes, this is a minor detail in trip planning. No, I can't stop flip-flopping on how I want to handle it.

So DIS-sers who travel more than I do: what's your preferred method of dealing with your money?

 

[EmmersIsTheMommy]

I love the idea of a prepaid disney card. I think I may go that route. I have cc's for emergencies and I always take cash but..yeah. Giftcard is a good idea. You could also do a prepaid visa..

 

[stubby]

So...I don't take many big vacations. I just keep one low limit credit card for emergenices and I don't want to charge everything. Our last trip I had envelopes for each day of the trip with an allotted amount of cash to spend on meals and fun stuff. I know some who will instead load Disney gift cards or visa gift cards and then have minimal cash on them and handle the $$ that way. Yes, this is a minor detail in trip planning. No, I can't stop flip-flopping on how I want to handle it.

So DIS-sers who travel more than I do: what's your preferred method of dealing with your money?

I thought about the cards but have this fear that the machines will go down and I won't be able to use it. I know it probably won't happen but I have been at another park where it did happen. They could only take cash...no cc's, no gc's. Total nightmare! Don't remember how long they were down but long enough to cause chaos.

 

[skiingfast]

I do CCs, except for a small amount of cash just in case I need something from a place that doesn't take cards, and to tip with for TS meals. I do this because I get rewards on the cards and the liability of the user is very limited.

However because of a good deal I saw on the boards, I am mostly doing DGCs on my next visit(s). For details look at this thread it will help you plan. BTW the offer has been extended a week.
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2739971

 

[cpster]

When we travel we thin our wallets to the essentials, ID, one credit card, and ATM card. We do most of our purchases on credit card, but do carry a small amount of cash too.

 

[Disneylovers2000]

So...I don't take many big vacations. I just keep one low limit credit card for emergenices and I don't want to charge everything. Our last trip I had envelopes for each day of the trip with an allotted amount of cash to spend on meals and fun stuff. I know some who will instead load Disney gift cards or visa gift cards and then have minimal cash on them and handle the $$ that way. Yes, this is a minor detail in trip planning. No, I can't stop flip-flopping on how I want to handle it.

So DIS-sers who travel more than I do: what's your preferred method of dealing with your money?

We do all cash. We have a credit card for back up just in case but have never had to use it...We don't do DGC simply because we don't spend a whole lot in the park therefore cash is easier for us.

 

[DahliaRW]

I'm a credit card and minimal cash person. All I cary are my card, some cash, and my id, usually in the hidden front pouch on the shoulder strap of my baggalini.

 

[rmonty02]

When we travel we thin our wallets to the essentials, ID, one credit card, and ATM card. We do most of our purchases on credit card, but do carry a small amount of cash too.

Ditto Except I carry 2 cc, just in case.

 

[Kittyskyfish]

I don't bother with gift cards because that forces me to spend whatever amount I put into it. If I do too much, I still gotta spend it all. If I do too little, I still have to whip out the debit card in the end. I don't know Disney's GC policy if the card is lost or stolen, too. Maybe it's good, easy, and fast to replace?

We keep some cash onhand and use our debit cards for the bulk of our purchases, hotel expenses, and shuttle. DH and I each have a card for the same account. Last year, he lost it somewhere in the ice cream parlor. By the time he made it back to where I was sitting, I already was on the phone w/ customer service cancelling the card. Not a big deal since we had a back-up card to use!

I use a CC if I have impulse splurges. Normally I don't since my 'splurges' are coffee mugs or t-shirts. Nothing expensive!

 

[cyclenut]

I carry an Amex and a Visa and an ATM card. I prefer Amex but not everyone accepts that, so I have the Visa on hand.

I also carry my insurance ID card, a list of emergency phone numbers and a nominal amount of cash. I'll go to the ATM to get more if I need it. If I'm driving, I'll also bring my Chevron card.

I charge most everything to get the most rewards points possible. In addition to that, there is the convenience and many cards also have extended warranty protection, vacation insurance or other "benefits" if you use them while on travel. Not to mention that it also helps if you have a disputed charge, need proof of payment or the like. It is also much easier to get cards replaced if your wallet is lost or stolen. Gift cards are just like cash and there is little they can do in that situation.

Depending on where I'm traveling to and what I am doing I may bring a couple of other things too, but for the most part, that is all. I have a two-piece wallet that I can just pull out of the main wallet that has many of these things already in it. That gives me a small and thin wallet to carry with me that has everything I need. I leave the larger wallet locked up back home.

 

[starshine514]

Two credit cards (DRV and one other that gives me higher % for gas and food purchases), one debit (in case I need cash), $80 in cash, insurance card, driver's license, rainforest cafe and build a bear cards.

 

[kailuagirl]

We prefer to carry just maybe $50 in cash and use a cc for the rest. I try to stick to one card at DL then I can keep track of how much I'm spending just at DL, like I use my Disney Visa. So DH and I will have a little cash, Drivers License, 2 credit cards.

I've tried doing the envelope a day thing for Vegas, personally it never worked for me, I was always focusing more on what was in my envelope or how much more I had left, etc.

Good luck figuring out what works best for you.

 

[Jynxed]

I use a bank debit card for purchases. It is a separate account then our home fund, just "fun money" is deposited in that account so I don't go overboard on vacations. What we have in there is what we can spend. I do have a small amount of cash for moments where I can't use the card.
I never use credit, if I don't have the cash already available, I do not need it. I do however have a credit card for emergencies. I just have never used it.

 

[RuthieT]

This time around it will be all cash and gift cards we will be spending at DL. We have a budget of $200 a day for a family of 4 (dh,me, dd7,dd1)and more like $300 a day the days of character meals.
We have done the credit card route and the money each day in and envelope and that worked well for us.

 

[rentayenta]

Cash and debit card but we always travel with a credit card, we just leave it in the safe and don't bring it to the parks except the last day in case I can talk DH into upgrading to APs.

 

[PinkBudgie]

Two CCs, a drivers license, insurance card, and my AP. A small amount of cash. I never carry a debit card because if that number gets stolen, the amount comes right out of the checking account and is harder to get back. With a CC, we get money back rewards and we are protected if it is stolen. Consumer Reports did a big article this month on id safety and that was one of the things they mentioned.

Also, in the article and in our local paper was info on skimmers, often on gas pumps. They can even be INSIDE the pump so you can't see it. Another reason not to use your debit card at a gas station. Just thought I'd throw that in for everyone driving down to DLR. Those gas stations along the way are always full of all kinds of people. Almost every time we get approached by someone who wants money because they are trying to see their sick mom and they "ran out of gas money".

Sorry, got off topic. But we don't bring a lot of cash to DLR. Mostly I worry about loosing it.

 

[blackjackdelta]

I carry a debit card(a zero balance cc for emergencies) numerous cards that I get from doing surveys t/o the year, cash, DL and my cwp.
I started using debit cards when they first came on the seen and have never had a issue. We do not travel unless we have all the money up front.

Jack

 

[kkmcan]

I usually carry to the parks my Disney Visa, $100 in cash (dh also has $100 cash and his card), and my Disney Visa Rewards card.

 

[robinjh7]

My husband and I both carry our Amex and Visa cards plus about $100 in cash each. We also have ATM cards, no debit cards for us! (My husband has attended hundreds of hours of Continuing Professional Education for accountants (though he is not one), and they say to NEVER have a debit card.)

Our credit cards have separate numbers so if one is lost and/or stolen, we still have a back-up. 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.

 

[blackjackdelta]

My husband and I both carry our Amex and Visa cards plus about $100 in cash each. We also have ATM cards, no debit cards for us! (My husband has attended hundreds of hours of Continuing Professional Education for accountants (though he is not one), and they say to NEVER have a debit card.)

Our credit cards have separate numbers so if one is lost and/or stolen, we still have a back-up. 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.

To each his own


Jack