Traveler's Checks Poll - TravelPUNK Backpacker College Student Budget Travel Message Boards!

foofiter · 01-17-2005, 10:05 PM

I would like to get a nice sample of opinions on this one guys!

foofiter

foofiter · 01-17-2005, 10:07 PM

Bah! I messed it up! I suppose I didn't do too bad for the first time using this poll system. Sorry Guys! Please don't vote on the first one.

foofiter

**TheJake** · 01-17-2005, 10:29 PM

travelers checks are overrated. Bring your atm card and stash like 100 bones US in different parts of your baggage/shoes/asscrack/whatever and you will be good.

If i had taken travelers checks to south america i would have been screwed royallly. Lots of places dont like them very much. But everyone loves the VISA.

I would type some things that you should keep in mind when using your VISA overseas but I am bored and dont feel like it. Sorry maybe later.

**Sijuki** · 01-18-2005, 08:09 AM

I voted for none, although if you were going to go to say Europe for 2 months and were bringing $4k with you, I might suggest $500 or so in traveler's checks just in case. But usually cash hidden in your bag, shoe, etc like jake suggested is sufficient for SOL money.

The nice thing about a Visa debit card is that its one little card, and if you lose it. As long as you keep the card number, CVV #, and phone number handy you can call and close the account. While you will be broke (which is why you have SOL money), your money is safe. A new card gets sent home, and your parents or whoever can ship it overseas to you. Definately a damper but better than losing cash, and even travelers checks which you have to keep many serial numbers, and have to remember which ones you used and which ones you lost.

skorch · 01-18-2005, 08:24 AM

Only think I'd use 'em for is a little bit of emergency money.

finkle55 · 01-18-2005, 01:37 PM

I completely agree with you guys. The age of traveller's cheque's is past. With the modern conviences of credit/debit cards there no way that you have to worry about taking all that "cash" with you. Also, some credit cards will give you a better exchange rate than most banks. I have heard that Neiman Marcus credit card was the best rate.

**kingcrazylegs** · 01-18-2005, 01:56 PM

Yea I don't see any need for travelers checks. My suggestions is have two credit/debit cards and keep them seperate at all times. That way if one is lost/stolen you have another.

foofiter · 01-19-2005, 04:54 PM

Need more votes guys keep em coming! Thanks to all who voted thus far

foofiter

**TimmyJames1976** · 01-19-2005, 05:35 PM

what ever you do DO NOT get $20 travelers checks, if you insist on using them at all. all the lower denomonations are good for is wasting your time and testing your patience as you have to sit there and sign and sign and sign them in order to use them. major pain in the butt.

**pinion** · 01-19-2005, 06:56 PM

I brought 200 euro in traverler's for emergency money...

although...at the end of my trip it ended up getting turned into beer money

theDOC · 01-19-2005, 09:44 PM

I thought everyone used visa, or debit card these days...

skorch · 01-20-2005, 07:13 AM

Not having enough money for beer is an emergency, Pinion.

(same here)

**skidrage** · 01-20-2005, 08:30 AM

I don't like traveler checks, but I think it is good to carry one with you if you are going to be gone for a long period of time. On one of my trips, my atm cards were not working at all and not every place would take credit, so it was a good thing that I had a traveler check on me to convert. I prefer to use the atm/debit cards, but you need to have backup just in case.

**pinion** · 01-20-2005, 08:35 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by skidrage@Jan 20 2005, 09:30 AM
I don't like traveler checks, but I think it is good to carry one with you if you are going to be gone for a long period of time.

I was in Europe for 2 months & brought them just incase the atm ate my card or something like that...I've had it happen a couple times here.

What I did that I thought was pretty cool, I ordered a spare ATM card and left it with my parents. If something happened my parents would just have to FedEx my card to me & I would have had it in a few day.

foofiter · 01-24-2005, 08:05 PM

Ok guys it looks as if "none" is the winner here! Thanks to all who voted. I am just gonna get $100 worth (and email myself a scanned pic of all of them) just in case something happens. Worst case scenario I deposit them when I get back.

Thanks guys!

foofiter

**LiveFreeorDie** · 01-25-2005, 10:00 AM

If you bring a credit card, make you sure you set up a PIN for the credit card so you can easily use it at ATMs.

That is interesting about the spare ATM card. I know my bank will not issue a spare ATM card unless there are two people's names on an account, then each person gets one - but I cannot get two cards for one account if it only has my name on it. What I did was open a second account to keep some spare cash in and have a spare ATM card in case of emergency. I just kept it separate from my main card.