16 year old to USA money options

riojafan68

Hi. My 16 year old daughter is off to America with school in the summer and I'm wondering about the best options for travel money whilst she's there. I've seen the credit card options but it looks like you have to be 18. I know I could apply but what about if something goes wrong, surely I'm not supposed to give anyone else my pin number details? Anyone have any ideas? Thanks

dzug1

What are the school recommending?

There aren't many strictly legal options for under 18s other than taking cash

LE3

you can get prepaid cards which act like debit cards but obv limit what you can spend to what's on them ... but some need to be treated as cash as they are irreplaceable whilst others are replaceable if lost ...

riojafan68

Thanks. School aren't recommending anything. One of the other parents recommended a pre-paid card from a local travel agents.

spiro

riojafan68 wrote: »

Thanks. School aren't recommending anything. One of the other parents recommended a pre-paid card from a local travel agents.

Some prepay cards allow you to have 2 cards so she could take one and you could top up (if needed) using the other. I have ssen mention of another were you get two cards and if one is stolen you cancel that and use the 2nd one. That way you could give the teacher the 'spare' just in case.

ferf1223

where in the US? I only ask as pre-paid cards look like credit cards, and may work ok for cash withdrawals, but in some places to use them in shops, etc. she may have to show photo ID (they don't have chip and PIN)...so may mean carrying her passport on her.

dzug1

Some prepay cards have an 18 and over rule - OK you can get the card yourself and give it to her, but you might lose any protection it offers.

kittykarate

While they aren't fashionable, $ travellers cheques are accepted widely in the US, and you can spend them in supermarkets and stores. You get your change back in cash, and don't pay any cashing fees. Only downside is that you need to carry some ID to spend them.

jamesbrownontheroad

kittykarate wrote: »

While they aren't fashionable, $ travellers cheques are accepted widely in the US, and you can spend them in supermarkets and stores. You get your change back in cash, and don't pay any cashing fees. Only downside is that you need to carry some ID to spend them.

+1

The prepaid card market is full of pitfalls. You have to navigate all the fees to get one and load it up, and then your daughter will have to watch out for fees to use them at ATMs. American ATMs will almost always charge a fee ($1-3ish) for "foreign" (i.e. of another bank) cards to use them, so she will likely be charged every time she makes a withdrawal.

Travelers' cheques are safe and widely accepted. Provided the school group doesn't insist on keeping her passport for safety throughout her stay, she can just use that to cash them in as she needs them. Travelers cheques can only be redeemed by a named individual, so are worthless if stolen or lost.

lady1964

My 16 year old daughter went to NY in February and we gave her travellers cheques to use. She found them really easy and they were accepted readily. I think quite a few of her friends used them as well. Would recommend.
Lady1964

riojafan68

Thanks ever so much everyone for your advice. Looks like travellers cheques are the best option :beer: