Advice please for taking money on fly/drive holiday

trf1960

Hubby and me are flying to Vegas for two weeks in September but one week of it will be travelling around the Canyonlands so will be in different hotels for 1 or 2 nights during that week.

Can people please advise what would be the safest way of taking Dollars with us. I have been trying to understand how these travel cards/passports work but found it all somewhat confusing so would really appreciate it if someone could put it in straight English and/or just give me some advice.

Many thanks.

richardw

Quite a good FAQs for the post office money card https://www.postoffice.travelmoneycard.co.uk/web/post-office-travel-money/faq

zagfles

Get a Halifax Clarity card, withdraw cash from ATMs and pay for stuff on it, pay it all off when you get back off holiday.

You'll pay a small amount of interest on the cash withdrawals but far less than the charges for using a pre-paid card, or other credit cards.

Or if you live in London you could consider MetroBank, they do a fee-free debit card.

tarkytarks

We took around $500 cash with us and got FairFX pre-paid dollars card with around $2000 on it (you load it up on the fairfx website before you leave by buying x amount of $, it can also be topped up while away if required - we had to do this when we got stranded by the volcano!). You use it like a credit card (anywhere that accepts mastercard) and can also use it to take money out of an ATM. We've travelled around California and Vegas and didn't have any problems using it at all (fuel, hotels, restuarants, shops, museums). It's also been used in New York and Boston, again without any problems. I think there is (was?) a moneysaving page with a link on it so you don't have to pay an intial fee for the card too. OH really likes the card and wants to get a euros one now too!!

One word of warning if you do get a pre-paid card don't use it when you check into hotels or for the car hire company!! They put a block for a certain amount of money on the card which effectively stops you being able to spend it!! I used my regular HSBC credit card for all the hotel checkins, they don't take the money just use it as security so you shouldn't see any charges and you won't be prevented from using your holiday money

trf1960

Thanks to everyone who replied - you have all been of great help. :T