Help with Best ways to spend in USA please?

bootcutboy

Hi all

My wife and I are off to USA in around 4 weeks time and we are on a VERY tight budget so we really need some help with the best ways to change our money and spend on credit cards please?

We will be picking up an SUV from Vegas airport and driving from there for 6 days to Zion, Bryce, Monument Valley, Grand Canyon and then having a week in Vegas staying at the Luxor and going to 4 day Rockabilly festival Viva Las Vegas.

Our spending budget is only going to be around £1000 but we will put gas costs on a credit card and pay that later. We do currently have a few UK credit cards, is it possible for us to contact and ask our current card providers for special USA spending rates?
Also Where should we be getting our UK£ exchanged and should we do this before we go?
And can anyone tell us the best/cheapest credit cards to use as we may still have time to apply for a new one to use over there?

Many thanks in advance for any help you can offer us.

DCFC79

Halifax Clarity is 1 to apply for or another card with 0% for foreign spending.

Of course its possible for you to contact your current card providers for special USA spending rates, whether its something they can offer I cant answer. If your going to take 1 of your current cards away with you it might be a good idea for you to inform them your going away just in case they dont block the card.

PeacefulWaters

http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/travel/travel-credit-cards

Halifax Clarity and Creation Everyday are popular options.

I'd suggest withdrawing cash, if needed, at an ATM in USA - using the right credit card. Note they nearly all charge, so one larger withdrawal is better than several smaller ones.

I'm off to the USA in June and I'm going to try and do it without cash. It's a place that loves credit cards!

Have you booked accommodation or is that part of your £1000?

uknick

If you're on a really tight budget for food, shop at Walmart or similar. Sound obvious, but we found them to have a good selection of hot and cold food. Even my other half was happy with their food and she is particularly fussy about what she eats. Our total food bill was about £300 for the 4 weeks we were there.

We put everything on our Halifax Clarity card apart from about $80 in cash.

Regarding petrol we did a similar trip in 2015, covered 2k miles in a mid sized SUV and spent about £130 on petrol.

One other thing, if you're using a satnav to get around, make sure you tell it to avoid unpaved/gravel roads. I forget and on one trip back from the Grand Canyon to Williams we ended up doing 10 miles along a dirt track, which included crossing over a railway line a few times with no warning signs. Happy days

pollypenny

Buy Sunday papers and you will get vouchers, often fir Subway, so a cheap lunch. Almost American meals are huge and restaurants are usually happy to let people share. Often the 'entree' will come with a salad and two sides. We find that plenty for two.