Page 1 of Pre payed cards for holiday dosh

Has anyone used these pre payed cash cards that are supposed to replace travellers cheques, preferably in the States.
How easy and are they as widely accepted as ordinary cards.

One other point. In the age of pin numbers do you actually need a his and hers or is just one okay.

Snaps

Every Third Car

Not used them myself, but when I was travelling a fair few peeps had them. Seem much better than TC`s mainly as it is easy to get money and you don`t get screwed on commission and the rate.

Personally my prefered method is to take a small amount of currency then just my CC (Post Office and Santandar do commission free ones)

If I want currency I then just use my cash card, the nationwide one was free though not anymore I believe. If you are going to the states and have an HSBC Account (might need to be Premier) you can get free cash withdrawls from their bank machines and again check Santandar, pretty sure they have a commission free cash card.

The latest info would be on moneysavingexpert.

Finally what ever you go for, never pay in the local currency if they ask as then you use their rate which is almost always worse than the rate you get on your card. If you get one of those travel money cards check how they work there are a couple of types one is like a cash card where it will convert money at the rate when you withdraw others you have the currency already converted so check the rates they give you.

Finally on the PIN if you are sahring one card you can use the same pin, if you have two cards you will need 2 pins although of course you can set them to be the same.

Hope this helps
Rav

Ta for the info I`ll look into it a bit more. We don`t really want to use the cards we currently have to keep all the holiday dosh seperate.

What I meant by just using one card is how security minded are they in the States if the card says Mr and a Mrs is trying to use it.

Snaps

Every Third Car

We used the Caxton FX dollar card the last time we went to the US (09). It was the first time we`d used one, and it worked fantastically, from buying a bottle of water to paying for the hire car. If memory serves me correctly, I think it`s a Mastercard, so is accepted pretty much everywhere. And I think we even set up a topup option that allows you to send a text Caxton from overseas to automatically add more money onto your card (if you`re running short). And they don`t stiff you on the rates. You get a small charge on any money you have left on the card being returned to your bank account, but it was much lower than getting travellers cheques, cash etc (and getting leftovers changed back on your return). And the initial conversion rate was very competitive as well, I believe. I don`t know about the Mr/Mrs question - we just had the card in my name, and it worked flawlessly. I seem to recall that they didn`t do chip `n` pin that much in the shops we used it in, so my signature was required - this might answer your query?

Jme // www.jamiemartindesign.co.uk

This item was edited on Wednesday, 21st April 2010, 11:37

Quote:
how security minded are they in the States if the card says Mr and a Mrs is trying to use it.I wouldn`t worry too much about it.  Last time I was there I was signing for things with my AMEX and they were giving me the card back before I had signed on the touch screen with a stylus.  Even if they had of checked the signature it looked nothing like the one on the card!  This wasn`t just a one off either, this was most stores.

Oh yeh they do not use chip and pin in the states, in the times I have been there not once have I used chip n pin. Sign away, although it may mean you need two cards unless you make up a sig for both of you to use :)

Use our UK ones over here most of the time.

Sometimes we have to sign, other times C&P depends on the retailer, the choice of card usually is the one that won`t shaft us for overseas transactions & know we are here.




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Used FairFX in Florida earlier this year and did not have one problem with it - infact I`ve ordered a Euro card from them as well.

I think now they do a multi currency card.

Used at ATMs as well and the fee was only $1 each time. Worked in all the theme parks, hotels, outlets and food chains.



In Madness You Dwell

This item was edited on Wednesday, 21st April 2010, 17:38