Two Weeks in USA - cash/ load credit card

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buckfast

Registered User
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Hello,

Will be heading to California for two weeks at the end of the month with my partner, and was wondering what is the best way to bring our money?

I think the best option would be to load my credit card but I am not sure what the charges would be, if any? I am BOI/Mastercard, and would like to lodge 1,000 euro to it, now at zero balance my credit limit is 2,500 euro.

How much cash would you recommend we bring?
How about travellers cheques or loading my laser card?

Thanks!
 
If you plan to use your credit card in the US be sure to notify your bank before travelling. Otherwise you may find the bank has blocked access to your account if they detect unusual usage.
 
The point of sale rate looks the same for both laser and CC. The cash advance fee looks better on the CC

LASER
All other Cirrus and Maestro transactions are charged as follows and are not included as part of any packages or fee waivers:
  • Cirrus (ATM) transactions - there is a 3.5% transaction charge with a minimum of €3.17 and a maximum of €11.43 per transaction
  • Maestro (Point-of-Sale) transactions - there is a 1.75% transaction charge with a minimum of €0.46 and a maximum of €11.43 per transaction
BOI credit card
Cash Advance fee: 1.5%/min €2.54 whichever is greater.
Transactions outside the EU i.e. "cross-border handling fee": 1.75%

http://www.askaboutmoney.com/showthread.php?t=23077


You will also be charged a local BANK atm fee from 2-4 dollars. Pretty much everywhere in the US takes cards. I have been living here for the last 18 months and rarely use cash. It's much easier this way to keep track of what you are spending also.
 
I bring some cash and use my Ulster Bank Visa for all other purchases, including grocery shopping in Walmart! Handy to have cash for snacks, parking etc. but CC is king! Use it everywhere if possible.
 
If you load your credit card in advance then you are not covered in the event of fraud
 
we did this a few months ago

Brought a decent lump of cash, planned the trip for a year so birthdays and the like ended up as cash.

put another €1000 on each CC and still managed to nearly max out both.
All clear now so not so bad.

Even with paying a few things in advance.

so all 3 and as mentioned tell the bank.

Pity about the drop in the exchange rate mind.
 
i travel to houston 2-3 times per year and cash always. i know exactly what i have and what i spend. if i was to use CC its just too easy to loose control and when you get back it has to be paid. use cash and use CC for car hire/hotel
 
Split opinions..

So CC seems to be safer in that it can be cancelled if lost/stolen.
But cash is better as it prevents spending what I don't really have...
 
buckfast said:
Split opinions..

So CC seems to be safer in that it can be cancelled if lost/stolen.
But cash is better as it prevents spending what I don't really have...
Click to expand...

if you dont have it then do not use CC...youl have to pay it back sometime at crazy % rates
 
buckfast said:
Split opinions..

So CC seems to be safer in that it can be cancelled if lost/stolen.
But cash is better as it prevents spending what I don't really have...
Click to expand...

I'm not sure you got my earlier point: it's not safer if you pre-load the card with cash. In such an instance, if your credit card got stolen or there was fraud on it, you are not covered for the amount in credit.

Best thing to do is use phone or internet banking to transfer cash as and when needed, but not in advance.
 
Fees in Canada

Do similar fees apply in Canada for ATM withdrawls? Does anybody know if there's a daily max withdrawl from ATM's? Finally, how much cash can you bring with you going into Canada? Thanks, :confused:
 
From my experience not all ATM's charge. They have to tell you up front if they do. Generally the ones in-store do but if you go to ones attached to banks they shouldn't.
Make sure you have banking online so that you can keep an eye on the Cr Card and have the Emergency Phone no to hand if you have any problems.

My advice would be to preload Cr Card. Drip feeding works best as you don't have too much in it in advance. Bring some cash also. Remember if cash is stolen it's gone, at least you have some comeback with your card in that you can cancel and prevent being cleaned out.

Travellers Cheques are almost obsolete. I don't know of any bank in Ireland that sells them now.

It's fairly similar in Canada. Both currencies are fairly expensive at the moment. In most countries $10,000 is the max you can bring in without declaring it, I think.
 
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