Florida- how to take spending money?

[dietstartstmoz]

We are off to florida in a few weeks. What is the best way to take spending money? We will take some dollars, but what is best, either just a credit card or one of those pre-paid debit cards that travel agents have. Or can i just use my credit or debit card to withdraw cash?
Help- havent a clue!

Yes you can use your normal credit and debit cards. There will probably be some charges involved - check what they are; I would tend not to use my debit card for small transactions as I get a £1.75 per transaction fee. But it's useful to have.

My advice (based on losing my pre-paid card on day one!) is to take a mix .... Hard cash, credit card, pre-paid card and debit card. Have a plan (perhaps based on bank fees etc) as to what you'll use when (e.g. Big shopping spree on credit card / day to day spending on pre-paid card / emergency cash available on debit card)

Have some cash based on whether you need to get bus / cab on arrival etc

And don't plan to withdraw cash on your credit card, that tends to be the most expensive way of doing it (it's classed as a cash advance usually).

Thanks, yes will do that. I have so much to do before we go, so i dont have time to give this too much thought! Would i need to tell the card company and bank we will be using these overseas before we go? Thinking will they stop them cos of a fraud worry?

I would take a limited amount of cash and use debit cards for cash withdrawal and credit cards for meals/hotels/larger purchases.
It may be worth telling them - I have never had a problem despite travelling in US, Europe, Latin America with no notice or predictability, my partner has had cards blocked, but cleared through a call home.

We're taking $700 and credit cards. If you get a Post Office credit card or Halifax Clarity there are no transaction fees and you get the mastercard interbank rate which is usually very good. Quidco has £25 cashback on new Post Office cards at the moment, so it makes sense to get one as long as you pay it back in full on your return.

Oh has a Lloyd s avios credit card which also has no transaction fees abroad

We take cash as in dollars as interestingly the U S isn't like Europe in converting currency easily. Used credit card but wished we'd had the Halifax one last year.

We used the Post Office credit card everywhere and for everything - no overseas transaction charges.

We saved the money first then paid it off when we got home.

Also took $500 cash .

useful thread thank you. Off to check the quidco offer!

Get a Caxton card - easiest, cheap, and accepted everywhere.

YY to Caxton

You must tell bank and providers. There are always charges, they will be hidden in the exchange rate if not explicit.