San Francisco Travel Answers

Why not take a cash travel card?

Hi and thanks for the reply , whats a cash travel card ?where would you get one ?are there fee's and who makes them ?

I'm assuming you are in the UK? Prepaid cash travel cards are very useful. This page gives you the options: moneysavingexpert.com/travel... I used a CaxtonFx card for my trip to the US last year, using it to pay my hotels. No problem at all. It is possible to get the balance paid back into your account afterwards, if you wish. Alternatively, check the various credit cards on the website above and decide which is easiest for you. You are right that a debit card i not a very good idea (imo) but I do think you should have at least 2 cards available. So perhaps get a prepaid card *and*a credit card, using the latter only for emergencies?

Your local Post Office also has prepaid cards available, if you don't want to apply for one online: postoffice.co.uk/travel/trav...

Hi and thanks again , no we're ex pats living in Oz can we get that card here ?

Ah...that's a different matter entirely. You can certainly get prepaid travelcards in Australia, although the choice is more limited than in the UK. I found this recent article: ausbt.com.au/review-best-tra... so you will be able to google for each card's website and see if one suits you. I can't advise about Australian credit cards, I'm afraid. But hopefully an Australian Vt-er will be along soon with info, so keep checking the thread.

It might also be an idea to post in the Australian form asking for people's opinions about which prepaid/credit cards have been useful for them when travelling to the US. Not all Australian Vt-ers will look at this forum.

Big thank you for that its much appreciated.............

You're welcome. :-)

I take a debit card for withdrawing cash from an ATM, and use a regular credit card to buy stuff and for hotels. Sometimes hotels or other establishments will put a hold on a credit card for a good deal more than the eventual bill, but this usually goes away after they get their money. I don't know anything about pre-paid travel cards and they may be the thing for your trip.

They don't really take it. They put more of a reserve against a certain amount of money in case you trash the room or run up big expenses. Anything not used against the room is then released afterwards. I use a CC in the US all the time without any problems and this is a common practice.

But businesses can put a hold on your money for up to a week -- or more! -- after you've completed the transaction. It's like you're loaning them money free for a week. And, during the entire time they put the money on hold, you have absolutely no access to it. And it's cumulative -- if you stay at five different places, each of them could place a100 hold on your money, meaning it's like your account is500 less than the amount of money you've spent. This URL deals with car rentals, but the same advice applies to lodging: bankrate.com/brm/news/cc/200...

Debit cards are processed in the same way as credit cards.

Depends on what you mean by processed. If you mean by the hotel, then it is true. If you mean by the card company - it isn't.