Anyone use the Post Office Travel Money Card?

[MontyVeda]

I'm off to the states in a couple of months and am wondering what's the best way to take my money.

Last time i took a load of dollars in cash. I'll probably do the same again but at the PO, they give a slightly better exchange rate on their Travel Money Card which is supposedly accepted anywhere that takes MasterCard.

Just wondering what the pros and cons are, and any alternatives to a wallet full of notes.

Thanks

 

[Noru]

I went to the New York last month & used a prepaid Asda (Travelex) card for the first time.

They're good as you'll loose less if you're robbed compared with carrying cash.

They were accepted everywhere we tried them.

But ATMs are less available than in the UK at any time day or night, many seemed to be in shops / foyers and charging for withdrawls is quite common.

My Mrs prepaid card also charged for cash withdrawls (Thompsons I think) but my Asda one didn't so we used my card for cash withdrawls as she'd incur the ATM charge & travelcard fee. So check the card T&Cs.

Also finding an ATM that would let me check the balance of my card was very hit & miss. The Mrs had a nice app on her phone which she could check & it updated quite quickly.

Shops have normal chip & pin machines but cafes/bars/restaurants will give you a bill and take your card away. Then return your card while you write on the bill how much tip you're paying & sign it and they then go charge this to your pre-approved card.
You're left with a recipt of what you intended to pay them not what they actually charged you, which was a little unnerving. Luckily all my bills matched my receipts but it seems an easy system to abuse.

If you've any remaining dollars they will charge you to withdraw it in pounds once back in the UK. I didnt bother to work out if this charge worked out more or less than if I'd changed dollar notes back in to pounds.

I would use it again but make sure I had an app to check the balance.

 

[Jimidh]

I use the Post Office card and as per the Asda card it's accepted everywhere and you can withdraws cards at ATMs.

The app is easy to use to top up if required and keep a check on your balance.

The new card is also multi currency so no need for separate dollar / Euro cards which you needed previously.

 

[Tail End Charlie]

I've used a Post Office card on the continent no problems. One thing to know is you're charged two Euros when you withdraw cash.

 

[vickster]

I used the Tesco Travelex one for my recent trip for the states. Worked seemlessly but some banks did seem to charge more to use (in addition to the set $2.50 per withdrawal). Can use as a standard charge card too, fee free.
Definitely better than having loads of cash (in my case $2k, work trip)

 

[mjr]

I've used the Post office card and the Caxton fx one years ago. If going to the States now, I'd look at www.moneysavingexpert.com and see what they recommend. I don't feel comfortable using my ordinary cards in the USA because their card security was non existent last I saw.

 

[irw]

Another +1 for the Asda Currency Card. I paid for it with my Asda credit card and therefore didn't have to pay any additional fees. We had a bit left on the card when we came back, and this was converted back into pounds, again with no fee.

 

[Tanis8472]

Quite a few clear your balance if the card is not used for a set time.

I think it varies from one to another.

 

[slowmotion]

I've used a Caxton fx card for a couple of years. I don't know how it compares, exchange rate-wise now. For me, the best bit is loading it up with funds before a holiday, and not coming home to a credit card hangover. It's a massive psychological benefit really.

 

[MontyVeda]

Thanks for the replies guys. I'm heading to rural Virginia so machines might be very few and far between, and i would be using the card to withdraw a wad of cash rather than to pay for whatever. I think I'll stick to cash. The chances of me getting robbed on this trip are so very slim and i can rest assured that cash will work everywhere.