I will be travelling to small towns in Poland and Italy in September and would like to bring some travelers checks. Does anyone know which is cheaper--Buying USD checks here and cashing them at a bank overseas or buying Euro checks?(Don't worry I am also bringing some cash and ATM/credit cards. :))
Posted by
Bloomington, IL, USA
9363 posts
You're likely to find travelers checks hard to use. I'd stick only with the ATM card/credit card and cash. There is no advantage that I know of for travelers checks -- they are sort of a obsolete method of payment.
Posted by
Newburyport, MA
683 posts
We spent over 5 weeks in Pooland and never once saw a traveler's check. Besides, they use Zloty, not Euros. The prior poster is right-- NOBODY uses tc s
Cash is always welcome
Posted by
Vernon, Canada
32206 posts
Tina,
As the others have suggested, you might want to re-consider the Travellers Cheques. Some people have reported that it's getting difficult to cash them at local merchants. Often this requires a trip to an AmEx office or a financial institution.
As Rick has said in his shows "I've cashed my last Traveller's Cheque!"
Posted by
Eastern Iowa, USA
7548 posts
The value of Travellers checks have been primarily limited to emergency cash. While most merchants/hotels/etc. are reluctant to take them; Banks, currency exchanges, and of course AmEx offices readily exchange them. There will be more fees, even if hidden in the exchange rate, but if it is an emergency that is the least of your concerns. If you have a decent stash of cash (US or Euros), an ATM card, and separate Credit card, you can skip the checks. If you are less a credit card or meager cash stash, them it wouldn't hurt to have a few travellers checks as back up. In this case, I would just get USD checks due to the ease of getting them.
Posted by
Tresana, Highlands Ranch, CO, USA
23267 posts
As everyone else is saying -- avoid traveler checks. Too many problems with fraud. You will pay a high fee to get TC and a high price to cash them. If you need backup cash, put a couple of $50 bills in your socks. They still trust US cash.
Posted by
OP
ANNAPOLIS, MD, USA
8 posts
Well, I guess I don't have to worry about which type of checks to buy, since no one uses them anymore. I thought this was the case, but my very well travelled aunt still feels they are good in a crunch. For those of you who have travelled to Poland- when you refer to "cash", do you mean USD or zlotys? And thanks again for the advice!
Posted by
Eastern Iowa, USA
7548 posts
I would say for Cash, take US Dollars, that way you can convert or not, bring them back if needed. Euros would be OK as well, certainly for Italym and though Poland uses the Zloty, Euros are common and probably accepted as easily as Zlotys. I don't think I would convert alot of cash to Zloty's than have to convert back.