travellers' cheques

[I.Don No]

I have never used these before and am planning to go to France later in the year.

I would be grateful for an idiot's guide please, me being the idiot!

[R1Geezer]

Travellers cheques? you on the electric yet? just get dosh out of a cash machine as you go, they have them in France. Much easier than queueing in a bank to cash them and probably cheaper too. Didn't think they still existed!

[spudqueen]

There are two places for signatures on a travellers cheque. When you buy them you sign in one of the places. This should be done before you leave the cashiers desk. The cashier will tell you which place to sign (or look on the cheque - it does tell you). You also get a print out of all the travellers cheques numbers you have been issued. You keep the list of numbers completely separate from the cheques, as you need these if they are lost or stolen. When you cash one (at your hotel, or a bank etc) you sign in the second signature place on the travellers cheque. You only do this when the cashier is watching. You may also need your passport with you. You hand over the cheque and get cash in return. Make a note of the numbers of the cheques you have cashed. If your cheques are lost or stolen you can get replacements (within 24 hours I think with American Express ones).

[boxtops]

I didn't realise that these are still available. For going to France I would not go to the trouble - as R1G says, you just go to the cash machines in France and draw out what you need in Euros. The banks do make a small charge per withdrawal but it means you don't have the worry of losing the cheques - just draw out cash when you need it.

[hippyhoppy]

Pre-paid money cards are the new thing.. check out the link..

http://www.cardsmart....L2R6aMCFVFd4wod9Hfy3g

[spudqueen]

Didn't know they still existed Geezer? They are brilliant if you go to the States, especially Florida. If you take US dollar travellers cheques with you there you can use them to pay for things and get the change in cash. Eg paying for a meal which cost $65, pay with a $100 travellers cheque and get $35 change, in cash. It's a great system.
They are also safer than just relying on a debit/credit card, as if that is lost or stolen you probably won't get a replacement until long after you return home. With travellers cheques you can get replacements very quickly (usually with 24 hours).

[boxtops]

Fair comment spudqueen, my debit card was stolen from my bag in Spain, but the replacement was waiting for me when I got home.

[I.Don No]

crikey that was quick!!

thanks all for the info....didn't realise that they were a bit fiddly....will prob use plastic then

thanks again all

[andy-hughes]

They are a bit fiddly, but they do pre-date plastic by a number of years, so at that time, they were the safest means of carrying money abroad without having to trouser shedloads of folding.

Now, most travellers use a combination of debit and credit cards, but keep a note of the emergency numbers in your hotel so that you can call if you get your bag swiped.

[dzug2]

I saw a post on another forum (sorry can't remember which) where the poster said hr couldn't find anywhere in France to cash his travellers cheques and ended up coming home with them. Banks, Post Office all refused them.

[I.Don No]

thanks for the extra info!