Prepaid US travel cards

gam3r

gam3r

gam3r

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Hi

I'm going to the US next month and I'm going to be taking a substantial amount of spending money which I already have in dollars(hard cash). I know there are pre paid cards available that allow you to put GBP on but is there an equivalent card for dollars? Reason being is I already have dollars and i got them at a good rate, but I don't want to have the burden of having to carry a large amount around with me all the time as we will be travelling around the west coast.

Thanks
 
Why oh why do people do the 'take out a huge amount of hard cash' thing. I bet the 'good rate' wasn't a 'good rate' at all compared to what you could have got with far far less faff and far far more convenience by simply using the correct travel friendly credit card.

I don't know of any cards which will do what you want - as you already have physical cash (Make sure you pay a bomb to 'insure' it all). Most of these cards are filed using electronic funds transfer.

Please read this thread in full so that next time you go to the USA you don't do anything as daft as taking presumably thousands of dollars of physical currency on the plane with you:

http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?t=18297622&highlight=Santander

What rate did you get, out of interest, and how much?

Did your foreign exchange place offer to buy back at the same rate you paid? If so, sell the whole lot back and do it properly.
 
As he's going next month, getting a Credit card isn't really an option. It takes a fair amount of time to get them set up and issued.
 
It takes about 7 days, actually. But as he already has a huge wad of dollars it isn't an option - but it should be for next time.

I just cannot rationalise the concept of taking a 'substantial amount' of dollars to the US for spending money. Especially when it isn't even much of a cash economy anyway, almost everything you buy is card over there. He'll just end up bringing back a 'substantial amount' of dollars which he'll then get conned on when he wishes to convert them back to Sterling.

Dollars are useful for bars and some places to eat. That really is about it.
 
[TW]Fox;19654193 said:
It takes about 7 days, actually. But as he already has a huge wad of dollars it isn't an option - but it should be for next time.
Click to expand...

Is that fast tracked, all cards I've applied for have taken far longer than that.
 
My rate was 1.8 and I'm not expecting to bring any back. Also, I didn't buy ALL of it recently. I had some dollars given to me. Having been to the US multiple times in the past there I don't see validity in your statement 'it isn't much of a cash economy anyway'. Before criticising my choices please know the full facts.

Thanks
 
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How on earth did you get $1.8 to £1!?

If you can get that sort of rate you need to jack in your day job and make yourself millions as a currency trader. That is absolutely bonkers. You could immediatly sell that back on the open market and make a fortune. Forgive me for being very sceptical here... where did you get it from?

There is perfect validity in my statement about the USA not being a huge cash economy. You can pay for literally anything on a card. The only times I ever need cash are when I'm in little shops buying food/drink, in bars, taking a taxi (Though they now mostly take cards as well), etc etc.

Shops, rental companies, hotels, you name it - most actively prefer card to cash, removing the need to take a substantial amount of cash on holiday with you.

Obviously the fact you are telling us you got $1.8:£1 changes this because that rate is unbeleivably sensational. I can't see how anyone would do anything other than lose a huge pile of money by selling you a large amount at that rate! You've either done very well, in which case congratulations, or you've made a mistake somewhere...
 
[TW]Fox;19654284 said:
Obviously the fact you are telling us you got $1.8:£1 changes this because that rate is unbeleivably sensational. I can't see how anyone would do anything other than lose a huge pile of money by selling you a large amount at that rate! You've either done very well, in which case congratulations, or you've made a mistake somewhere...
Click to expand...

Not sure why you are going along with the charade, he clearly did not buy US$ at a rate of 1.8:1. :p Hes posted to say he has a load of US currency, and now that he is being criticised he is saving face.
 
[TW]Fox;19654284 said:
There is perfect validity in my statement about the USA not being a huge cash economy. You can pay for literally anything on a card. The only times I ever need cash are when I'm in little shops buying food/drink, in bars, taking a taxi (Though they now mostly take cards as well), etc etc.
Click to expand...

That is the same as the UK then? While you always have to option to pay for anything on card doesn't mean you can't pay with cash. I need not explain myself on where I got my dollars from apart from that I got it at pretty much the buy back rate, and nor did I buy them all in one large batch.

How am I trying to save face? Why would I even lie? :/

Mods - To be honest, if this thread is just going to go on like this i'd rather it be closed as I don't see the point of arguing needlessly here.

Thanks
 
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You did not buy US$ in any recent time at a rate of 1.8:1 unless the cashier at the beureau made a mistake.
 
Why does it have to come to this? I purchased some for this amount at THIS rate. I paid the £109.89.



Uploaded with ImageShack.us

Thanks, but I'm not imagining things.
 
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AcidHell2 said:
Is that fast tracked, all cards I've applied for have taken far longer than that.
Click to expand...

Sounds about right for an instantly-accepted online application (with T&Cs signed online). Offline applications, manual underwriting, paper T&Cs and AML checks would all add to the processing time.
 
gam3r said:
That is the same as the UK then? While you always have to option to pay for anything on card doesn't mean you can't pay with cash.
Click to expand...

I'm not saying you can't pay with cash, I'm saying you don't NEED to pay with cash.

In the UK this irrelevent because obtaining cash is free, easy and zero hassle at any point.

Abroad, obtaining cash usually involves faff and currency conversion and involves you carrying around a large quantity of cash, a problem you've felt enough to ask here about. Therefore I see no point in taking a huge pile of cash to the US.
 
[TW]Fox;19654997 said:
Isn't that the 'We Buy' rate not 'We Sell'? Most high street places will BUY for that amount.... selling is rather different?
Click to expand...

No question marks needed, that is a quotation receipt showing that bureau's buy rate, not their sell rate.

I don't know how stupid the guy thinks the people on this forum are, but he is clearly overestimating.
 
How did you get 1.82 when the spot rate hasn't been above 1.68 this year?

They must have used the buy rate instead of the sell rate by accident, so basically you ripped them off.
 
[TW]Fox;19654172 said:
Why oh why do people do the 'take out a huge amount of hard cash' thing. I bet the 'good rate' wasn't a 'good rate' at all compared to what you could have got with far far less faff and far far more convenience by simply using the correct travel friendly credit card.

Please read this thread in full so that next time you go to the USA you don't do anything as daft as taking presumably thousands of dollars of physical currency on the plane with you:
Click to expand...

[TW]Fox;19654193 said:
It takes about 7 days, actually. But as he already has a huge wad of dollars it isn't an option - but it should be for next time.

I just cannot rationalise the concept of taking a 'substantial amount' of dollars to the US for spending money.
Click to expand...

Fml. You can say everything you've said (i.e. the helpful bits) without the snide condescending attitude y'know. I'd take a wild guess that you wouldn't speak to someone like that 'IRL', so why do it on here?

BUT LOL HE LIED ABOUT HIS EXCHANGE RATE SO YOU TALKING TO HIM LIKE HE'S A **** IS FINE

To answer the OP - go into a Thomas Cook and get one of their MasterCard 'cash passports', and I think you can then load the dollars onto the card in store. Give them a call to confirm.
 
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