traveling abroad.... travelers checks or..?

[randomlinh]

i'm going to japan for a week, other than my CC, i would like to have some cash on hand. Should I get traveler's checks

in dollars, and exchange there
in yen and just swap there
just get yen now

I was trying to order stuff from american express, but they rejected me saying they couldn't confirm me?!?! (their order system had my first and last name as one name, dunno if that had anything to do with it). I'm going through my bank, but they use a third party company and they don't seem to offer travelers checks in USD, but do offer to get currency in yen now. comes to ~110yen = $1 (current rate at ~118 = $1, and i'm going in about two weeks).

any opinions?

Linh

 

[aphex]

I found travellers checks to be more of a Pain in the ass than anything...

 

Originally posted by: aphex
I found travellers checks to be more of a Pain in the ass than anything...

I've never used them but yeah, they would be a PITA I'm sure. Bring a check card, if you have one, a credit card, and a good bit of cash.

 

[FeathersMcGraw]

Originally posted by: aphex
I found travellers checks to be more of a Pain in the ass than anything...

I use traveller's checks even when travelling domestically. It depends where you're going to be spending your money. In most business/tourist areas, they're fine.

 

[randomlinh]

any other inputs?

 

[huey1124]

bring a pistol. i hear it's very universal, and any retailer would be foolish to refuse it.



















j/k

 

[AlienCraft]

Use your ATM card. You get a no commision exchange (usually) and you don't have to carry a big load around w/ you.

 

[GTaudiophile]

ATM = best Xchange rates. Don't mess with T-checks. Just make sure you take the necessary 1800 number/calling info if you have to report a lost or stolen card.

 

[KenGr]

Japan is one of the few places I would recommend taking some travellers checks along. You can directly withdraw funds (in local currency) with your US ATM card in almost all countries now, but in Japan there are only a few locations where you can do this. I needed to do this and finally found a CitiBank location in the Ginza but it was an incredible hassle.

VISA/MC will be accepted most places and that's a good way to go, but I would take some travellers checks or cash along (in Dollars) to exchange for Yen. Keep track of the exchange rate, but most major Japanese hotels don't rip you off on the exchange rate as badly as in other countries, so you can change there for pocket money. Then use credit cards as much as you can. These days I'm pretty comfortable carrying $500 or more in cash when I travel, so maybe travellers checks aren't necessary?

 

[randomlinh]

thanks for the info everyone

 

[Zugzwang152]

credit cards provide the most protection, carry a small amount of cash for incidentals. because of a large amount of fraud, some places won't even accept travelers checks anymore. Good luck and have fun!

 

[randomlinh]

well, the main thing w/ travelers checks was just for me to bring money over there to convert to yen. i wouldn't use it to buy things. i'd be bringing along 6-700 most likely.