Holiday Money - advice please!

[Trendynana]

Hi folks

I wonder if anyone can help me - I am going to New Zealand in January for a months holiday and I usually take $2000 NZ for the car hire (Cash).

$1000 NZ for some cash when I arrive. The rest in Sterling Travellers Cheques. BUT my son who works in a New Zealand Bank says that his bank is not accepting travellers cheques anymore. Also, the last time we ordered some we had to pay £50 when we picked them up from the Post Office that we had ordered them from. I thought that was a lot.

I do NOT possess a Credit Card - only a Visa Debit Card.

I do not want a Credit Card but the Post Office mentioned something about a Credit Card that they issue and you pay it off when you get back? Won't I have to go through a credit rating for this? I probably don't have a credit rating as have paid for everything with a Debit card for the last 20 years or cash!

Surely if I do apply for a Credit Card - there will be some sort of charge one way or the other and will I be able to get one? (I do not have a mortgage as own my house). Never used an overdraft. I usually withdraw approx $1000 NZ at a time with my Travellers Cheques. (Got lots of treats for my children etc., when I am there)!!

Any suggestions?

[Duncan74]

I'd seriously consider simply using your Visa debit card in shops and in ATMs. Take A couple of hundred dollars out at a time to keep the transaction charges down, but overall in terms of convenience then it's worth considering. Ok, so it's not going to be the absolute cheapest way, but it saves running around before you go and whilst you're there. At least look at what the rate and charges are and work out how much it would cost you over and above other ways.

You may need to rely on signing the transaction slip in shops though, in early 2008 not many places managed to get the chip and pin to work on UK cards (even though they did work on Kiwi cards).

[catt]

Depending on your bank your debit card can be used in certain ATMs here but there are some that dont take debit cards. If you are going to use it here in NZ you should notify your bank that you are coming over and will be using your card as some UK banks now have a "decline" set up when it it used out of the UK (this is usually because of possible fraud problems and they stop it automatically).

Some banks will give you cash over the counter if you present your debit card and sign for the cash, we have done this when the ATM outside the bank wouldnt take it.

I would say thought that getting a credit card from your own bank that provided your debit card should be a relatively easy process as they know what goes in and what goes out. Also, we have found credit card charges for overseas cash withdrawals and payments for goods and services is considerably cheaper than using our debit card which we still have.

Hope you get sorted out soon.

[Duncan74]

If you're worried about actually borrowing on a credit card then there's nothing to stop you 'loading' it with cash before you go. We actually did that, so instead of running up a bill to pay at the end, we stuck a bit of money on and then over the course of the holiday it went down to zero. Anything left afterwards, jsut use that to pay for your groceries in teh uk on your return instead of your visa debit.

[victoria24]

you could get a travelex card. www.cashpassport.co.nz

[kara_m]

the post office do a pre paid credit card, it has the visa sign on it so will be accepted in most places and atms, you put your money on the card before you leave and can top it up via the internet while you are away
I have not used one yet but my friend has and didnt have any problems with it and said she recommends it
I am planning on using it when we go travelling in the US on route to NZ

[Trendynana]

Thanks for all your ideas and advice. I think I will go back to the Post Office and find out more about that 'loaded' credit card.

[bluesky]

I would say just use your Visa debit card. You'll be able to use it just like a credit card, so if you don't need the actual credit facility, there's no advantage in getting a credit card.

[melack]

Victoria24 & KaraM are right.....the cash passport is a great idea!
I recently used one when travelling NZ and found it accepted virtually everywhere.
It has got nothing to do with credit checks, as it's a preloaded card so you pay up front (though you can get any leftover money back when you get home - that's if you've any money left of course!)
Just make sure you check exchange rates before you get one......various outlets have them available, the post office, travel agents etc. So check which place is giving the best rate first. Also on the form you fill in to get one, there is a tick box that allows you to get a second card for £1, so if you loose the first card the second one can be 'activated' and your balance from the first transferred. Takes away some of the worry!
Also, if ever you want to check how much money you have left on it you simply log-in to your web account (all the details of how to do this are in the leaflet they give you when you get the card).
I used both this type of preloaded card & my normal credit card whilst in NZ, but found my normal bank credit card expenses were billed at a much worse exchange rate than I'd got on my preloaded card. So next time I'll be leaving my bank credit card at home.....

[Angelonthemove]

Another use for travellex card

http://www.cashpassport.com/

My parents have posted me a UK travellex cashpassport card (it's in my mothers name) and then txt me the pin number. Obviously you are not meant to use it this way, but she sent me £50 cash in the post, so I pointed her to a safer way.

It's already in NZ dollars and when its my birthday or xmas they put cash on for me their end, to spend here on nice luxuries. Saves on posting stuff. Great for emergencies too if you need money and have to ask your parents. I know at my age you'd think I would have grown out of that one