Is it wise to bring Traveller's Checks?
 

Should we bring Traveller's Checks? We will be using our credit card and probably cash, but do we need the checks?

Where are you going? In Australia there are plenty of ATM machines so you really don't need travelers checks.

When I visited Oz in October 2002, I brought Traveller's Checks and they were useless. Virtually none of the shops in Sydney that I visited would accept them. So, I had to locate an American Express location and exchange them for cash (which they did for free). Use the ATM and your credit card(s). Good luck and enjoy your trip! It's a beautiful place!<BR><BR>

We are going to be in Cairns for one week and Sydney in one week

Don't bother with travellers checks. We used our credit cards and debit cards everywhere. Plus using a credit card you usually get a better exchange rate than you get exchanging travellers checks or cash at a bank. We also went to Cairns and Sydney.

I concur with the other replies travellers' checks are useless. Avoid! Take cash and your credit cards. If you run out of cash, ATMs are everywhere. Is this your first trip to Sydney? If it is you'll love it. Sydney is my favourite city in the whole wide world. Enjoy!

Steve
Blackpool, England

Nack, hi again,

Debit Card, Debit Card , Debit Card.
Taken virtually everywhere we went. Plus, you can print out a pocket converter chart on an internet currency exchange site, have it in you check register, and keep track of expences, since it is the current bank rate for that day. Wonderful. Have fun, and take no checks, for example... Went to an ATM on the street corner. Punched in $300. got six 50s and my account was debited in a couple of days $189.00. Very cool. So easy. Have fun. Deb

Be sure to take two or three cards and that you can use them all to get cash from an ATM.

Even after notifying our credit card company that we would be traveling overseas, they still blocked our card. Our second card would not allow ATM withdrawls and we didn't have cab fare to get to a bank. After 45 minutes on the phone (in the middle of the Brisbane airport) it finally got it resolved.