i am going to italy for 2 wks, i am definitely bringing a credit card, but i would like to have some cash on me. i don't know how much i should bring, please help <BR>laurie

<BR>Laurie, we always bring more than l kind of credit card (you'll find some places may take Visa, but not Mastercard) travelers checks as back up, and usually carry a few hundred (each of us) in US cash. Other travelers on this forum swear by their ATM cards. We usually end up not using the travelers checks at all, and use only a little cash to convert in local currency for misc. things like taxes, buses etc. You'll find lots of varying opinions on this Forum by doing a search.

You may find these two articles helpful: <BR>Money and Exchange for Visitors to Europe: www.twenj.com/moneyand.htm <BR> <BR>Budgeting Your Trip: <BR>www.twenj.com/tipsbudget.htm <BR> <BR>Ed

Bring a Visa card, good all over Europe. Get money of the country your going to from the states. Exchange enough for one day. You never know what you might need when you land. And...bring a ATM Card, savvy travelers are using the atm's more than travelers checks!! You get great rates to boot! <BR>JOHN

Savvy travelers also bring along a few travelers checks in case their ATM card does not work, the magnetic strip becomes compromised, the card gets swallowed by an ATM, or the card is lost or stolen...

I bring $500 in travelers checks (and never use them); about $100 in foreign currency to get me started, 1 credit card and 1 ATM/Credit card; and about $50 in US Dollars. With ATM machines being everywhere, we would get our foreign currency every 4-5 days. And we use our credit card whenever possible (hotels, restaurants, shopping).