Dorothy

If I get AmEx Travelers Checks in Euros, can I use them pretty much like cash in small hotels, restaurants & shops in Italy?

janis

Actually travelers checks are not that convenient. Few small business accept them - you have to cash them in a bank or post office and then give the proprieter cash. It is much better to use ATM and credit cards.

Chris

Janis is mistaken. AmEx traveler's checks are typically accepted by every business including small ones but will sometimes give you a better price on goods for cash.<BR>I like the safety of traveler's checks and have used them everywhere from villages in Greece to Provence. I haven't been to many places that decline checks.

xxx

many B&Bs and restaurants will not accept TCs. Paticularly those in small towns. it is understandable, since they have to pay a fee to cash them.

StCirq

Traveler's checks have always been iffy in Europe, and are iffier now that people can get cash from ATMs. It depends on where you're traveling, but outside major tourist areas, people are reluctant to take travelers'checks. You may well find that they are not accepted at the shops you want to buy at, so why not just use your ATM card to withdraw cash from your checking account, at the best rate possible, and pay for those purchases in cash.

happytraveler

i think chris has been very lucky. a lot of places travelers checks are more trouble than they are worth. i usually take a few $ tc's just in case. i still have the $300 of travelers cks i took on my last 2 trips. have not needed them.

wes fowler

Another point to consider, Dorothy, is that you'll get a far better currency exchange rate using ATMs since that rate is based on commercial and international finance. Your AMEX checks may appear to be "free" of charge but check the exchange rate offered in their purchase cost. That rate may well include commissions, service charges and other hidden fees over and above the true commercial rate.

Dorothy

I appreciate the comments. I've found that travelers checks in dollars could be inconvenient, but I thought maybe in Euros it would be different because it wouldn't involve changing currencies. I hadn't really thought about camoflaged exchange rate differences. I did wonder if getting TC's in Euros now would secure my reservations at the price I expected to pay for them in case the dollar goes down substantially before I leave in October. The budget is pretty tight as it is.

Dorothy

I appreciate the comments. I've found that travelers checks in dollars could be inconvenient, but I thought maybe in Euros it would be different because it wouldn't involve changing currencies. I hadn't really thought about camoflaged exchange rate differences. I did wonder if getting TC's in Euros now would secure my reservations at the price I expected to pay for them in case the dollar goes down substantially before I leave in October. The budget is pretty tight as it is.

Leslie

Dorothy, if you are concerned about the fluctuation in price and still want to purchase TCs in Euros, go ahead and buy them. When you arrive at the airport, you should be able to cash them in for Euros without an exchange fee. If you buy Thomas Cook TCs in Euros, there seems to always be Thomas Cook exchange offices at the airports I have arrived at. American Express might be more iffy, but if you're going into large cities, you would still be able to cash them in at an American Express office without incurring an exchange fee. The question then becomes, do you want to take the time to search for either an American Express or Thomas Cook office.