Travellers Cheques

[Steve]

Has anybody found it more difficult to use TC's in Florida lately? I just read on a Disney forum that someone had heard that Wal*Mart and Golden Corral had stopped taking them. I know in the past there have been spates where they check ID on every transaction due to increased forgeries being in circulation as I imagine it easier to forge these than bank notes.

[kiomuk]

Steve

This is part of a wider issue with retailers not accepting cheques. Travellers cheques are treated just the same way as the retailer banks them like cheques. Many retailers in the UK will no longer accept cheques as payment either e.g. M&S.

[Steve]

Hi Keith,

yes I can see why they do not take bank cheques and I imagine the same amount of work is involved with a TC. It looks like people who do use TC's will have to soon change them at banks etc when they want some cash.

[Mary and Colin]

I sometimes work in the Bureux de change in M&S and we are still selling a few travellers cheques. No one has come back with any saying they could not use them. I usually ask if they have not spent all thier dollars or cheques just as a bit of conversation, and as yet no one has said they have found them differcult to spend.
I will keep you updated if i hear anything.
Mary

[kiomuk]

Hi Keith,

yes I can see why they do not take bank cheques and I imagine the same amount of work is involved with a TC. It looks like people who do use TC's will have to soon change them at banks etc when they want some cash.

An alternative is to use one of the pre-loaded cards instead of travellers cheques. These are becoming increasingly common but there are some restrictions and downsides. Some cards charge per transaction and another feature is that any unused credit can be lost as cards can have an expiry date so check the smallprint before you buy one.

[ellie]

We stoppped using Travellers Cheques many years ago, and now use our credit card.

I can still remember, though, how thrilling it was to go and buy our Travellers cheques before we set off on a trip to Florida - all that signing when you bought them - took ages if you decided on lots of low value cheques.

Guess its just progress.