Traveling with cash

[kayhold]

I see you are cruising on Monday. Are you packed yet? Now I am wondering if I will be on the boards 3 days before I cruise. Yep, I guess I will too. :):p:rolleyes:

 

Pretty much. I have a few things I need to pack before we leave but they are electronics and I need them until the morning of. Everything else is ready to go!

[CRUISE4JANE]

I have seen you on the boards a lot. Now your time has come to go and enjoy. I have 44 days to go and am getting overwhelmed with my packing. Yes, I have everything in an upstairs bedroom laid out and still checking my list off. I will say AMEN when I get in the cab to take me to the port of N.O. It will take about 20 minutes or so to get there. I don't know if I could handle flying also to a port. I don't like to be rushed into anything. Can't wait to sit on my balcony with a nice glass of Chardonnay and say, AMEN, AMEN, AND AMEN! :D:p:). Please give us a review when you get back. I'll be waiting.

[Sh1035]

Whatever you do don't leave it sitting on the beach here in jax. Like any beach we have a handful of vagrants that like to run off with things at times or smash and grab. Not that bad but something to be careful with. What area of the beach do you plan on going to and what day of the week?

 

We have lots of choices depending on your requirements and where you are staying. In fact depending what you are driving you might like huguenot where you can drive on to the beach. pull out a beach chair and relax.

[swedish weave]

Our credit is used for cars (We just paid both off, though after 5 year loans) and we have our mortgage. We have ONE Brandsmart card and when we need an appliance, we wait until they have their 9 month 0% interest promotions, and use it then.

 

Your comment about your mortgage triggered an idea. Check an amortization schedule and see what you can accomplish by tossing a couple hundred dollars a month toward the principal. It will cut a few years off your mortgage, and will be money in your pocket from then on.

[fishtaco]

I second the suggestion of a money belt. When we adopted from Ukraine we had to carry over $10,000 in cash with us. We divided the money between us and had no problems. After a while you don't even feel the belt on you.

 

 

I might have to get one for my up coming USA trip,We always carry cash and split it between 2 when travelling but this time we have over 6k in cash and going to Vegas before the cruise:eek: The exchange rate was really good so i changed some up but i didnt realise how bulky 6k was especially as i went out of my way to get two hundred in ones and fives for tips.

 

Really hard to get used to notes all of the same size and color,I am sure there will be a few tips given with more Zeros than I intended lol.

 

Does smell nice though:) it smells like money,in Australia all our notes are plastic paper.

 

Den

[halos]

We don't do credit cards, and I do not want to use my debit card on the ship or in port. We've already put money on our account with funship dollars, prepaid tips, etc.

 

We're going to take about 1k with us, but I am worried something will happen.

Obviously on the ship, we can use the safe, but for you who carry cash, how do you make sure it stays safe until you board?

 

Right now, I'm mainly considering a cross body bag and it never leaving my side, except we're leaving a day early to spend the day at Jacksonville Beach.

 

So, how do you keep your cash safe? (Not really asking for advice, I'm sure I will manage, just wondering what others do)

 

We just carry the cash and we don't fret over it....Our last cruise was a logn one, so we had a lot of cash...you just do what you normally do when carrying cash. Don't let yourself walk around with a look of total fear on your face, with your bag strapped to you like a straight jacket you'll be a target for sure.

 

Relax :)

 

Once on board, the safe is where we put the $$$ and we take out cash for ports as needed.

[fishtaco]

I used to avoid using credit cards, until I found a card that gives me 3 points for every dollar I spend on travel. That equates to a 3 percent discount!!!! I pay it off when I get the bill, and it has no annual fees.

 

It has changed my outlook on credit cards.

 

It may help you overcome your compulsive spending if you look at it as a saving device instead of a spending device.

 

I do carry cash for shopping in the ports.

 

We do the same! We carry cash and i also put my credit cards into credit on trips so you are spending your own money on the card but getting points.

 

Debit cards are ok but when you are travelling it nice to know you have instant access to extra money in an emergency without leaving you short.

 

Den

[ccruisequeen]

We don't do credit cards, and I do not want to use my debit card on the ship or in port. We've already put money on our account with funship dollars, prepaid tips, etc.

 

We're going to take about 1k with us, but I am worried something will happen.

Obviously on the ship, we can use the safe, but for you who carry cash, how do you make sure it stays safe until you board?

 

Right now, I'm mainly considering a cross body bag and it never leaving my side, except we're leaving a day early to spend the day at Jacksonville Beach.

 

So, how do you keep your cash safe? (Not really asking for advice, I'm sure I will manage, just wondering what others do)

 

I use a fanny pack/waist pouch to keep my hands free. On elegant night, I take a small shoulder purse.

 

I put cash on my S/S card at Guest Services for tips & small charges, like a drink/souvenir cup & tips.

[fishtaco]

We just carry the cash and we don't fret over it....Our last cruise was a logn one, so we had a lot of cash...you just do what you normally do when carrying cash. Don't let yourself walk around with a look of total fear on your face, with your bag strapped to you like a straight jacket you'll be a target for sure.

 

Relax :)

 

Once on board, the safe is where we put the $$$ and we take out cash for ports as needed.

 

 

So true! but people tend not to loose cash as they are so aware that it is with them,just dont get it all out in front of others,keep small amounts to spend separate from the main stash.

 

Den

[CBCGirl]

When I am carring larger amounts of money I have one of two things, one is a small pocket that connects to my bra under my arm, the other is a pouch that goes across my body under my clothes. I keep a smaller amount of cash in my purse.

[delerium98]

We're going to take about 1k with us, but I am worried something will happen.

Obviously on the ship, we can use the safe,

 

One thing to keep in mind is that if you do decide to secure your cash in the safe be sure to bring some sort of card with a magnetic stripe on it. That's the only way you can lock the safe!

 

If you don't have a credit card to use then an inactive pre paid credit card will do just fine for this purpose.

[ladybug2007]

we have always went to are bank and got travelers checks which is safe never had a problem with using them on board or in ports and what ever we didn't use we just cashed them at our bank hope this helps you

[randalltx]

I also have no credit cards. We pay for everything in cash and carry zero debt. To me life is much easier this way.

As far as carrying cash on vacation. We usually carry large bills, divided between us. We keep the money in our front pockets. He carries a wallet in his back pocket that has nothing but blank note paper in it and I carry a purse with junk odds and ends in it. All other valuables are in the carryon bag. We also have small bills in envelopes in the carry on and change the large bills on the ship for port days.

I do like the idea of taking cash off of your S&S card – I may try to pre load extra on there and then cash out what I need for port days on our next cruise.

When I was working and never had any extra money I had credit cards.

Now I don't work, I don't have credit cards.

Guess what I do have. Yes I have money now.

No credit cards, a few debit cards all with lots of available cash, but only carry one or two at a time. Safeguard the others like cash.

For a great debit card, get a Paypal account and add a Netspend card now paying 5% interest with no minimum balance.

[sara_jordan01]

I always put it in several different places, never all together. A couple hundred in the bra (sorry gentleman), another couple in my over the shoulder bag. DH puts some in his wallet. Then if something happens we don't lose all of our money.

[maxxedout2]

We don't do credit cards, and I do not want to use my debit card on the ship or in port. We've already put money on our account with funship dollars, prepaid tips, etc.

 

We're going to take about 1k with us, but I am worried something will happen.

Obviously on the ship, we can use the safe, but for you who carry cash, how do you make sure it stays safe until you board?

 

Right now, I'm mainly considering a cross body bag and it never leaving my side, except we're leaving a day early to spend the day at Jacksonville Beach.

 

So, how do you keep your cash safe? (Not really asking for advice, I'm sure I will manage, just wondering what others do)

 

Howdy,

 

The old method is simply have inside pockets sewn into the shirts or pants

you typically wear. Never have anything valuable in regular pockets in

Foreign countries.....or even crowded areas on ships, malls etc.

 

Money belts and pouches on lanyards inside shirts work.....just not

T-shirts though...obviously.

 

I know a person that travelled in Mexico a lot and always wore two pair of

Pants, one over the other, avoiding pickpockets successfully.

 

He never made a fashion statement but it worked to keep his passport

and cash out of view /reach.

 

Envelopes, closed, are handy for carrying bills in your pocket through scanners.

 

Just a few ideas....

 

:cool:

[jsjjkelly]

I've only read 2 of the pages of posts so far, but no one has posted about travellers checks!!

 

You can get them at most banks before you leave. You cash them at the Desk (up to $1k per day I was told). If you come home with them, just go back to the bank and deposit them.

 

If they're stolen, they get replaced....

 

I know they're "old" and out of favor, but we use them every cruise and it has worked well for us.

 

Shawn

[Room Service!]

Traveller's checks were mentioned. Not an option in this case.