What about Traveler's Checks??? Good? Bad?

islandgal · Post by **islandgal** » Thu Mar 12, 2009 11:50 am

You all have been so helpful about answering my many first time St. Thomas questions!

We only have 1 more day before we leave, and I am packing and tying up loose ends.

I went to the bank to get part of our $$ in Traveler's Checks. Had to go to 3 banks before I found one that actually had them. I asked since it was out of the country, if there would be any problem using them, and the gal said it was up to the individual proprietor, that they did not always honor them. I would hate to have the majority of our $$ tied up in something we couldn't use down there.

Anybody have any experience or advice on that?? I thought they would be safer for travel, but maybe not! Thanks so much for any advice!
Islandgal

flip-flop · Post by **flip-flop** » Thu Mar 12, 2009 12:02 pm

More trouble than they are worth. Take some cash, take your visa card and you'll be fine. A surprising number of places take amex as well.

We typically take a pocketful of cash and replenish at the ATM mid trip. And use our amex as much as possible.

Teresa_Rae · Post by **Teresa_Rae** » Thu Mar 12, 2009 12:07 pm

In my opinion they'd be an unecessary pain. I know when I worked retail in college we didn't like taking them and some businesses won't accept them. We use mostly credit cards while we're on STJ. We take a few hundred dollars for cash transactions and if you ever run out there are a couple ATMs on STJ. They can run out of cash so I wouldn't wait until you're down to nothing, but I'd think that traveler's checks would be more trouble than they're worth. Just my two cents

Gromit · Post by **Gromit** » Thu Mar 12, 2009 12:13 pm

Honestly, Travelers Checks really don't serve any useful purpose these days with the availability of CC's and easy access to cash via ATM's. Back when there were no ATM's they made sense.

Heck you can even get a Visa card now that you pre-deposit $$ to if you don't have a CC.

TC's are an incredible hassle since merchants either don't want to deal with them or don't know HOW to deal with them.

Just my .02.

islandgal · Post by **islandgal** » Thu Mar 12, 2009 12:14 pm

Thanks flipflop and Teresa. I think that sounds like a better plan.
They are a hassle to use, but just thought if anything happened to them, they would be safer than cash. I think I may return the ones that I bought to the bank before we leave. They'll think I'm nuts!lol

Gromit · Post by **Gromit** » Thu Mar 12, 2009 12:16 pm

Hopefully they won't charge you a fee to return them!

islandgal · Post by **islandgal** » Thu Mar 12, 2009 12:19 pm

They didn't charge me anything to get them, so hopefully not. If they are going to, I'll just save them and buy groceries with them locally when we get back.

islandgal · Post by **islandgal** » Thu Mar 12, 2009 12:23 pm

I just saw your first post Gromit,and
I think you are right. And the gal at the bank (after I purchased them) said that she thought maybe some merchants were afraid of them because they thought they could be duplicated like money orders were a couple of years back.

Pete (Mr. Marcia) · Post by **Pete (Mr. Marcia)** » Thu Mar 12, 2009 12:33 pm

Let me just throw this into the mix.

We always take travelers checks with us. Often times, the ATMs are either out of cash or the lines to use them are long.

Starfish will take travelers checks. So, we use them to buy minor items and get the balance back in cash. Also, the bank in the Market Place will cash them.

islandgal · Post by **islandgal** » Thu Mar 12, 2009 12:46 pm

Hate to be ignorant, but what is Starfish? Never been there before.

Marcia (Mrs. Pete) · Post by **Marcia (Mrs. Pete)** » Thu Mar 12, 2009 12:51 pm

islandgal wrote:Hate to be ignorant, but what is Starfish? Never been there before.

It's the grocery store in the Market Place.

melmd · Post by **melmd** » Thu Mar 12, 2009 12:53 pm

I'll throw in my .2 also. When we went to STJ last time we brought some TC and had no problem using them. We cashed them at the bank in Cruz Bay and used them at a couple of resturants and it was never an issue. I prefer to use a CC when I can, but it's a (pretty) safe way to take back up funds.

Have a great time.

Gromit · Post by **Gromit** » Thu Mar 12, 2009 12:54 pm

Pete-- Good Buddy and my favorite attorney of all time -- she's going to be on STT not STJ

On Pete's suggestion -- I'd say if they're gonna charge you any fees to exchange them back for cash then just take them down and try to use them. No sense losing money on the deal.

islandgal · Post by **islandgal** » Thu Mar 12, 2009 1:00 pm

Thanks all!
Yes, I would not pay to return them. Would just use them down there if possible, and if not, use them back here at home, where they know me.

I appreciate all the replies and so quickly. You guys are great!
Back to packing!

bevm · Post by **bevm** » Thu Mar 12, 2009 3:45 pm

islandgal...you can always deposit them back in to your account at your bank, too. I'd take a few, throw them in a bag and if you need them they're there. If not bring them home and use them for groceries.
Also, some houses/villas don't have safes so you may not want to leave a lot of cash there or take it to the beach.

usvi-on-line

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What about Traveler's Checks??? Good? Bad?

What about Traveler's Checks??? Good? Bad?