travellers' checks

[secretsatan13.livejournal.com]

So I'm pretty sure I already know the answer to this, but I'd rather not assume anything and I'm having a hard time discerning from elsewhere....

Do the vendors who don't accept credit cards accept travellers' checks?
I'm weary of carrying around a lot of cash. (I don't have the best of luck with wallets, historically speaking.) And I don't want to be assed out if a wad of money goes missing early on.

I am aware that, technically speaking, anyone who accepts cash *should* accept the travellers' checks, but I am also aware that some corners of the world tend to be something special.

thanks.

Comments

[noelleleithe.livejournal.com]

I'd avoid using traveler's checks with small vendors. Use them for restaurants/the hotel gift shop/etc., and then use the cash you get in change to pay the small vendors. :)

There are also multiple ATMs in the area, so you may be able to pull out cash as you need it. Depending on your bank, you might even be able to do that for free.

[alexdelarge78.livejournal.com]

I try to advise using the atms sparingly. I know it's all subjective, but that fee can add up :)

[alaskan-blue.livejournal.com]

No kidding! I withdrew a mere $50 for an emergency purchase and between that ATM fee and the one my bank charged in addition I paid an extra ten dollars. Thank goodness I only had to do so once.

[mirana.livejournal.com]

ATMs also run out of cash--especially on long holiday weekends. If you don't do it early on, you might have to go far afield to find any.

[noelleleithe.livejournal.com]

The ATMs do start to run out near the end of the weekend, but it's unusual for all of the ones in the immediate area to run out. Even if the hotels and food court ones go dry, there are multiple other options along the streets around the hotels. You do have to plan carefully, like doing most of your buying earlier in the weekend. :)

[memysza.livejournal.com]

Yes. My actual bank has a branch right across from the host hotels, though I've never actually used it.

[rozhena-ashford.livejournal.com]

Mine has an ATM right in the food court.

[secretsatan13.livejournal.com]

this had been my understanding.
i dont really want to have to worry about a wad of cash, especially since im not sure if there is a safe in the hotel room.

[mirana.livejournal.com]

Hmm, most hotels in the metro area (especially the con ones) will at least have a hotel safe. If you're paying $100+ a night, then in-room are usually standard (working with dealers means you learn where the safes are... ;). Give them a call and find out if you decide to go the cash route.

Otherwise, I tend to give housekeeping a break, and myself piece of mind, and have them NOT clean my room all week. No way it's gonna get that dirty in four days anyway. ;)

[ladytalker13.livejournal.com]

We always just tell housekeeping to just do towels and trash... after all, most folks only wash bedding at home once a week anyway...

[mirana.livejournal.com]

Yah, though the reason I brought it up was for keeping strangers (who get paid crap--so the temptation is there) away from your belongings. ;)

Who needs new towels and trash bags every day anyway? Maybe trash if you have a lot of people in one room, but how hard is it to hang up your towel? ;)

[ladytalker13.livejournal.com]

I get the towel thing since that's what we do at home, but with 4 people in the room, it's hard to find spots to hang towels to dry and know whose is whose... especially since they are all white... LOL

[mirana.livejournal.com]

Heh, I just need to remember where I put mine and keep it there...but closets with pant hangers are good for drying and keeping track if the towel rack is too small/chaotic.

[secretsatan13.livejournal.com]

...yeah...