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  6 0 Don't use travelers checks. They are outmoded, expensive to exchange in foreign countries, and can be difficult to replace if lost. Any major urban bank should carry enough foreign currency for wherever you're going so that you can get from the airport to the ATM. Otherwise, I recommend using your credit or debit card to withdraw cash once you're in the country -- you should only be charged the ATM fee by your bank, NOT the (sometimes extortionary) additional fee of exchanging money that you'll have to pay at any exchange place. This way, you're never carrying more than a couple hundred on you at any time, AND your bank can disable/replace your credit card while you're travelling if it gets stolen. If you do use your credit card, call your bank/credit card company before you go to let them know when you'll be traveling. Otherwise, they might automatically shut down the card if you start using it, say, in Tokyo, when all of your previous charges have been in Seattle. MyrnaMinkoff answered in Whatever about 1 year ago | Report 3 comments by keshmeshi, MyrnaMinkoff, and Adam Michelson… 0 0 This entirely depends on where you're going. I've used my ATM card in France, but only travelers' checks/cash in West Africa. In Haiti, anything short of U.S. dollars in cash will be a no go. Any country that's first world or has pockets of first world living conditions should be ATM friendly, but true third world conditions require travelers' checks or cash. keshmeshi commented about 1 year ago | Report 0 0 Good points, all of them. MyrnaMinkoff commented about 1 year ago | Report 0 0 There are a few banks that don't charge an international fee for ATM withdrawals, and almost all of them give you a really good exchange rate. Best option, even if you have to pay an international fee. Adam Michelson commented about 1 year ago | Report Enter your comment or ask a new question preview THIS IS A PREVIEW: Click "Post" to submit it or "Edit" to make changes. edit Please wait… This could take a minute if the tubes are clogged.

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  1 0 I think you're going to find it difficult to get travelers' checks anywhere other than your bank, unless you're willing to open a new account. I've yet to find a bank that will issue travelers' checks to anyone other than a current customer. Back when I was a teen and didn't have a bank account of any kind, my father's bank tried to refuse to give me travelers' checks when he was standing right next to me. If you really can't wait and if you're traveling someplace where ATMs aren't plentiful, I recommend cash and a money belt. keshmeshi answered in Whatever about 1 year ago | Report Comment on this answer Enter your comment or ask a new question preview THIS IS A PREVIEW: Click "Post" to submit it or "Edit" to make changes. edit Please wait… This could take a minute if the tubes are clogged.

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  0 0 Are you a AAA member? Pretty sure they will hook you up with no or reduced fees. capicola answered in Whatever about 1 year ago | Report Comment on this answer Enter your comment or ask a new question preview THIS IS A PREVIEW: Click "Post" to submit it or "Edit" to make changes. edit Please wait… This could take a minute if the tubes are clogged.

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  0 1 Get a new bank. American Express Traveler's cheques are available in units of 20s, 50s, 100s in convenient groups of 200, 250, 300, etc. My bank has them all setting in a small cardboard box in the vault behind the clerk's counter. As soon as you ask for them, the retrive the box and pull the appropriate envelope that has what I need. I sign them all right there, separate the receipt from the cheques, and go on my vacation. Only occassionally do they run low on a particular grouping of denominations, and I've taken a different set than I had planned. Due to my long standing favorable credit with the bank, I have NO SERVICE FEE, and pay for them from my checking account or savings acct. CAUTION: More and more places are resisting travel cheques, as the clerk could get stung for a $50 cheque if presented for a $2.24 purchase, cause they have no way of checking if that cheque is bogus, forged or stollen. Credit Cards are more in favor. O my captain answered in Whatever about 1 year ago | Report Comment on this answer Enter your comment or ask a new question preview THIS IS A PREVIEW: Click "Post" to submit it or "Edit" to make changes. edit Please wait… This could take a minute if the tubes are clogged.

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