Cash/revolut/starling

[Mrs Chappers]

I'm so confused.

I have always taken cash when travelling to orlando. But I'm considering one of the above. Can I get your thoughts please? Pros cons and why you chose the option you have?

Help! Lol

[Zellotape]

Hi, have you looked into credit cards? As I have always found this the most preferable way to spend in the US. It gives you an extra layer of protection, and there are some cards that do not charge to spend abroad.
This is due to the fact that some hotels do not accept cash cards to put the room account on. Also we had issues in Walmart when we used a cash card on our first visit.

I havent used Starling or Revolut so not sure of their pros/cons

[amarooney]

Used Revolut on the last 3 or four visits to the US, great bit of kit. Pro's are no transactions fees, get the best possible exchange rate, loads of security features. Can't think of a downside other that after you have withdrawn more than £200 per month from an ATM there is a small service charge, but as we pay for virtually everything by card this is not an issue.

[sakiki]

Will second a call-out for Revolut. We've used them for our last 3 visits with no issues at all and would certainly recommend them.

It's always worth having some cash as well, of course, for tips and the like. And just in case you end up somewhere with a card point that doesn't work, or there's a system outage of some sort.

[Mrs Chappers]

Thank you for the input so far. My concern over revolut is the £200 atm per month. That's really not a lot of money.

At home we never carry cash, we always use debit cards so this way would be more natural for me. I'm probably overthinking it all.

Starling seem to offer the benefits of revolut but with no fees for ATM over £200pm?

[MrFish]

Starling is an actual bank account rather than a travel card. I prefer to load up a travel card as I go so if it does get cloned they can't take very much whereas if they clone a credit or debit card they can wipe you clean.

I haven't found the need to pay for anything with cash whilst in Florida, same as at home. I use fairfx as my main travel card. I do have a starling account and credit cards as backups but would always use a travel card for the reasons above.

Normally just take less than 50 dollars or whatever is left over from last time for tolls or whatever.

[Yanto]

Hi,
Another shout out for Revolut think I've used it now for my last four visits. Take around $200 in cash with us (bit of a comfort blanket really) but burn through that in the first few days. Have never had the need to draw any further from ATM's and we normally stay for three weeks at a time.

If you use your debit card for most things in the UK its pretty much the same as using Revolut over there. Found the support desk to be very responsive over chat too. The rate you get is a close as damn it to the rate of the day when you transfer money from your debit account as well... whats not to like

[klr15]

We’ve used Starling for a couple of years now and we really like it.

As above, it’s an actual bank account rather than a travel card. However we just transfer money over to it as and when we need it, so we don’t keep all our money on the card at once, incase it is cloned or whatever.

We just pay with the card or contactless, we don’t withdraw money and we just take a small amount of cash with us as well.

[Guest]

We use starling. I have it for my everyday bank, so much more intelligent than my old HSBC standard one.

One of the things that I really like about starling is that you have the main account which money comes out of, and you can set aside separate spaces (effectively accounts within accounts) that you can split money down into. So I have six or seven spending spaces for various saving events. They all interest.

You can transfer money instantly (providing data / WiFi available) so you can top the central pot up as and when you wish.

The card relates to the central pot not the savings spaces. So if it gets stolen they can only access the central pot the savings sections are safe.

Access to the account is by intuitive app with instant notification of card /spend use. Setting up of account and changing anything on it requires a 10second in app video to action it, so unless thieves take my face/voice as well as my card. They aren't getting anything.

Exchanges are instant at bank rates. No fees.

I do also take a bit of cash and sometimes a cash card via Caxton to spread the risk a tad.

[lizzie145]

I have a Halifax clarity card and a starling account
First time using starling and it's great. I only transfer a small amount just in case I lose it but it's simple to add more.
Very easy to use and you get a message every time it's used. .
Plus it pays interest!