How do you take your money?

[Alfiesmum]

We’re off to Universal for two weeks in August. On previous trips we’ve always taken credit or debit cards and used them to pay for everything however this time we aren’t taking any credit cards. My question is how do people who don’t use credit/debit cards pay for things on holiday? I’ve heard of the prepay cards but I don’t know much at all about them. One example of this is that we’re not hiring a car so will need to use lyft/Uber to get around. If I don’t have a credit or debit card how can I use these? TIA

[ScoopsAhoy]

With most places preferring cashless / mobile ordering we are taking a small amount of cash mostly for tips and small purchases but rest will be fee free credit card.
I have never felt the need for a pre paid one but know others won’t travel without them.

[damaged]

We take some cash, and the rest on a pre paid card

[Bozza]

We just use the same credit cards we use at home (generally via ApplePay on phones and watches) - we don't change anything about how we spend and pay for things.

We'll get stung a bit for Forex charges, but in the big scheme of the cost of the holiday, I can't be bothered to make different arrangements.

We'll take a few dollars - $200 or so, but as is the case at home, we rarely use cash at all and we tend to return with most of what we took with us.

I'd always suggest everyone takes a credit card, even if they have no intention of using it. In the US, if anything goes wrong from a cancelled return flight to a medical emergency, costs can quickly escalate and a credit card may provide you with the ability to get out of a sticky situation.

[megaflyer]

You definitely need a credit card for emergencies but also you need to link Lyft/Uber to a credit or debit (not prepaid card) as they dont take cash bookings

Like AP I do same there as I do at home ie Apple Pay on my watch except for Lyft which is auto connected to my Amex (and Hilton Honors for points that I convert to Miles)

[Mariesmith]

To use Uber/Lyft you will need to have a card linked to the account. They don't take cash. You can set it up before you go and don't need to physically have the card with you.

A lot of places in Universal are using mobile ordering for food so you would also need a card linked to the app.

The only thing we used cash for was tips in restaurants.

[Guest]

A few hundred in cash , a fee free credit card and a back up credit with a large limit in case of flight cancellations, illness etc

Our flight was delayed by a hurricane ( think it was 2016) and we had to book an extra night at Royal Pacific and claim it back later.

Our son was ill in 2002 and the doctor came to see him in the hotel room every day for a week. We thought we were going to have to make arrangements for me to stay with him while DH flew home with the GF but luckily he recovered in time for the flight home. We had to pay the medical bills upfront and claim them back.

I would always make sure I had easy access to funds in the case of emergency whichever way you take your money.

[lizzie145]

i use my starling card and have a little cash

[Orlandoguy]

At the end of the day how you take your money is your choice, but I would never go on holiday without a credit card, what if there was a medical emergency how would you pay for it

[megaflyer]

Originally Posted by Orlandoguy

At the end of the day how you take your money is your choice, but I would never go on holiday without a credit card, what if there was a medical emergency how would you pay for it

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Exactly what happened to me a good few years back - in the ambulance they needed to swipe my CC and all I had was my pre-paid one (no good as they needed a HUGE amount to hold) so hotel had to help me (accident at hotel and in the end they paid not me/my insurance) BUT for that I ALWAYS travel with a CC with a large limit on. It is paramount for the unforeseen especially in the USA