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How Much Cash to Take on Vacation?

by Flexo on August 2, 2007

in Uncategorized

It’s no secret that I use my credit card for as much spending as possible — the spending I would do whether using cash or credit — thanks to the availability of cash back rebates. The spending plan for my upcoming vacation is for me to put just about all of our vacation expenses on the credit card and for my girlfriend to chip in half when the bill comes due. We tend to split things fairly evenly most of the time.

But she is also planning to bring cash to the tune of $300. I might bring $100 but I don’t see too much reason to bring more than that. Carrying around so much cash seems like asking for trouble to me.

How much cash do you take on vacation?

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Flexo, the owner and creator of Consumerism Commentary, has been blogging and writing for the internet since 1995 and has been building online communities since 1991. Find out more about him and follow him on Twitter.

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  • j2r
    Depends on where I'm going. If I'm going to a big city with lots of ATMs available, then probably $100.

    But if I'm going to a place in the mountains or more isolated, then probably more. But definitely not more than $300.

    Like you, I try to use my cards as much as possible.
  • Fitting post, being that I'm hitting the road for vacation this week =)
  • Ted
    I generally bring whatever my budget is minus gas, which would go on a gas card. That way I don't overspend. Its too easy to splurge and lose track of spending when using a card on vacation.
  • Rob
    I usually take about $60 - $100 in equivalent local currency, but I've really only ever vacationed in areas where ATMs are fairly available.
  • klerg88
    It varies for me. My wife & I are going to Miami in two weeks but only for the weekend. We're having a fancy-like dinner at a swanky hotel and that'll be my biggest expense. Counting cabs to and from two different airports, I'll probably take $4-500...that'll pretty much keep me from putting stuff on my credit card.

    Now when we go to Vegas, that's a different story. I usually go out with $1000 and NEVER use a credit card while I'm out there. Mercifully, the last two trips out there, I actually won money so spending-wise, I broke even.

    We recently did a 10 day jaunt to Spain & Morocco and did quite a bit of shopping and drinking. I took $1800 for that one.
  • klerg88
    I should actually clarify my statement...

    For both my Vegas and overseas trips, I took $200 in cash with me but the rest was in my bank account. I either got $ from an ATM or from credit/debit card use. While I'm not a big CC fan, I'm not insane enough to carry that many greenbacks with me at once.
  • I went to NYC last weekend with about $260 and came home with about $20 or 30 in my pocket. If I had left with $500, I probably would have returned with the same, as I did end up breaking out the credit card a few times to ensure I had enough cash for the whole duration. (You can barter better deals if you carry cash.)
  • Jeremy
    Rural? Driving? At least $1000 cash, stashed away, put back into the bank when I get home. [expletive] happens.
  • sarah
    We took about $600 cash to the UK earlier this year and came home with about $400 because getting cash from an ATM was such a better deal than paying the crazy high commissions to exchange cash. For a domestic trip, I would take around $200 tops and charge most things.
  • CGfromTexas
    I look at what my activities for the day are and pull cash out of the ATM to meet those costs. I only put airline, rental car and hotel on credit. I can keep my family of four fed and happy on about $150 to $200 a day.
  • Tim
    $100 regardless of where I travel unless I know there are no cash machines or cannot use credit cards.
  • Depending on where I'm travelling I tend to carry between $100-300; I don't like carrying too much cash but when you get to a place you haven't been you don't know what to expect - cash is accepted everywhere, credit cards aren't
  • I bring $15 for each day I'll be away, which covers things like public transportation fare, donations in museums, and the occasional cup of coffee or ice cream cone. I use my credit card for lodging, airfare, car rental, and meals, and then I pay the credit card balance the day after I get home.
  • bk
    you should pay for your girlfriend instead of making her pay you back.
  • Chris
    My wife & I just got back from Cozumel, Mexico for a week at an all-inclusive resort & we brought $200 & only used about $120 of cash.
  • jOANN
    I am planing a trip to California and i will be driving, We will stay with family for the most part but take of and spend one night in a hotel. For Gas and Food and Entertainment for a family of four I plan to take 1700.00 Not planing on using CC.
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