Consumerism Commentary - Latest Comments in How Much Cash to Take on Vacation?

Re: How Much Cash to Take on Vacation?

Jholmes017 — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 19:51:52 -0000

I'm going to both england and dublin for two weeks each place. I'm going to Dublin this december and England in June. How much money should I bring??

Re: How Much Cash to Take on Vacation?

Susan — Mon, 17 May 2010 19:39:13 -0000

I am going to quebec for four days. I am thinking of bringing $150, thinking I would spend $10 a day on lunch, since the rest will be provided, and $100 on souvenirs for family and friends. To go on the safe side, should I bring $200?? Thank you.

Re: How Much Cash to Take on Vacation?

Katie — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 11:07:09 -0000

I am going to Mexico the week of new years, I'm a little lost on how much money i should take for two people. Note that it is not an all inclusive. Our hotel is already paid for and our plane ticket though.

Re: How Much Cash to Take on Vacation?

jOANN — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 10:29:31 -0000

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.

Re: How Much Cash to Take on Vacation?

Chris — Sat, 11 Aug 2007 16:01:14 -0000

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.

Re: How Much Cash to Take on Vacation?

bk — Mon, 06 Aug 2007 18:39:27 -0000

you should pay for your girlfriend instead of making her pay you back.

Re: How Much Cash to Take on Vacation?

Heather — Fri, 03 Aug 2007 09:38:15 -0000

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.

Re: How Much Cash to Take on Vacation?

Matt — Fri, 03 Aug 2007 07:44:03 -0000

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

Re: How Much Cash to Take on Vacation?

Tim — Fri, 03 Aug 2007 02:11:10 -0000

$100 regardless of where I travel unless I know there are no cash machines or cannot use credit cards.

Re: How Much Cash to Take on Vacation?

CGfromTexas — Thu, 02 Aug 2007 19:40:42 -0000

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.

Re: How Much Cash to Take on Vacation?

sarah — Thu, 02 Aug 2007 18:31:07 -0000

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.

Re: How Much Cash to Take on Vacation?

Jeremy — Thu, 02 Aug 2007 17:48:25 -0000

Rural? Driving? At least $1000 cash, stashed away, put back into the bank when I get home. [expletive] happens.

Re: How Much Cash to Take on Vacation?

mapgirl — Thu, 02 Aug 2007 17:18:55 -0000

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.)

Re: How Much Cash to Take on Vacation?

klerg88 — Thu, 02 Aug 2007 16:24:17 -0000

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.

Re: How Much Cash to Take on Vacation?

klerg88 — Thu, 02 Aug 2007 15:45:43 -0000

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.

Re: How Much Cash to Take on Vacation?

Rob — Thu, 02 Aug 2007 15:45:21 -0000

I usually take about $60 - $100 in equivalent local currency, but I've really only ever vacationed in areas where ATMs are fairly available.

Re: How Much Cash to Take on Vacation?

Ted — Thu, 02 Aug 2007 15:34:47 -0000

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.

Re: How Much Cash to Take on Vacation?

Modern Worker — Thu, 02 Aug 2007 14:57:06 -0000

Fitting post, being that I'm hitting the road for vacation this week =)

Re: How Much Cash to Take on Vacation?

j2r — Thu, 02 Aug 2007 14:51:22 -0000

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.