Funstuie

Hey all,

Stupid question from me number 178:

How much cash should we bring with us? We will have money in our UK account which I can transfer into our US one once we are setup but I have read various posts that we will need loads of cash for the first few weeks.

Did you just bring $10k in cash?

As stupid as this question might seem I am a little confused on what to do? Also I think with just a week left and our TV being collected on Monday I am over thinking this stuff.

kimilseung

I would have thought enough cash to get dinner on arrival would be enough. Besides transfers, you can use your card to get money out of the wall. Travelers cheques would seem preferable to that much cash too, if for some reason you dont have a credit card.

Funstuie

I do have a credit cards and a UK account but I thought the general consensus was that by constantly taking cash out on my UK card I will be hit with massive fees etc.

tonrob

I pay cash for things less than once a month. Credit cards as accepted for 99.999%. I probably spend less than $500 in cash in an entire year.

Hotscot

I'm the same. And my credit cards generate mileage points on United which pays for the hols every year.

Funstuie

I am talking about when you first arrive. Your "start up" cash. Should I bother bringing much? Or just get cash out as needed using my uk card?

kimilseung

Will the costs that your card provider charge out weigh the cost of converting cash to cash before you leave (assuming you do not have a dollar account or dollars to hand - some people do). Plus the added security of not having large amount of cash on your person or at home.

Sally Redux

Check the fees on using your UK card but they should not be 'massive'. We used ours for ages when we were here on J1.

GeoffM

I got by on a couple of hundred dollars when I first arrived (just me, and staying at a relative's house). I had US credit/debit cards within a week and just had the odd purchase on a UK card until then,

ScousePete

Strippers. They don't take credit cards.

Pulaski

Agreed. The fees for using my US CC overseas are pretty miniscule, and should be considered in the context of an FX rate which is better than you can get from a bank for switching GBP for USD paper money. ..... Then there is the risk of loss/theft of substantial quantities of paper money. In approaching 13 years in the US I don't recall ever having more than $2½k in my pocket at any one time. In fact it is rare for me to have more cash in my wallet than change from most recent $20 I drew from the ATM, and most of the cash I draw goes straight to the lady that cuts my hair - one $20 bill every 6-8 weeks.

RICH

OP may be thinking about deposits for rent, utilities, car etc. How does one pay these prior to opening a us account?

Sally Redux

Again I think we must have used a UK credit card.

Funstuie

Exactly. It seems to be the general consensus to just use uk cc/debit.

md95065

It must be about 30 years since I last used a travellers cheque and it was my impression that they were virtually unusable in the U.S. because nobody knew what they were ...