travellers cheques or currency?

[hattster]

I'm travelling to Australia and was wondering what would be the best option to choose. I 've also thought of just using my visa debit card, would it be accepted in Aus? Any help and advice would be appreciated. Oh and i'm not back packing its a family holiday, hotels and stuff

[spudqueen]

The advantage of using travellers cheques is if they are lost or stolen you can get them replaced. If you lose your debit card you're stuffed!

[morg_monster]

The disadvantage of travellers cheques is that some people will roll their eyes at you when you try to pay with them.  Some places won't take them at all, and even before all that, you have to decide what currency to take.  You may well lose out on exchange rates. 

You won't be able to use your Visa debit card as a debit card in Australia, but you can use it to get cash out and then just spend the cash.  Check the charges your bank will levy for the 'privilege' of using your card abroad.  Nationwide doesn't charge and gives good exchange rates - handy to have for all your foreign holidays.  If you want to pay for things with plastic, you will have to use a credit card.

Find out from your bank whether they would replace a card and send it abroad... Even if they don't, as long as you look after your card I would say that in a nice safe country like Australia, using plastic and ATMs is preferable to Travellers cheques, but it is a personal choice really.  Maybe take a mixture, if you find the cheques aren't accepted, you can just go to banks and get them exchanged into aussie dollars.

[ste v]

im going to australia in a few months - ive just got a visa credit card and arranged with my bank (barclays) to pay the full balance off at the end of each month from my debit account - no interest charges then !!!

[hattster]

Thanks for all the info. I think i may pop into my bank and enquire about charges on my debit/credit cards. I'll probably take a mixture of travellers cheques and cash plus the cards....just in case.