Foreign Currency

Travel & Cruise Castlemaine have ready access to most currencies and Travelex Cash Passports ready for instant loading. Contact one of our expert consultants for full details:

 

CURRENCY TIPS

 

(A) IF YOU ARE GOING OVERSEAS

  1. It is recommended that you always take more than one payment mechanism: a Cash Passport Card, some local Cash and Travellers Cheques, and a credit or debit card. That way, if you have difficulty with any of your products (eg your credit card is not accepted, or the magnetic stripe gets damaged), you will have an alternative. Use a Cash Passport Card or Travellers Cheques for your day-to-day expenses, and a credit or debit card for major purchases.

      

  2. As a basic rule of thumb, if your destination has a good ATM network, take most of your travel funds on a TravelMoney/Cash Passport Card; if not, Travellers Cheques are better. Cash Passport is ideal for most tourist destinations, inc UK and Europe, USA, Canada, South East Asia, Japan, New Zealand, Australia and South Africa. Certain countries like Bali and Fiji do not have a lot of ATMs, so Travellers Cheques may be better.

     

  3. Get your foreign exchange before you leave home and exchange rates at home are usually better than overseas.

     

 

Cash Passport Card

 

  1. If taking a TravelMoney/Cash Passport Card, keep your second card in a safe place in case you lose your first one. Cards can be replaced free of charge by contacting the Global Customer Assistance Centre on the numbers provided.

     

  2. Cards can be reloaded if 100 points of ID has been provided at time of purchase.

     

  3. An ATM withdrawal fee of $3.75 normally applies. Card balances and a transaction history can be obtained from the Global Customer Assistance Centre.

     

Travellers Cheques

 

  1. For the best deals, take your cheques in the currency of the country you are visiting.(Visitors to the USA should take cheques only in US Dollars). For trips round Europe, we recommend Travellers Cheques in Euro Dollars; for round-the-world tours, US Dollars are normally best.

      

  2. If carrying cheques in local currency, they can often be used in shops and restaurants like cash.

     

  3. For added convenience, take cheques in a mixture of denominations.

     

  4. Remember to sign each of your cheques once only when you receive them. When encashing, you will be required to countersign in the presence of the cashier or teller, and will normally be asked for ID. Keep a record of encashments.

     

  5. Take your sales advice slip overseas with you, but keep it separate from your cheques. It contains important refund information in the event of loss or theft of your cheques.

     

Foreign Cash

 As a general guide, carry enough local cash to cover 2-3 days. This is handy for taxis, tips etc on arrival overseas, and in case banks or exchanges are closed.

 

(B) IF YOU ARE SENDING MONEY OVERSEAS

 

Drafts are the cheapest form of sending money overseas, and can be sent by mail. The receiver generally has to pay the draft into an account, and it may take a few days to clear.

 

Telegraphic Transfers are normally used to directly credit accounts overseas, and are a quicker method of sending funds than drafts.

 

Money Gram is the quickest way of transferring money, with funds available for collection by the receiver in as little as 10 minutes. The receiver does not need a bank account, and does not have to specify a collection address, giving added flexibility. MoneyGram is therefore ideal for emergency funds transfers, or transfers to countries where the banking system is slow or inefficient.