Non-motoring > Travellers Cheques anyone?	Miscellaneous
Thread Author: legacylad	Replies: 39

Fri 18 Sep 15 13:01   Travellers Cheques anyone? - legacylad

Not used any myself for aeons. However, whilst delving deep into my 'mixed currency' box I came upon a single $50 issued by a travel agent in Leeds. Where I worked aeons ago. Say 20 years. A part of me wants to tender it as payment on my forthcoming trip, for a few margeritas. Keep the change. However, I think this would cause embarrassment all round. Apart from visiting a 'cash advance/ payday loans' kinda place whilst over there, any other suggestions, apart from framing it and hanging it in my toilet at home? Reply to this message | Report message

Fri 18 Sep 15 13:46   Travellers Cheques anyone? - rtj70

I would imagine it might be difficult to cash a travellers cheque these days. I assume the issuer of this one is still in business? Reply to this message | Report message

Fri 18 Sep 15 13:47   Travellers Cheques anyone? - Alanovich

Spend it on booze. Or send it to me and I'll spend it on booze. Reply to this message | Report message       1

Fri 18 Sep 15 13:54   Travellers Cheques anyone? - Zero

>> Spend it on booze. Or send it to me and I'll spend it on booze. The only travellers cheques I found to be useable like currency anywhere in the world was an Am Ex $ one. Not used them since the late 80s early 90s. Last edited by: Zero on Fri 18 Sep 15 at 13:54 Reply to this message | Report message

Fri 18 Sep 15 13:55   Travellers Cheques anyone? - legacylad

Al, is there anything else but booze to spend it on? Women perhaps, but after recent experiences best treated with caution..... Reply to this message | Report message

Fri 18 Sep 15 13:56   Travellers Cheques anyone? - Alanovich

Amateur dramatics. (Copyright - Blackadder) Last edited by: Alanović on Fri 18 Sep 15 at 13:56 Reply to this message | Report message

Fri 18 Sep 15 14:13   Travellers Cheques anyone? - Crankcase

Our bank used to issue Eurocheques - proper cheque book and a guarantee card. Used them a few times with no bothers in France for petrol and hotels, but they seemed to disappear in the end too for whatever reason. Worked well for us though. As a matter of minor thread diversion, how many still use cheques? We still issue and receive a handful a year I guess. Reply to this message | Report message

Fri 18 Sep 15 14:29   Travellers Cheques anyone? - rtj70

I remember getting a 'Eurocheque book' and card in 1990. Back then a UK issued bank card could not be used in Europe but a Euro one could. It took me a while to find an ATM in Frankfurt that accepted the Euro bank card - I'd tried lots but failed. The one that worked automatically asked you which language you wanted to use. But were they really called Eurocheques? They possibly were but the Euro as a currency obviously didn't exist then. Reply to this message | Report message

Fri 18 Sep 15 15:05   Travellers Cheques anyone? - Crankcase

>> >> But were they really called Eurocheques? They possibly were but the Euro as a currency >> obviously didn't exist then. >> As in "European", yes. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eurocheque Reply to this message | Report message

Fri 18 Sep 15 14:49   Travellers Cheques anyone? - sooty123

As a matter of minor thread diversion, how many still use cheques? We still issue >> and receive a handful a year I guess. >> I still use them here and abroad. Just got a new cheque book the other day. Reply to this message | Report message

Fri 18 Sep 15 15:24   Travellers Cheques anyone? - Slidingpillar

I still use them here and abroad. Just got a new cheque book the other day. Offhand, I can only think of one club I need to pay the membership fee by cheque now. All regular payments bar the one standing order are direct debits these days. Last new cheque book I think was new in 2009 and there are still plenty in it. Reply to this message | Report message

Fri 18 Sep 15 16:27   Travellers Cheques anyone? - Robin O'Reliant

>> As a matter of minor thread diversion, how many still use cheques? We still >> issue >> >> and receive a handful a year I guess. >> >> >> >> I still use them here and abroad. Just got a new cheque book the other >> day. >> I take cheques as it is often all that is offered on the doorstep, sometimes a couple of hundred quids worth in a week. I write three a year, one for council tax another for water rates and the third to HMRC. Reply to this message | Report message

Fri 18 Sep 15 17:24   Travellers Cheques anyone? - bathtub tom

>> As a matter of minor thread diversion, how many still use cheques? We still >> issue >> and receive a handful a year I guess. I've just written a couple for B&B stays in this country. They both charged a premium for debit/credit card payments, but not for cash/cheques. I'm a tight-wad. Reply to this message | Report message

Fri 18 Sep 15 17:31   Travellers Cheques anyone? - Zero

>> I'm a tight-wad. My last need to write a cheque went when we cancelled the daily delivery of a newspaper. Have no need to write cheques now. Last edited by: VxFan on Sat 19 Sep 15 at 17:14 Reply to this message | Report message

Fri 18 Sep 15 18:07   Travellers Cheques anyone? - Slidingpillar

I've just written a couple for B&B stays in this country. They both charged a premium for debit/credit card payments, but not for cash/cheques. I'll have to check with my brother (he manages a shop), but I thought it cost a business more to process a cheque than accept a debit card. Credit cards are definitely more expensive so never used with locally owned businesses. Reply to this message | Report message

Fri 18 Sep 15 18:26   Travellers Cheques anyone? - spamcan61

Just checked (see what I did there) the charges on my HSBC Small Business account, 25p ish for a debit card transaction and 80p for a cheque. I think. The price list is a 24 page pdf! Reply to this message | Report message

Fri 18 Sep 15 18:28   Travellers Cheques anyone? - Robin O'Reliant

>>>> >> I'll have to check with my brother (he manages a shop), but I thought it >> cost a business more to process a cheque than accept a debit card. Credit cards >> are definitely more expensive so never used with locally owned businesses. >> If it's still the same as in my driving instructor days you paid one fee (68p IIRC) no matter how many cheques you paid in on the one deposit, but each credit or debit card payment was charged separately. Reply to this message | Report message

Fri 18 Sep 15 19:35   Travellers Cheques anyone? - Zero

SQ 4 LB >> If it's still the same as in my driving instructor days you paid one fee >> (68p IIRC) no matter how many cheques you paid in on the one deposit, but >> each credit or debit card payment was charged separately. Used to instal, upgrade and repair cheque/readers sorters. It was a major crime if they were not working and a backlog quickly built up. Last edited by: VxFan on Sat 19 Sep 15 at 17:15 Reply to this message | Report message

Fri 18 Sep 15 22:17   Travellers Cheques anyone? - T junction

>Used to instal, upgrade and repair cheque/readers sorters. Weren't Unisys by any chance were they? I have some dealings with some of them. Reply to this message | Report message

Fri 18 Sep 15 22:36   Travellers Cheques anyone? - Zero

>> >Used to instal, upgrade and repair cheque/readers sorters. >> >> Weren't Unisys by any chance were they? I have some dealings with some of them. No, Unisys didn't exist at that time. (and it wasn't Boroughs either ;) Reply to this message | Report message

Fri 18 Sep 15 15:25   Travellers Cheques anyone? - Ambo

It sounds odd that the cheque was issued by a travel agent itself, unless it was Thomas Cook, rather than as agent for Cook or other big outfits. If you can't get a lead on the issuer see if your bank can make any suggestions. In my travelling days I used to carry some as backup to my credit card but they were pretty hard to cash, other than in a hotel or restaurant at a high discount. I found that they were viewed with great suspicion by American banks. Reply to this message | Report message

Fri 18 Sep 15 15:36   Travellers Cheques anyone? - Crankcase

Reminds me I found some "Airmiles" vouchers in a drawer the other day. I think they added up to about 75 miles, and look like Monopoly money. No idea how I came by them but I imagine they are now of no worth whatsoever, not that 75 miles was ever going to be much good. Reply to this message | Report message

Fri 18 Sep 15 16:46   Travellers Cheques anyone? - Old Navy

I caused some confusion cashing some Aussie dollar TCs in a provincial Aussie bank many years ago, I took the hint and have not used them again. Last edited by: Old Navy on Fri 18 Sep 15 at 16:47 Reply to this message | Report message

Fri 18 Sep 15 16:49   Travellers Cheques anyone? - No FM2R

I have earned a few airmiles in my time, but have never used one. The logic of "you fly all the time so here is some airmiles so that you can fly some more" escapes me. Having said that my parents have done very well out of them. One trip they did took almost 2,000,000 airmiles as they flew around the world. As far as I can see unless you're earning significant chunks of airmiles, they just aren't worth the effort. Reply to this message | Report message

Fri 18 Sep 15 17:28   Travellers Cheques anyone? - Crankcase

Two million? Was an air mile not equivalent to a mile then? Or is that a typo? Reply to this message | Report message

Fri 18 Sep 15 17:56   Travellers Cheques anyone? - R.P.

Eurocheques were very much a feature of youthful trips to France. Really useful. 10 Francs to a Pound days. Happy days ! Reply to this message | Report message

Fri 18 Sep 15 19:02   Travellers Cheques anyone? - Armel Coussine

I write them sometimes, for the comic bill among other things. One of my Gregories bounced once, and it was to my shrink too... oo-er, still cant understand how I survived. They are rare now though. I've got a curling, grubby, almost-complete chequebook in my inside pocket. Tsk. Come to think of it I get computer-generated Gregoies in the post sometimes for this or that. Usually disappointingly small. Last edited by: Armel Coussine on Fri 18 Sep 15 at 19:04 Reply to this message | Report message

Fri 18 Sep 15 19:07   Travellers Cheques anyone? - Armel Coussine

>> One of my Gregories bounced once, Actually there must have been quite a few other rubber jobs, all accidental of course... and lost in the mists of time alhamdul'Illah. Reply to this message | Report message

Fri 18 Sep 15 19:08   Travellers Cheques anyone? - No FM2R

If you think about it then it can't be as simple as an airmile equals a mile, there's different classes for a start. The two of them travelled first class to North America, South America, North America again, Asian (various) and some of Europe. And yes it was 2m airmiles. Reply to this message | Report message

Fri 18 Sep 15 22:31   Travellers Cheques anyone? - Bromptonaut

My recent foreign travel has been in EU/EEA - France, Spain, Germany and Belgium plus Switzerland. With a few credit/debit cards divided between Visa, Mastercard and their associates I reckon we can deal with most cock ups. Kept E200 in E dominated travellers cheques from around 94 to 99 as emergency 'cash' at which point and slightly strapped for readies I cashed them at Credit Lyonais in Falaise. The eurocheque logo or something very similar remains in use in Germany apparently to show a bank or cash point. Reply to this message | Report message

Fri 18 Sep 15 22:40   Travellers Cheques anyone? - Zero

I take € in Europe, split it in half between myself and Mrs Z, and then rely on cash machine withdrawals or credit cards. Any spare € & ¢ at the end of the holiday get stuff away for the next euro trip, 4 get to europe at least 4 times a year so there is bound to be one soon enough. Reply to this message | Report message

Fri 18 Sep 15 23:48   Travellers Cheques anyone? - Ted

Can't remember when I last wrote a cheque. Swm gives the milkman one now and again when she's no other way of paying him. ( Sits back and waits for innuendo lovers to comment .) Remember when you used to get credit card cheques every other day in the post. That seems to have ended. Always shredded them....never daft enough to use one ! Reply to this message | Report message

Sat 19 Sep 15 09:31   Travellers Cheques anyone? - Zero

>> >> Can't remember when I last wrote a cheque. Swm gives the milkman one now and >> again can't remember the last time i saw a milkman Reply to this message | Report message

Sat 19 Sep 15 09:48   Travellers Cheques anyone? - R.P.

I occasionally write one for niece or nephew's birthdays, but that's about it. Even window cleaners take Paypal these days. Reply to this message | Report message

Sat 19 Sep 15 12:43   Travellers Cheques anyone? - Roger.

>> I occasionally write one for niece or nephew's birthdays, but that's about it. Even window >> cleaners take Paypal these days. >> Our new window cleaner who has just taken over the round from the previous one prefers payment by direct bank transfer, but will take cheques and even more unusually wants customers to pay for at least two cleans in advance. Hmm, not sure about that. Reply to this message | Report message

Sat 19 Sep 15 13:00   Travellers Cheques anyone? - Duncan

>> Our new window cleaner who has just taken over the round from the previous one >> prefers payment by direct bank transfer, but will take cheques Any decent window cleaner will flatly refuse to take anything but cash. What's up with tradesmen these days?......... Reply to this message | Report message

Sat 19 Sep 15 10:45   Travellers Cheques anyone? - legacylad

Milkman... At my previous place of work we had a pint delivered every morning. Still see bottles on doorsteps when I walk into town early on a morning. Re my $50 Travellers Cheque find. I purchased $2000 worth from Hogg Robinson Travel, Morley, Leeds in '92. Exchange rate was 1.97 $/£. Paid 1% commission. Think I will frame it and hang it in the loo. In Feb '14 I bought some $ from Travelex @ 1.61 $/£. About to find out what the rate is now...... Reply to this message | Report message

Mon 21 Sep 15 10:02   Travellers Cheques anyone? - Alanovich

>> can't remember the last time i saw a milkman >> Still got one in our neighbourhood. Same bloke as when I first moved here 20 years ago. Electric float. Cheery bloke, always waves and smiles even though I've never used his services. EDIT: I wonder if Tesla could produce an interesting float......... Last edited by: Alanović on Mon 21 Sep 15 at 10:03 Reply to this message | Report message

Mon 21 Sep 15 10:48   Travellers Cheques anyone? - Zero

>> EDIT: I wonder if Tesla could produce an interesting float......... If i was driving the milk would be churned to yogurt. Reply to this message | Report message

Sat 19 Sep 15 11:14   Travellers Cheques anyone? - Robin O'Reliant

>> >> >> Remember when you used to get credit card cheques every other day in the post. >> That seems to have ended. Always shredded them....never daft enough to use one ! >> I'd forgotten about them. I think they were responsible for shortening the life of my original shredder. Reply to this message | Report message