Job Discussion Forums

[milesdenman]

Hi, does anybody know where i can pick up Yen traveler's cheques (for a good rate) in London, as nowhere in my home town does them.

[markle]

For travel in Japan?

If so you won't need them since you can get money from international atms at most post offices just check with your bank which system they use and it's highly likely that it is compatible and bank to bank rates are far and away the best exchange rates.

[milesdenman]

Thanks for the reply.
I have a maestro/switch debit card and a visa credit card, will i be able to withdraw cash from atms with these easily enough? I was under the impression that foreign plastic was useless in Japan.
Also will i not get stung on charges and poor rates using my cards over there.
Thanks

[markle]

I use my maestro card for my account back home and it gets the best rate hands down. Using Bank services (like changing money with a person and changing travelers cheques) is expensive here.

Another reason for using travellers cheques is because it's safer than carrying cash, but Japan is quite low risk for getting ripped off so I'd bring enough cash to last you a couple days or emergencies.

[milesdenman]

cool, thanks for that.

[Dipso]

You can use your Switch card at post office ATMs and at branches of Citibank. The pound is so strong against the yen that it will probably be worth your while.

[littleturtle]

Travellers cheques are virtually useless in Japan, too. Unless you plan to do all your spending at huge hotels and the like, they are viewed as strange and foreign. Youll have to get them changed at a bank, which is expensive and takes time.

Ive never understood the attraction to travellers cheques at all in the first place, anywhere in the world.
You have to order them from a bank, which costs money, then transport the slips of paper with you to the other country, then change them again at a bank, which costs money, unless you hit on a savvy enough shop to use them in the foreign land.

If youre going to physically transport the slips of paper, why on earth not just carry cash?? Carry cash, keep it secure (ie, treat it as cash), and you can actually spend the stuff.

For transporting large amounts of cash overseas, use Cirrus/Maestro, or Visa Plus. If your ATM card back home doesnt offer this, switch to a bank that does.
Also, if possible set your PIN number to a four-digit combination. Some ATMs only accept four digits, in which case you'd be rather stuck.

[rebecca432]

I have never used travellers cheques, but the Nova people suggested bringing about $500 in yen and then $500 in traveller's cheques. However, it's hard to find yen cheques where the fees are low. Since I'm going to be in Osaka, I assume that I will have access to ATMs, so would it just be easier to leave money in my account and access it at an ATM? I was able to do this in Europe without any problem but didn't know if Japan was any different. I have a Visa check card on the Plus system so I'm sure it will work. Also, do the ATMs have instructions in English?

[markle]

[sallycat]

generally, there's no problem with carrying big wads of cash around in japan. i'd say bring the whole lot over in cash.