cash, credit, or debit - how to carry it on the AT?

[dancingbear]

I'm going to start my first Thru in May and pan on resupplying mostly by buying food along the way rather then drops. that being said, I'm wondering what to do with money out there on the trail. should I bring a debit card and cash, only cash, no cash, ect?

[Lone Wolf]

debit and cash

[Camel2012]

Most of the places you go are really flexible. I don't think you will have any trouble.

I personally carried my debit card, and tried to keep around $100+ in cash on me for shuttles or other times that i wasn't able to use my card.

I would suggest the same. Just take your debit card, and figure out how much cash you like to have on hand.

[Papa D]

You should have some cash on you. Smaller businesses like hostels or the guy selling candy bars at a fruit stand always prefer cash. If you are thru-hiking, plan on stashing a couple of hundred dollars in 20s in a safe place in your pack (I use the pocket of my rain pants.) A credit or debit card is also a really good idea (but if you are willing to carry more cash or have it mail dropped, it's not absolutely required). You can mail-drop yourself cash resupply if you want but there are regular ATM locations in towns where you can re-stock. A combination is best.

[turtle fast]

If you are staying at a hotel you should have a credit card as if you use a debit card a hold for a set amount of cash will be put on your card..only to be released a few days later(which can be problematic) and if you exceed your daily limit your SOL. ALSO, you have more protection as a consumer in a dispute with a credit card than a debit card as those rules are different. I suggest, credit card (make sure that you use online bill pay or have someone at home take care of the bills), a debit card, and cash. You have to remember many places that are mom and pop operations and cash is king in those places.

[Drybones]

I took a credit card, $200 in cash and an ATM card for when I needed more cash.

[swjohnsey]

You need all three.

[10-K]

1. Driver's license
2. Insurance card
3. ATM card
4. Credit card
5. Cash. - I carry some small bills in case I need to give a tip.

Also.... check your plastic and if the magnetic strip is worn consider a replacement. Because you know... it would suck to have a card that was good but would not work.

[RED-DOG]

Debit cards is a Thru-Hikers best friend 95% of places on or near the AT excepts them but carry a little bit of cash just in case, for example the AMC huts only excepts cash BSP only excepts cash. RED-DOG

[RETCW4]

1. Driver's license
2. Insurance card
3. ATM card
4. Credit card
5. Cash. - I carry some small bills in case I need to give a tip.

Also.... check your plastic and if the magnetic strip is worn consider a replacement. Because you know... it would suck to have a card that was good but would not work.

I also carry my dental insurance card in addition to my health insurance card.

- Tumbleweed

[kayak karl]

photo id, debit and cash.
don't need credit card. if your living off credit you probably shouldn't be thru hiking. :)

[CarlZ993]

photo id, debit and cash.
don't need credit card. if your living off credit you probably shouldn't be thru hiking. :)
I think a CC is appropriate if you pay it off every month. With a cash back card, that's 'free' money. I charge almost everything in my daily life. Pay it off at the end of the month. Works for me. Typically, they say that people that use a CC spend 10% more money than those who pay cash. I'm cheap, so I don't think that applies to me. Anyway, YMMV.

Happy Trails.

[MuddyWaters]

Credit cards have some advantages.
You are only responsible for max of $50 of unauthorized charges if lost/stolen, and that is usually waived.

Debit card linked to your checking account isnt covered that way.

I never use my debit card online, or at restaurants, or hotels. Use credit card, then transfer funds to pay. Both are from same bank so its easy. Takes 5 min once per month.

Hotels can put a hold charge on account, that can take a week + to be reversed from a debit card. It can tie up your money. Much better to use credit cards.

[rusty bumper]

I carried a debit card, a couple hundred in cash, drivers license and medical insurance card. The cards and a portion of the cash were in my "wallet" which was a small LOKSAK bag that was always in the zipped back pocket of my convertible pants. I carried the remainder of the cash in a zip-loc bag that I kept inside the hip belt on my Gossamer Gear pack...the belt opens and closes with velcro. I replenished my cash whenever it got down to $20 or so by using my debit card at an ATM or in a grocery store.

[swjohnsey]

Debit cards is a Thru-Hikers best friend 95% of places on or near the AT excepts them but carry a little bit of cash just in case, for example the AMC huts only excepts cash BSP only excepts cash. RED-DOG

Huts take credit cards.

[Papa D]

smaller businesses appreciate cash - - if a hostel hostel is full and the owner sees a $20 bill in your hand, the owner / manager is likely to take to $20 and put you up in the (fancier) private room or bunk-room for the same price. If he/she sees a credit card in your hand, they will gladly ring you in at the $69 tourist rate. It's also pretty awkward to use a card for a cookie at a hut or a piece of fruit at a roadside stand. I think at least some cash is important. You will also have the assurance that there is no credit card bill waiting at home for you.

[Bronk]

Most people just carry a bag of those chocolate gold coins...they are accepted nearly everywhere along the trail.

[atraildreamer]

Credit cards have some advantages.
You are only responsible for max of $50 of unauthorized charges if lost/stolen, and that is usually waived.

Debit card linked to your checking account isnt covered that way.

I never use my debit card online, or at restaurants, or hotels. Use credit card, then transfer funds to pay. Both are from same bank so its easy. Takes 5 min once per month.

Hotels can put a hold charge on account, that can take a week + to be reversed from a debit card. It can tie up your money. Much better to use credit cards.

Use your debit card as a credit card. Some banks allow this. It has advantages. From:

http://www.daveramsey.com/radio/highlights?urlVars=Credit-cards&startRow=10

Debit or Credit? (http://www.daveramsey.com/radio/highlights/?urlVars=2010/3/3/Debit-or-Credit) Wednesday, Mar 03 in Credit cards (http://www.daveramsey.com/radio/highlights/?urlVars=Credit-cards)

Question: Amy on Facebook asks what the difference is between using your debit card as a debit or credit. Dave explains.
Dave Ramsey's advice: If you go with debit, you are using an ATM card. You're putting in your PIN number, and you don't have any protection in the event of fraud in most cases. If you put in credit, it's running through the VISA system if it's a VISA debit card and the MasterCard system if it's a MasterCard. That then gets you protection in the event of fraud or some kind of misbehavior by the merchant. VISA steps in and gives you some protection.

I never use it as a debit card, mainly because I don't remember my PIN and it's faster just to swipe it through as if it's a credit card. It does, of course, come out of your checking account.

[MuddyWaters]

Its always harder to get your actual money back from loss/fraud than have charges cancelled thru visa.

Nothing wrong with using a credit card, and having auto pay setup to pay bill automatically from checking so worry free.
Also get the cash back in a lot of cases. ++

You have max protection, no worries, and can still get cash from most ATMs. 1 card.

[Mountain Mike]

If you stay at a hotel often an amount charged to a debit card is much higher than actual rates & can sometimes be held up for weeks. If you have a lot of money in the account, not a problem. Like many said about cash & debit, maybe a credit card too.

[atmilkman]

If you stay at a hotel often an amount charged to a debit card is much higher than actual rates & can sometimes be held up for weeks. If you have a lot of money in the account, not a problem. Like many said about cash & debit, maybe a credit card too.
This is what the gas stations in FL are doing at an alarming rate. We always select credit. You gotta watch those that have a cash/credit price difference too. We use credit price same as cash.

[Wise Old Owl]

Carry Gold or pieces of 8

[dancingbear]

Thanks for all the helpful information! And I'll be sure to bring along some of those gold chocolate coins lol

[Don H]

I carried cash and a Visa credit card. The only negative I found with the credit card as opposed to a debit card was that the Post Office does not give cash back on a credit card. I did not have that problem at most stores. Of course credit cards carry a certain amount of protection as previously mentioned.

I carry all my cards in a fishing license holder.

[StubbleJumper]

photo id, debit and cash.
don't need credit card. if your living off credit you probably shouldn't be thru hiking. :)

Off the top of my head:

1) if you ever want to rent a car at some point during your thru-hike, then a CC is necessary.
2) if you ever want to order replacement gear over the internet for delivery up the trail, a CC is necessary.
3) if you want to buy a plane ticket home, chance are you'll want to do it over the internet and a CC is necessary.
4) if your bank freezes your account for any reason (ie, suspected fraud), do you really want to be without your CC? Diversification is good.


I could probably come up with a dozen more examples, but... HYOH.

[jj2044]

Off the top of my head:

1) if you ever want to rent a car at some point during your thru-hike, then a CC is necessary.
2) if you ever want to order replacement gear over the internet for delivery up the trail, a CC is necessary.
3) if you want to buy a plane ticket home, chance are you'll want to do it over the internet and a CC is necessary.
4) if your bank freezes your account for any reason (ie, suspected fraud), do you really want to be without your CC? Diversification is good.


I could probably come up with a dozen more examples, but... HYOH.

All your examples except for the last i did while on the trail, and i never used a CC, my debit card worked just fine.

[TrishaU]

My husband carries one brand of credit card on vacation, I carry the other. That way if one is lost-stolen-destroyed, we can still make purchases.
That may be a consideration with the folks back home paying the bills.
Also, it is easier to track charges since all from that month are for vacation expenses. If something comes back strange on the monthly statement, you can challenge it.
You can also cancel a card or have the numbers changed if you suspect it may be misused.
You might want to inform your credit card company that you are on vacation before going, so the card is not frozen after the first purchase.

[hauptman]

Carry a credit card, health insurance card, license. Wrap them in a rubber band with $100- $200 folded up in between like a money burrito.