View Full Version : CASH OR CARD ON trail?? ATM???
gratefultrails
04-24-2013, 11:20
I will be hiking from GA to WV starting in June. How often will there be an ATM? Do most towns take debit and credit cards or is it all a cash deal? Any info is helpful!
atmilkman
04-24-2013, 11:29
I will be hiking from GA to WV starting in June. How often will there be an ATM? Do most towns take debit and credit cards or is it all a cash deal? Any info is helpful!
Yer gonna need both. The card to keep from carrying to much cash, and cash for when they don't take the card.
And an ATM isn't always necessary. At many stores you can also get cash back using your debit card without paying a fee.
FarmerChef
04-24-2013, 13:32
+1 both....
SCRUB HIKER
04-24-2013, 13:34
Both. I carried debit instead of credit ... (slightly) harder to use right away if it's stolen. With a debit card from any major bank, you'll probably start racking up ATM fees if you use them too often, so either get a buttload of cash each time you go to the ATM or get cash back from grocery stores when you do your resupply to keep up a steady flow of smaller amounts of cash. The only time in my life I've ever seen a fee for cash-back from a grocery store was on the AT in Great Barrington, Mass. ... I'm still p***ed about it.
A little of each...cash, credit card and ATM.
Both. I carried debit instead of credit ... (slightly) harder to use right away if it's stolen. With a debit card from any major bank, you'll probably start racking up ATM fees if you use them too often, so either get a buttload of cash each time you go to the ATM or get cash back from grocery stores when you do your resupply to keep up a steady flow of smaller amounts of cash. The only time in my life I've ever seen a fee for cash-back from a grocery store was on the AT in Great Barrington, Mass. ... I'm still p***ed about it.
Price Chopper? They do that (fee only for money back, not just for using the card to pay for the purchase) - future reference for all that would apply to any of their stores (which are also convenient from Dalton/Cheshire, North Adams, Bennington VT, Manchester VT, Rutland VT etc.).
Actually surprising someone made it there rather than Big Y in Great Barrington (which is much closer to the trail south of town).
Shepherd13
04-25-2013, 22:48
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-9FnX-8JtBo here is a helpful video that walks through the issues of card or cash on the trail.
stranger
04-27-2013, 08:34
Even back in 2001, a ATM card was fine...I hiked in 2008 and never had a problem with getting money. When it can be a problem is during events like Trail Days when ATM's will run out of money. The only ATM in Hot Springs was at Bluff Mountain Outfitters and it ran out of money a few times due to a large concert in town, so you need to think about stuff like that.
What I always do is try to LEAVE each town with about $100 in cash, so I can get by in the event I can't find a money machine in the next town. I also bury $100 in a sealed ziplock in the darkest corner of my pack for those emergency situations...this also requires you don't use the money for other things : ) I've never needed to use that 'extra' money but I did give it once to another hiker who arrived in town with $11 and the nearest ATM was a 3 mile walk in the rain.
As others have said, you can now simply get money out when you resupply at grocery stores, or at the PO...so in 2013, I would arrive at Springer with an ATM card, Credit Card, and about $200 cash and not really worry about it.
Get's me thinking about 1995 when everyone used travellers checks...those things sucked!
I recommend carrying both a debit and credit card. As others have said, with a debit card you can get cash from stores, the Post Office, and ATM's. The credit card is good backup for the debit card. In Harpers Ferry, I failed to remove my debit card from an ATM. The ATM keep the card and I had to have a new one issued. Luckly, I was hiking with someone that spotted me some cash until I got the replacement card. Also, if you need to rent a car, the car rental companies do not like debit cards.