Snowbird Banking

ATMs don't work for Canadians?

We use Our Debit Card to obtain Cash from the nearest ATM. Carrying huge amounts o Cash is just asking for trouble.
There are ATMs everywhere in the World so access to Our Account is easy as 123!

Wow! We would never carry that much cash aboard!! Our advice would to use ATMs to get needed cash occasionally.

Please list your vehicle tag number and a date and location where you'll be with that bundle of cash!

We opened a Chase account just because they have a lot of ATMs around the country, a lot in Walgreens. I have a small pension payment (less than $500) that direct deposits into that account all year long and we use it for our winter cash. I rarely carry more than $200 cash at anytime!

When we are in Florida we find most of the major banks we can withdraw money with our debit card. Also places like Walmart will provide cash back for no fee.

If you stay in the same location every winter, open an account in the local bank. We've done that, and now we take along only enough money to get to our destination and then make a (cheque) deposit when we arrive, and then make follow up deposits as necessary. We pay for all our US purchases with our US bank card and then get cash back; this means we never actually go to our US bank until we need to deposit a cheque. Right now there is enough money in our US bank account that I don't even need to go to get US cash before we leave in November. I can get everything we need (including gas etc.) with my US bank card without doing anything before we leave. Prior to opening a local account I would use an ATM machine and withdraw up to my limit each time I needed money. (Keeping in mind that I would raise the withdrawal limit before leaving for Florida so that the $3.00 charges for withdrawals were kept to a minimum). If you deal with TD Canada Trust and there is a TD Bank near where you stay.. it's even easier. Go and talk to them!!

We use ATM's for some cash but credit cards for most purchases and online banking to pay the credit cards. I never carry more than a couple hundred dollars in cash on me any time while traveling; certainly would never carry thousands in our rv.

We are not snowbirds but travel a lot. We debit and carry no more than $200 cash. It is really dangerous to do so.

If you use your Canadian account, let your bank know you are travelling, where and for how long. They will monitor your debit and credit cards for questionable use.

Hubby and I went on holiday and did not let the bank know. We were in the middle of a northern area and I went to get cash at an ATM. Our bank had froze our account. When I called they said $15,000 in 6 weeks was an unusual amount to be debited. We did not use credit only debit or cash. After I explained they unfroze our account again. It scared me as I knew there was lots of money and was happy they were looking out for our interest.

We also carry minimum cash. Getting cash back at stores like Walmart or the gracery stores is the preferred for getting paper money. For the rest we use debit or cc for places that still don't accept debit.