How to Use Cashier Checks for Travelers

You can use cashier's checks when traveling.

Cashier's checks are paper funds drawn from one bank's account and housed in that bank's escrow account. This is the holding area, not a proper account. If you want to use cashier's checks instead of cash or traveler's checks, you'll need to obtain the checks before you begin traveling. You'll also need to predetermine how much you'll need, and in what amounts.

Things You'll Need

• Cashier's checks

Instructions

1. Determine the cost of your trip. If you plan to use cashier's checks to pay for all expenses, including hotels and travel, you must know out the exact amount for each expense (hotel room, bus trips, rental car), and also make sure those retailers will accept cashier's checks.

2. Check your own account to make sure you have enough in the account to cover all of the cashier's checks you intend to draw. Your cashier's checks will immediately take money from your account and place it in escrow until the checks are cashed.

3. Visit a local branch office of your bank. Ask for cashier's checks in all the amounts you need. Make sure the payee on particular checks is listed correctly. Also make sure that the cashier's checks you'll be using as cash are made out to you, not the bank at which you plan on cashing them.

4. Make photocopies of all the cashier's checks before you start using them. These are neither certified nor guaranteed, but if you have copies, you may be able to track them down if they are stolen or lost.

5. Keep your cashier's checks in a safe place while traveling. You might want to keep the check amounts low on the checks made out to you. This will ensure that you will not be carrying huge amounts of cash out of the bank in a foreign country.

6. Keep your bank customer service and fraud prevention numbers handy. If checks are lost or stolen, you'll need to quickly contact your bank and place stop payments on any missing checks.

Tips & Warnings

• Cashier's checks are less secure than traveler's checks. They also aren't guaranteed if lost. You might be better off with traveler's checks.

References

• Bankrate: Stopping Payment on a Check is Expensive
• Bankrate: You Can't Always Trust Certified Checks