When traveling abroad, there always tends to be some level of concern over whether or not carrying cash about ones person is a wise idea. Instead, many travelers have turned to a safer, more secure method of ensuring that they have money on hand at all times but in a form that no one else can utilize. These money-papers are known as travelers checks. These are pre-printed checks that are valued at a predetermined amount of money, and which have the added security of being denoted exclusively for your use.
Travelers checks can be purchased at most major banks, and you essentially exchange cash for the check, with a small surcharge included for the cost of the checks production. You will be asked to sign each check that you purchase in the upper right-hand corner, and this signature should be identical to that which is found on your passport or other form of photo ID. There will be a second line marked signature in the bottom left-hand corner, and this should be signed only when cashing the check.
Most financial institutions can issue travelers checks in denominations of $20, $50, $100, $500 or $1000, and in some cases, they can be issued in the currency of the...