Travel advice Don't pack these cards

Whatever the ads say, the new 'traveller’s cash cards’ don’t offer great value for money, says Consumer Editor Nick Trend. Despite the hype, 'cash cards' provide few benefits that credit card don't Photo: GETTY This is a time to be cautious — both about financial security and, with the pound at its weakest level against the euro, about value for money when travelling. One new way of carrying money abroad is said to offer advantages on both counts. This year has seen a spate of banks and foreign exchange companies promoting travellers’ “cash cards”. These allow you to credit them with a fixed amount of money (the upper limit might be £5,000) before going abroad. You then use the card in the same way that you would use a credit or debit card — with a PIN to withdraw cash from machines or to pay directly for goods and services.... [read full story]