In Reply to: cash vs CBA travel money card posted by Bigpete3941andfamily on Tuesday, 18. September 2012 at 16:36 Bali Time:
I used a CBA Travel Card for 3 years (the time it lasts). Used it not only in Bali. It costs $3 or more per transaction. The rate is a bit less than money changers.
Then there are costs to get it & costs to load money on to it. Then there is the ATM fee every time you use it. And the exchange rate isn't flash. I will never use one again.
Don't take lots of cash - if it is stolen it is gone forever.
Now, no matter where we go (& we travel around SE Asia often), we take the bulk of our $ in Travs Cheques - they are free from the Post Office & readily & easily exchanged. If they are stolen then they are rapidly replaced - cash if stolen is gone forever. Sure, you need your passport to exchange T/Cs but usually a photocopy is enough. T/Cs in Bali are maybe 1 cent less per dollar than the cash rate. Worth the security I think.
Do some research & do your sums.