Carrying $2-3K or so in your pocket should not be an issue -- it's only 20-30 $100 bills and it's not illegal. There was a time when I routinely carried $8-10K to Asia and Africa and never had any problems. (I would simply drive there and carry the $ in my wallet and the smallest stainless steel .32acp in my front pocket.) 
I am planning a trip to Chicago and thinking about a multi hour date. How do you safely carry that much cash?
Has anyone used the prepaid cards and then received cash from a ATM upon arrival?
We can't possibly talking about that much money, I've carried as much as fifty grand through a domestic airport before without issue. Now international flights are quite a different matter as you must declare anything over ten thousand or risk having them keep every penny.
It does help if you look and act like carrying a few thousand bucks in your pocket is a normal thing, but even though I do carry several ATM cards with me as well, it's rare for me to hop a plane without a couple of grand in my pocket "just in case", just in case I get in a card game, want to see a couple of hookers or just in case I want to do anything fun while traveling. lol
Really GB, with a handle like yours, are you really scared of carrying cash?
A few grand in my pocket is no big deal to me or anyone else. However, if your are doing something stupid and get arrested with a bag full of Franklins LE will keep them. Now it will be up to you to prove them wrong. Thats the way it works in Cow-Town.
I wouldn't have any problem carrying that much cash, of course, I carry. Anyway, your bank doesn't have a branch in Chicago? If not, can't you make ATM withdrawals over multiple days to get the funds you need? Otherwise, just write a check and be done with it.
Coupla days before a trip I stop rotating jockey shorts, keep the same pair going til I build up a good set of tracks. Then I sew a silk purse containing my $$$$$$$$$$ onto the inside of the rear part of the shorts. Never been robbed, and even the security dogs avoid me.
Go to a local branch for your bank and make an old fashioned withdrawl. ATMs are an option, but I have never seen one hand out more than $500 at a time, in $20.00 bills. So you will have to make multiple withdrawls (never used prepaid cards but I am assuming there is no limit on daily withdrawl)
If you step into the bank to change those to large bills, be prepared to be treated with suspicion (my personal experience), so keep the receipt from the ATM machine. Otherwise be prepared to carry a large quantity of bills.
This is why I have heavy preference for providers who provide electronic methods of payment. I am tired of carrying large quantities of cash, and having to cross borders with large sums makes it even worse.
-- Modified on 4/18/2016 8:15:31 PM
and I can get up to a grand a day on each one of my cards. You must be living in the 20th century, many of the ATMs at Wells Fargo, Chase, B of A now have a "fast cash" option of $800.
I have never used a pre paid card either, it seems like a total waste of time to me.
there are many ATMs that dispense 50s.
I have also seen ATMs that dispense 100s. (Those were in Vegas casinos, not in Hawaii)
You can set your daily withdrawal limit to whatever you want, does not have to be 1k. However for the ATMs I used typing in any number above $500 results in an error. So I have to use it multiple times. I am guessing its a mechanical limitation on the thickest stack of paper the machine can dispense. I used to then go to the teller and get large bills, but got treated with suspicion so many times I stopped doing it.
I am assuming the prepaid card is a method he is using to cover his tracks some how and that there is some reason he does not want to use his ATM card.
I agree same day ATM withdrawal works fine if you are seeing someone for an hour or two, but those are not what I book.
If I got a strange look from a bank teller, I'd just tell her it was my strip club earnings and I feel lucky I wasn't cashing in rolls of pennies.
Honestly, some of you guys make such a big fucking deal out of the simplest things. I honestly can't imagine a bank tell treating my with suspicion or me even caring if they do.
and virtually ALL the major banks now have a default setting for $800, stop going to credit unions and you'll stop having this problem. This really is not rocket science.
I believe cash is still King. If needed change up to big bills and keep on you. Pocket , wallet on perhaps your little man purse.
Like it was said already, just act like you have some cents!!
If you're carrying alot of cash don't go to the west side or the south side of Chicago.And if you're landing in ohare you will be in a safe area.But midway...that's a different story.it's the southside.Just put your money in your wallet and don't act all scary.you should also post this in the Chicago boards section!
I just put my stack of 100's (maybe 12K) in my check book with a couple rubber bands around it and carry it in my " Man Purse" (Shoulder bag) that has my laptop and chargers. Never out of my site except when in the airport scanner,\.
Never had a problem. in 40 plus trip
Same here, but usually take about a third of TG's gangster roll. =)
I leave my 100s in the envelope I got from the bank, and zip it into a pocket of my phone/tablet/snack/headphone bag. It's always around my shoulder or right in front of me on the plane. Once I get to Vegas, it goes into the safe.
Has anyone used the prepaid cards and then received cash from a ATM upon arrival?
When I didn't want to get robbed, I stuffed it in different places, so if I did get robbed, I would only get a part of my cash stolen. Now I just deposit it in the state I'm in. But not because I think I'm going to get stopped at the airport.
If you're traveling for a multi-hour, why not just transpose them to 100's to make the wallet thinner?
Honestly, carrying a couple grand in 100's is no big deal.
-- Modified on 4/18/2016 8:59:57 PM
Carrying $2-3K or so in your pocket should not be an issue -- it's only 20-30 $100 bills and it's not illegal. There was a time when I routinely carried $8-10K to Asia and Africa and never had any problems. (I would simply drive there and carry the $ in my wallet and the smallest stainless steel .32acp in my front pocket.)
that reads, Traveling with Cash, Ask Me for a Loan!
I've traveled all over the world carrying lots of cash
You put it in your front pocket and forget it.
If you aren't man enough to protect your own money what are you doing with a provider??
Ok, that was harsh but you get the drift
Just do what I do. I put some cash in my wallet, some loose in all four pockets, some in my coat/jacket pockets, some in my socks, and some in the bottom of my shoe. That way, robbers only get a small chunk if they stick you up. Also, if you take your wallet and throw it, they will naturally turn to go after it, leaving the back of their head vulnerable so you can clobber them.