I use my Mastercard all the time at home. I never had a problem until a few months ago when my bank called and told me to destroy my card and they will send me a new one. I guess they were monitoring my card and saw where there was security issues (may have been the Home Depot thing).

Anyway, in Jamaica I avoid using it. I take it as a backup method of payiing for emergencies only.

I'm with Biggs, I take a small amount of cash but mostly I take travellers checks.

I had my room broken into while on holiday a few years back while in Hawaii. They took a few hundred dollars worth of travellers checks. I called the police, they came and made a report. I took a copy of thee report to the bank and within about two hours of finding out that someone broke into my room I had all my money back.