Be Careful of your money overseas!

Be Careful with Your Money Overseas!
By Jen Campbell of Escape Destinations Travel

Planning a wonderful trip overseas soon? Awesome! It’s important to do your homework before you go, so it doesn’t end up costing you more than you bargained for. 

BEFORE YOU GO:

1-SHOULD YOU EXCHANGE MONEY AT HOME? No- fees are higher at home, you’ll get a better deal at your travel destination.

2-TELL YOUR BANK YOU'LL BE TRAVELING- Call your credit card companies to let them know where you'll be traveling and for how long. Many bank websites allow you to fill out these “alerts” before you go.

3-MAKE SURE YOUR CARD HAS "CHIP & PIN"- I discovered this tid-bit of info once I arrived in Germany last year. Many countries won’t allow your card to be used at their establishment unless you card has the chip.

WHILE YOU'RE THERE:

1-USE A CREDIT CARD WITH NO FOREIGN CURRENCY FEES- Did you know that Some cards have zero fees on their credit cards when used internationally? Use these cards if you can.

2-KNOW HOW TO AVOID THE ATM FEES-ATM’s are a great, quick way to get money while traveling. However, some banks charge a foreign currency fee that could be $9 or $10 per transaction! Watch out for these fees.

3-TAKE MEASURES TO PROTECT YOUR MONEY AND PASSPORT-Use a money belt to protect your precious funds from pick pocket. Don’t flash your passport about either, this is very unsafe.

Consider leaving a copy of your passport at home and take others with you to leave in your hotel room. Be sure to carry your original passport on you at all times. Replacing your precious lost or stolen passport when you have a copy of it is so much easier than if you have no copies whatsoever to show.

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