Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
TCheck = No,
Cash = Some in small bill for tips,
Prepaid d/c = no, Most of them if you lose/get stolen you lose the value on them, or take weeks to get value back, very hard to report them lost/stolen.
Take 2 credit card (one big banks if you can) Keep on on you, other hidden in your suit case.
Before you go, Scan them, also you passport, Travel itt. and email to your yahoo/gmail account so if you need them for replacement you can print them out.
That's very good advice, about e-mailing copies of important documents to yourself. They can be accessed and printed anywhere, and only by you.
Before you go, phone the service number on your credit cards and alert them that you plan to travel abroad. If your card suddenly turns up for overseas transactions, they will try to phone you to verify it, and if there's nobody home to answer the phone, they will suspend you card. Make sure you know the service phone number for your credit card provider (not the 800-number) so you can call them. Dedicate a page in your passport for important memos like that, and write them in in pencil.
Also good advice to carry at least two cards, in different places. Also, carry a couple of $100 bills, just in case. You might be stuck in a situation where there is nobody around who has a machine to swipe your card. Every human being on earth recognizes a US-100, and will gleefully accept one, and perform almost any needed emergency service in exchange for one.
Forget about travelers checks. They are a joke, and nobody will accept them. The only place you can cash them is at the bank where you bought them in the first place, and only if you show them the purchase receipt, and then they will put a hold on them.
Get a serious money belt, that wears flat under your clothes. They're hard to find, look in military surplus stores, or order one online.
jtur, that's a great reminder about letting your bank/credit card company know of your travel plans.
I have problems sometimes even though I told them that I travel all over the world so don't block them.
Good advice, but don't carry 100's, go for 20's instead. Except in Japan and Taiwan (and maybe HK and Singapore) there's not many services you're gonna need that will cost more than USD 20. Pay in local currency and always haggle.
As for cash, just use your debit card if you've got a common network like PLUS or STAR. There are ATMs everywhere and most don't charge any fee. Your bank at home, might, though. ATM exchange rates are far superior to hard currency exchanges, credit card rates, and (I think) traveller's cheques--which are just a massive pain in the butt.
I wouldn't carry more than 100 in cash unless you're staying in big cities and fancy hotels. A typical business hotel in, say, China, should run you maybe $15/night, and China's a lot more expensive nowadays than most of SE Asia.
Now, you will get hit with a 1% VISA exchange charge. That's unavoidable as far as I can tell. Big names like Chase tack on an extra 3%-5% for any withdrawls in a foreign currency. This is a clear ripoff and one of the MANY reasons I bank locally instead of with the multinationals. I prefer small liars to BIG LIARS.
There are a few cards that still do not charge foreign exchange fees nor foreign ATM fees. I have a Fidelity Cash Rewards debit card and it is great. You can use it worldwide to withdraw cash from virtually any ATM with no fees at all. It is the best way to get money. However, you will have to open a cash rewards account through Fidelity Investments to get it. Bank of America's atm card has a free international network in about 4 or 5 European countries and are very ATM specific so it is not as good.
Now, you will get hit with a 1% VISA exchange charge. That's unavoidable as far as I can tell. Big names like Chase tack on an extra 3%-5% for any withdrawls in a foreign currency. This is a clear ripoff and one of the MANY reasons I bank locally instead of with the multinationals. I prefer small liars to BIG LIARS.
Wow, my FCU started charging last year.
The sadness.
I was in Athens over the weekend and am off to Thailand in the morning.
I love my ATM card.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
