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Just a heads up, a lot of places in Portugal only take cash not card. That's what I found when I was there a month ago, so i would take a lot of cash regardless.
Occasionally for small transactions. A lot of stores have a 10 euro minimum. Museum admissions. The subway kiosks are easier with cash. I'm fine in Lisbon for a week with 200 euros in pocket money using a credit card for almost everything.
Always have a few grand in cash on you tucked away. Your card problems sound odd to me. Why not see if they can give you a temporary one directly from the bank for your trip ? GO IN to see a rep in person. DO NOT do this over the phone and let the bank know your travel dates. Activate your TRAVEL NOTICE.
I agree, take smaller denominations, & most advanced countries will not want US Dollars, for payment, so it change into local currency. Have a great trip.
I agree, do not assume that US cash can be used everywhere. It would be quite amusing to see what would happen if one was presented at one of our local stores.
In Europe you can easily change your US cash if need be.
My daughter backpacked for months in Europe when she was 23, mostly alone. She actually had a backpack stolen in Spain with her money, passport and almost all her ID. She had to go to the consulate who deal with these problems all the time. It has taught her that most problems can be solved.
We always like to travel with some cash and unfortunately lost some in Alaska earlier in the year. My husband moved it because of the need to take off his belt in airport security and it seems he dropped it. Of course it was never seen again!
What we have learnt from that is to never rush at airports and other places. Think carefully about where everything is before you go through security and do not rush on the other side either.
-Carry some $100 Bills to exchange to local currency
-Bring both credit card and debit card. Getting local currency at the airport with debit card.
-Tape one card into your passport and leave your passport in the safe in the hotel.
-Notify your banks and credit card companies that you are going abroad.
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So for those who mentioned this or inquired, I made all of my travel notifications to the banks 3 days ago.
Coincidentally and because I'm anal, I called all of them today to verify the notifications were on my account and found 2 of them were not at all. So I'm glad I called to double check on all of them.
Just a heads up, a lot of places in Portugal only take cash not card. That's what I found when I was there a month ago, so i would take a lot of cash regardless.
Good point.
At this point I'm trying to determine; do I get Euros here, in Atlanta, before I leave? Or get U.S. dollars here in exchange them in the airport in Lisbon? I'm assuming I should get Euros here in the U.S.; I want to do whatever costs less.
1. Have cards from more than one bank, even if one is debit and one credit. That way if you get some fraud event that jacks your whole account you're not SOL. Yes, I realize too late for you on this trip in two days.
2. ATM is the best way to get foreign currency (with good banks' cards) but always bring enough US cash in big bills to ride out the storm of ATM not working at airport. That way you can trade in a couple hundreds to catch a taxi, get some food, etc. and if you don't need 'em fine just bring them home.
3. For keeping money/cards back in the room try a fake product to hide things that nobody would take. My wife has a brush she bought on amazon where it can slide open and is big enough to hold a card and some cash. Nobody is stealing a brush.
4. Have a credit card registered with booking sites that you don't physically carry with you. That way if you became that rare "I lost everything" type person all you need is to find some wifi to book a room, order meals, even book a ride to the embassy and a flight home, despite having canceled everything you had with you.
Thank you for all of the great advice. Regarding each point:
1. I have Chase debit, 2 Chase cards, 1 Citi, 1 Cap1 and 1 Amex (I have more cards than this, but limited the ones I'm bringing to these)
2. I think I should just get Euros here in the U.S. to bring with at this point, no?
3. My extra cards and cash are kept in a "feminine" product
4. Great point - but I can't think of any aside from Uber to register with (which I have like 4 cards already stored in both my Uber and Lyft accounts)...All of my rooms are already booked.
Last edited by southkakkatlantan; 10-17-2018 at 09:04 PM..
Why so nervous? First time traveller?
You always should have one Visa and one MC with you. Some places take one but not another. Also a credit card with no foreign transaction fees is advisable. https://www.nerdwallet.com/blog/cred...e-credit-card/
The fees are often 1% to 3% of the amount of a purchase or ATM withdrawal.
I seldom use credit card overseas, except to pay for hotel and car rental. Cash is a king, and everyone always takes it.
Take some dollars and exchange at your destination.
Take a purse with zip compartment where you will put your wallet. Carry like a messenger bag and you will be safe. Just use common sense.
Don't get nervous over nothing.
Enjoy your trip!!
Note: remember to notify your CC issuers about your travel, so they don't block it thinking someone stole them.
Airports usually have worst exchange rates. Anywhere in the city would be cheaper.
Not a first time traveler. But on my first international trip I did get pic pocketed and had my passport and all cards/cash on me. Had to stay in the country, change flight plans and go through the hassle of getting an emergency passport to get back out of the country.
I will have a combination of Visa, MC and AmEx with me.
Is it cheaper to take dollars and exchange at my destination though...?
I have both a money belt and a neck wallet. Also have a messenger bag with zipped compartments.
US currency is king overseas, carry enough on your person for several days expenses. If you don't have time now for your local bank to get you a few hundred Euros for airport taxi, porter, etc... just take the US $ & exchange at airport arrivals.
Clean, new $100 bills are accepted everywhere in this world, perhaps get 20+ of them before leaving? I'm more a fan of that & using a local ATM with my debit card in-country than Travelers' Checks. Did the AirBnB have a problem with your credit card for reservations?
I too have a "room safe" that is a can of Barbersol Shave Cream with a screw off bottom that I keep with toiletries, half my $$ there & the rest split between room safe & money belt. There are all sorts of screw off bottom "safes" around.
Hopefully this won't even be a problem over there, hard to see 3 different cards going down at once - have them checked at Chase bank when you are getting cash before you leave. I used my Chase ATM card in Europe with no issues.
BTW don't put anything in a "can safe" while traveling or crossing borders just to avoid any possible issues an agent may decide to pursue if they are in a bad mood... I have traveled with one for years though & no problem.
All AirBnbs have been booked and there weren't any problems there. I too have a money belt fyi.
Agree that this 'shouldn't' be an issue and that it is unlikely I'd have 3 cards all malfunction at one time however...if there was one person this would happen to it would be me. Jus sayin...on our international work trips my boss once said she was always nervous because I was the one that would have the most unfortunate and random bad things happen while abroad.
What is a "can safe"?
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So I'm glad I called to double check on all of them.
