Travel Tips and Travel Advice:  Money Use While Traveling Internationally

Key Articles

ATM and credit card notification   As part of their consumer fraud prevention program, the issuer of your ATM card will notify you if unusual transactions occur in your account.  The patterns they watch for include withdrawals, significant  purchases, or either occurrence in international locations.  In order to avoid having your card temporarily deactivated, follow our recommendations.

ATM safety and security  ATM users are easy marks for criminals.  We provide several recommendations for protecting you and your ATM card while using it abroad.

ATM use abroad  Yep, the procedures are pretty much the same as at home. It's just the language and keyboard that may differ.  Read our article for a quick overview of what to expect.

Buy a money belt and be prepared to use it.   Money belts are one of the best security devices that travelers can use to protect money, cards, passports, and transportation documents.  Buy one, try it, and you will be a convert.  Here we discuss style, use, and "money belt management".

Buying foreign currency  Buying foreign currency is an activity that most Americans find unique.  This article covers the use of ATMs, Bureau de Change, and Exchanges.  There are, also, tips about where not to buy currency and where you might find fair rates.  If you have never bought currency before, here's a brief overview of what you should expect.

Carry both an ATM and credit card  Credit cards and ATM cards serve different purposes.  We discuss how to use both cards to your advantage while traveling abroad.

Carry some small change for tipping, parking meters, and toilets.   Most travelers avoid carrying pocket change.  Keeping your change in milk bottles may be a good idea at home but when you are traveling internationally be sure to have a pocket full of coins in the local currency.  Read our article to find out why.

Take a mix of cash and cash equivalents  Getting ready for your big trip abroad?  How much cash should you take? Should you carry traveler's checks? Well, we review the options and make several recommendations that, we think, will serve you well on your next journey.

What to do when the ATM eats your card  It doesn't matter that it has never happened to you.  What matters is that it might when you're far from home and using your ATM card as your sole source of  cash.  Wondering what you should do?  Read our article for some good advice.

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Good to know

Carry cash for convenience and emergencies  Plastic - it turned out to be true!  Although most travel purchases are made with a bank or credit card, don't abandon cash when you travel abroad. Read our article to see why.

Currency conversion (How to find what things cost when using foreign currencies.)    To evaluate goods that you wish to purchase, you need a quick and easy way to convert the price into dollars.  A calculator is the best way to do this but find taking one on a trip impractical.  Instead, we  recommend a simple technique that will work well for you.

How to handle bills if you will be traveling  for an extended time.  Going away for a really long vacation?  Unfortunately, your bills and creditors aren't. We describe some ways to keep your accounts up-to-date and save your credit rating.

The Euro   The Euro has made travel much easier in Europe.  Read our article on the Euro and find out where it is used and what it means to you.

Traveler check security    Travelers checks are a secure cash equivalent: however, your ability to benefit from that security means that you need to do a little record keeping.

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May be of interest

A cash card for travelers?  American Express and VISA are offering a new, pre-paid cash cards for travelers.  Read this article to learn about their benefits and disadvantages? 

Currency names by country  We provide a list of the names of currencies by country for reference.

Know the true value of foreign currencies  Sometimes foreign currencies are denominated in such huge quantities that they don't seem to be "real money".  In other cases, the amounts seem so small that you do not worry about spending it.  Well, it all comes down to value and you need to consider the value of the currency in your pocket to understand whether the amount you have is significant.

Traveler's checks for two  One problem with traveler's checks is that they always need to be signed by the person who picked them up - you know the person who is never there when you need them to countersign the check.  You did know that you can purchase travelers checks for two?

Traveler's checks denominated in foreign currencies   You can buy traveler's checks denominated in several foreign currencies.  Our article tells you which currencies and the positives and negatives of these products.

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