Getting to travel to a dream destination can be exciting and thrilling but if you're
not prepared to handle your cash and credit cards while traveling,
your dream trip can easily turn into a nightmare.
So in this video I am going to share my best tips
when it comes to handling your money and credit cards while traveling.
If you are just catching this channel for the first time,
this video is the last part of the series of videos I've been doing where I have
been sharing over 80 tips to help you prepare for your next international trip.
So if you are interested in seeing those videos,
I'll have those linked down in the video description for you to check out.
But let's get right into today's video with tip number one.
Exchanging money.
You want to avoid exchanging money at the money exchanges
so it will probably be best for you to pack some cash with you.
Most of the time, the rate is best when withdrawing
through a well-known ATM at your destination.
Airports and money exchanges will always have a slightly worse rate.
So when you arrive, look for a well-known ATM and withdraw from your ATM card.
Private ATMs will often have higher fees so you want to avoid these as well.
Tip number two.
Use your credit cards wisely to avoid extra fees.
For withdrawing money, don't use your credit card instead you should use an ATM card.
Only use your credit card for paying in another currency with
your card as the exchange rate fee is always smaller for credit cards.
Also, when paying with your credit card, you will often
be asked if you want to be charged in the local currency or in US Dollars.
Always choose the local currency as your rate will be better.
You will also want to know which of your accounts are linked to your checking,
savings, and other accounts you might have.
Sometimes in a foreign country, you can't see the labels on the accounts, or you might not
understand the language so it's best to know which account numbers go with which account.
So to sum up, pay your credit card in the local
currency and withdraw from your ATM card from well-known ATMs.
Tip number three.
Notify your bank and credit cards that you'll be traveling.
Your bank or credit cards can freeze your accounts if they notice strange
transactions and that's the last thing you need while you are on a trip.
Notifying them ahead of time will help you avoid this issue
because they will add a record to your account for the fraud detection system.
Tip number four.
Check your travel perks.
You you might normally use your credit cards primarily for their cash back or
rewards points but many credit cards also have extra benefits.
A few common travel benefits include car rental insurance,
concierge services, free breakfast or late checkout at hotels, free or
discounted medical travel insurance, and emergency evacuation Insurance.
Tip number five.
Educate yourself on the local currency.
It can be incredibly difficult to tell the difference between
different coins and bills if you are not from that country.
Learning about the currency where you are headed
to can save you a lot of headaches and from possibly being swindled as well.
Tip number six.
Consider getting a wallet or purse that you use specifically for travel.
There are a lot of options out there for safer storage of your personal items.
You might want an RFID wallet like this one on Amazon that
will insulate you from electronic pickpocketing.
You can also invest in a waterproof crossbody bag that will keep your items safe from the
elements as well as make it harder for thieves to try and grab from you.
The other thing you don't want to do is to keep all your credit cards in one place.
Store them separately from each other so that if you were to lose your wallet,
purse, or travel bag you can use the other cards that you have with you
so you don't end up in a situation where you have no access to money.
Tip number seven.
Consider using prepaid travel cards.
If you don't want to bring along your debit
or credit cards consider using a prepaid travel card instead.
You can load a specific amount of money onto the card before your
trip allowing you to lock in your exchange rate.
Tip number eight.
Hide your money.
There are a lot of ways you can do this and there are a lot of clothing
and travel gear options that will make it easy for you to hide your money.
There are money belts, neck pouches like this one that I like to use,
and pickpocket proof pants and jackets.
And just like I mentioned with the credit cards, don't keep all your cash in one location.
Spread it around to minimize the chance of all your cash getting lost or stolen at once.
If you are planning on leaving your money in your hotel room, don't leave it lying
around on a desk as the cleaning crew might think you just left them a generous tip.
Instead use a room safe or hide your money somewhere where it would be difficult to find.
Well I hope this video series has been helpful to you in some way and
let me know if it has by liking the video or leave me a comment down below.
And if you have stuck around this far through the video, I just want to say thank you for watching,
I appreciate you and I hope to see you back here again in a future video.