Heading to an altogether new destination can be troublesome especially if it’s your first time to that place. Internet can help, but on ground you will have to taste the soil. The fuel for your travel is going to be money, and it can’t run out before you end. Planning about finances is done by all, but we often ignore on how to carry money. We have listed some tips on how carry money while travelling.
Cash –
Obviously the most easy and popular way to carry money.. Comes in handy especially in developing and underdeveloped parts of world.. On travel you will probably buy all small commodities vital for day to day life in exchange of cash. But don’t carry it in bulk. In lawless lands you could be mugged. Cheats can thug you. If you drop your wallet, remorse will pick up on you.
PRO TIP – Always distribute your stash of cash in different places, means in wallet, upper pocket, in carry bag, in your luggage, in cupboard of your hotel room. This way you will never lose all of it at once.
PRO TIP – Always carry a small reserve of foreign currency (Of nation you are travelling to) with you, before you leave your home. It will come in handy in situations like, paying taxi from airport to Hotel.
PRO TIP – US Dollars, British Pound and Euro are most easily exchanged currencies. In Developing countries and mostly in underdeveloped nations, punters will easily accept these.
PRO TIP – Always carry change (smaller denominations of currency). It will come in handy, if a vendor or a cab driver says he doesn’t has the change and asks to keep the change. Also comes in handy to pay for small transactions which happen a lot in travel.
Debit Cards& ATM –
Most convenient way of carry money in modern day world.. With ease of accessibility and huge network of ATM’s debit card is the winner. Though developing and underdeveloped nations have low maintenance standards when it comes to ATM outlets. Most of times you will enter an ATM that is out of cash, or out of service.. Discourage using swipe machines in foreign lands, because in case of scams you will be far far away to claim your losses.
PRO TIP – Before leaving your country, contact your ATM/Debit Card issuer bank to know with what banks in your travel country they have partnership with. This will help you in saving transaction fee.
PRO TIP – Prefer carrying a Debit Card powered by VISA or Master Card. Their network is huge, and will save you from disasters of type of card not supported while making transactions.
PRO TIP – Keep the customer service number of your Debit card issuer bank in your contact list.. You never know if it gets stolen or lost. To block you will need the number.
Credit Card –
Extremely popular mode of carrying money, and well accepted at small and big establishments across developed countries. But in developing nations the usage and acceptance rates are very low.
CONS – It is easy to forge a sign and transact with a Credit Card that’s not yours. (From the eyes of a Thug)..
PRO TIP – Keep it in a briefcase handcuffed to your hands. That was a joke. But a lost Credit Card can be very grave, if you get late to know about it. During day keep checking your Credit Card, and before sleeping too..
PRO TIP – The document you don’t bother to see at time of issuance of your credit card, will now come in handy. See their affiliations and partnerships with different outlets, hotels, companies. Check with them if these deals are valid overseas. It will save you fee and even get you good cashbacks. Because in travel every penny saved is a trophy.
Technology, PayPal and Apps –
You are reading about carrying money while on travel with grace of technology. The same will help you in carrying money too. If you don’t have it, then first create a PayPal account. Check on internet, about the most common used app for payments in particular country. Download it, read their terms of services. If not useful uninstall it. But repeat with another app..
PRO TIP – Before proceeding with anything, please check how you will access internet while overseas. You can beforehand consider buying a local SIM. Without internet, you will be king without throne.
PRO TIP – Do check their transaction fee, foreign exchange fee. As this option is less used (I am talking about using local apps), there might be a hidden dragon in form of fee for you.
PRO TIP – Though this one is generic whether you travel or not. But secure your smartphone with anti-virus. Any major loss can get you stranded in foreign lands.
Travelers Cheques and Money Transfer –
Call us old school, but we still believe in Travelers cheque. We believe it to be one of most reliable means of carrying money. They are non-transferrable, and can be encashed only by you. We never hope that your money runs out, but if it does, Money Transfer is great asset. Popular services are Western Union and MoneyGram.
PRO TIP – If you plan on shopping huge in foreign land, but sure about it. Then prefer to carry Travelers Cheque. It will be as safe as Queens Crown and solely up to your wish on encashing huge sums in short notices. It can also be used in urgent business cash needs.
PRO TIP – Don’t exchange the vital details like PIN and verification number of Money transfer over emails, or public phone booths. It can jeopardize your transfers, and ruin the transaction.
LAST WORDS – DON’T EVER SHOW EM THE MONEY
