OTHER PREPARATIONS FOR GETTING THERE
(ALL THE SUPPORT ITEMS YOU MAY NEED FOR YOUR TRIP)

MONEY

On this page you will find numerous tips and resources regarding ATM and Credit Cards, currency conversion and exchange, money, credit monitoring and identity protection.

Perhaps a better title may have been CREDIT because our financial lives depend so much on it. Knowing our credit score is important, to be assured that we are getting the best interest rates. Protecting our identity is also important to protecting out credit as is credit monitoring for potential mistakes or 'attacks' on our credit by thieves.

Though we often take it for granted that our 'financial' cards will be with us and functional, everything comes to a halt when they don't.

atm card
credit card
currency converter
identity theft

ATM Cards:

Don't forget your ATM card and be sure you remember your PIN. If in doubt because you rarely use your ATM, use it to make asmall cash withdrawal well ahead of time! It is an indispensable tool for ready cash from an ATM in the foreign destination airport and may give you a better exchange rate than at a currency exchange. You may wish to check with your issuing bank to confirm the countries in it's network.

 

Wallets & Credit Cards:

Speaking of "wallets", go through yours and take out anything you won't need on your trip; less to carry and less to worry about if your wallet were lost and stolen. If you and your spouse carry duplicate credit cards, you should each carry different cards while away. Should one lose a card, the other's duplicate will be worthless once you report it missing and it would be taking up needless space in your wallet. (Be sure, though, that you have a record of each of your cards' information such as CC#, customer service or issuing bank ph.# to report it missing. As mentioned earlier, if you don't already have a service with this information, send yourself an email with all important information so you can have ready access to it if needed while away)

A safer way to carry cash, especially in areas known to be frequented by pickpockets, is a silk money belt worn under your clothes, as frequently suggested by veteran traveler Rick Steves. It is unobtrusive and much more difficult to access by thieves.

Money belt
Travel money belts - for Women

Other credit card hints:

• Keep your credit card's (c.c.) customer service number handy in your cell phone in case of loss or denial of purchase approval by the credit card's bank (by their fraud department as a protection to you). It may be wise to call each issuing bank's fraud dept. to advise them of your upcoming travels, especially if out of the country, to avoid unnecessary hassles in their effort to protect you against fraud from purchase locations outside of your home area.

 

• Carry a second, different card (if traveling solo in a foreign country where it would be difficult to call bank) in case of problem.

 

• Check the amount of wear of the magnetic strip of your c.c. before leaving. Get a new card if there is a chance that your card may soon become demagnetized.

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Money/Currency Converter:

Oanda.com, "The Currency Site" to use their:

• Quick Convert for major World currencies (on top of their home page) or
• FXConverter to calculate conversion of over 164 currencies

Currency converter

Identity Theft:

LifeLock - "The industry leader in proactive identity protection, offers a proven solution that prevents your identity from being stolen before it happens." It offers "the most advanced Identity Theft Protection system available!":

Investments:

If you are an active trader, unless you close all trades before leaving so you don't have to worry about them while away, sometimes you have no choice but to get frequent updates on them.

If this is a situation you find yourself in and need an easier way to trade than through a computer or by phone call, look for an online trading account that offers convenient access through your Blackberry or iPhone.

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Unclaimed Cash

Perhaps an unexpected source of travel funds?

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