![]() Using your credit card is one of the many ways to make everyday purchases, as well as large purchases like hotels and flights. Pros and cons of using a credit card for international travelĬredit cards are a convenient payment method, but there are both pros and cons when it comes to using your credit card for international travel.Īs most people would agree, carrying around a credit card is a lot more convenient than carrying large bills, especially while you're traveling. Chase, however, no longer requires cardmembers to set up travel notifications. You may also be able to use your credit card to withdraw cash at most ATMs overseas, which may come along with fees.ĭepending on your credit card issuer, you may need to notify them that you're traveling abroad. If you're asking yourself, “can I use a credit card abroad?" the answer is, most often, yes. While you may think that using your credit card abroad is the same as using it at home, there are a few things to keep in mind before heading to your destination. Many (especially in the east) are privately owned and charge incredible fees, not to mention the possibility of having your account information in the hands of a non-secured third party.If you're planning a trip abroad, you may want to consider bringing a credit card. The worst thing you can do is assume that all ATM's are linked to a reputable financial institution. In Spain, Banco Popular has been the best. ![]() In France, for instance, the post office ATM's have been the best for my experience. Once you have your domestic account in place, then it's time to see which European financial institutions have the best fees and rate of exchange. It's all about identifying which one's not going to make you bend over the most often.ĭo your homework and find out which ATM is going to stick it to you a bit less. Believe me, there are no free lunches when dealing with financial institutions. For instance, the exchange rate may be $1.30 to 1 euro, but the sell rate is $1.39 while the buy rate is $1.15. It's usually at least 1% of transaction amount with a minimum fee of $25.Īlso, there's a difference between "exchange" rate, "buy" rate, and "sell" rate. I've never heard of a bank not charging a transaction fee for currency conversion. That's pretty close, do what feels best for you. So, if you get cash from an ATM over there, you'll pay about 3½% vs 5% for cash over here. This is exactly what happens with Well Fargo's rate vs Interbank. I suspect they started in the morning with an interbank rate slightly lower than that day's average and applied 5% to it, and the interbank rate went up slightly during the day. I looked up yesterday's average interbank rate on, and Chase's rate for cash was just under 5% over. If you do a good job of that (moneybelt, neckwallet), then you are not going to lose the cash.Īs for the cost of getting cash over there, from ATMs, there are many small banks, credit unions, etc, that charge 1% plus a few $$ for ATM withdrawals (my bank in Denver charges 1% + $2, about 1½% overall). It just emphasizes, you have to protect those things. Justice, if you didn't carry much money, relying on your card, and you got pickpocketed, and they got your card, that might be potentially worse, with no money and no way to get more. It may cost more but it is worth the peace of mind. ![]() Is it worth at most a few hundred dollars to take the chance at losing even more money and ruining your trip, probably not. I would have gotten more myself but I figured that if it costs me say an extra $100 for my trip if the exchange rate goes up I can live with that, but if I was to get say 3000 euros for my whole trip and got pick pocketed and lost all my money my whole trip would be ruined. You may not get a better total exchange rate in Europe, including all the fees imposed by Chase, if the rate goes up at all before you leave, but how much money do you really want to carry around. I did not get all the money I will need from chase for my whole trip, enough for my first 7 to 10 days or so. It is going to cost you about 3.5% to 4% including all fees when you get Euros from an ATM in Europe. Chase charges about 5 extra cents to buy Euros from them. I also bank with Chase and did the same thing about 2 weeks ago, my rate was just under $1.35 per Euro when the real exchange rate was around $1.30.
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